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OmicrOn: OminOus OutcOme Of vaccine grab

The new COVID-19 VarIanT Is The resulT Of VaCCIne InequalITy anD The raCe fOr prOfIT by bIg pharma COmpanIes ThrOugh paTenT mOnOpOly.

By riCha ChinTan

The discovery of the COVID-19 variant Omicron in South Africa shows that humans cannot afford to promote the interests of one section of the population at the cost of others. The continuous evolution and mutation of SARS-CoV-2, which could lead to deadlier variants, is the result of the large unvaccinated populations in poor countries and the marginalised in rich nations.

The pursuit of profit by big pharma companies through patent monopoly and the vaccine grab by rich countries goes against the logic of experts that vaccination must be extended to all if the world intends to defeat the virus.

In his recent address at a COVID-19 information session for member states, World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus remarked that “the longer we allow the pandemic to drag on—by failing to address vaccine inequity or to implement public health and social measures in a tailored and consistent way—the more opportunity we give this virus to mutate in ways we cannot predict or prevent”.

In a statement on November 26, WHO informed that the B.1.1.529 variant (Omicron) has a large number of mutations some of which are concerning. Preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant as compared to other variants of concern. The variant is still under study and nothing concrete is yet known about its transmissibility rate compared to other variants, like Delta, or its potential to cause more severe diseases. Epidemiological studies are still under way to assess whether the increase in the number of positive cases in South Africa are due to Omicron or other factors.

STarK VaCCine ineQUiTy PerSiSTS

Even after repeated appeals by the WHO, the starkly gross iniquitous distribution of COVID-19 vaccines persists.

Figure 1 shows the proportion of population fully vaccinated populations across countries. While rich countries, like Canada, France, the United Kingdom and Germany, have managed to fully vaccinate about 70% of their populations, Africa is languishing with a meagre 7.2%. Shockingly, some African countries like Mali and Ethiopia have only 1.5% and 1.2% of their populations respectively fully vaccinated.

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OmicrOn: OminOus OutcOme...

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Dr Satyajit Rath, immunologist, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, told Newsclick, “While mutations in the virus will keep arising and being selected under appropriate circumstances, the unconscionable vaccine inequity has indeed contributed to the persistence of a large size of the virus pool.”

According to Rath, this is, in part, “driven by a global manufacturing shortfall and by vaccine nationalism, leading to inequitable global vaccine supply. The first is driven, in part, by forprofit considerations while the second is driven by xenophobic ideologies”.

SOUTh aFriCa PUniSheD FOr OMiCrOn DiSCOVery

Several countries have imposed travel restrictions on South Africa and countries surrounding, like Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Malawi, Zambia and Angola. The South African government has called these restrictions “misguided” and “draconian”. “We feel that it’s a wrong approach. It is misdirected and goes against the norms as advised by the WHO. We just feel that some of the leaderships of (these) countries are finding scapegoats to deal with what is a worldwide problem,” South African health minister Joe Phaahla has said.

In a statement, South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation said that these restrictions are “akin to punishing South Africa for its advanced genomic sequencing and the ability to detect new variants quicker. Excellent science should be applauded and not punished”.

Tedros has supported South Africa and expressed concern over the restrictions. Thanking Botswana and South Africa for rapidly detecting, sequencing and reporting Omicron, he said, “It is deeply concerning to me that those countries are now being penalised by others for doing the right thing.” He also expressed concern over the “blunt, blanket measures that are not evidence-based or effective on their own and which will only worsen inequities”.

Chandrakant Lahariya, an epidemiologist and public health systems expert, argues, “The reality is that there is low coverage of COVID vaccination in Africa. On the other hand, rich countries have stockpiled vaccines and started providing booster shots.”

From the public health and epidemiological perspective, “as long as a virus has a human host which is susceptible and does not have protective immunity, there is a risk of the emergence of new variants and this is the risk that has been probably translated into the Omicron variant. Hence, vaccine inequity needs to be addressed before anything else. It must be noted that South Africa has a very good quality genome sequencing capacity and that is why they could detect it”, Lahariya added.

The same countries have been opposing the TRIPS waiver proposal of South Africa and India, which would have helped tackle the vaccine inequity and helped to deal with the pandemic better, for more than a year.

Dr. Shahid Jameel, a leading virologist and Fellow at OCIS and Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, says, “Regions of the world that are poorly vaccinated are likely breeding grounds for newer variants. Countries without the required resources should be supported. The world needs better vaccine access and equity. It should be a wake-up call for the world, especially the developed nations.” Source- newsclick.in, 2 December 2021.

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COVID-19 BOOSTER DOSES ARE NOW AVAILABLE

On 28 October 2021, the Australian Government announced COVID-19 vaccination booster doses for people 18 years of age and older. Read on to find out more about the booster program, and when you can get your booster dose.

Why is there a booster program?

The COVID-19 vaccines available in Australia – Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca), Comirnaty (Pfizer) and Spikevax (Moderna) – are very effective at protecting people from severe disease, having to go to hospital, and death. They also have a significant impact on reducing the risk of getting COVID-19 and passing the virus on to others.

The Australian Government has started rolling out booster doses to people who completed their two-dose primary vaccination course at least six months ago. It is important people know that two doses of COVID-19 vaccine provide very good protection, especially against severe disease. A booster dose, six or more months after the second dose, will make sure that the protection from the first doses is even stronger and longer lasting and should help prevent spread of the virus.

Do not rush to get your booster dose before six months of having your initial course, even if you are going overseas or you have other concerns. You can be confident that your two-dose course is giving you full protection for at least six months.

How do I get my COVID-19 vaccine booster dose?

COVID-19 vaccines are free to everyone in Australia. This includes booster doses.

You can go to a doctor, a government vaccination clinic, or a participating pharmacy to get your COVID-19 vaccine booster dose. To book your COVID-19 vaccine booster dose appointment, visit australia.gov.au, or call 1800 020 080. For interpreting services, call 131 450. If you do not remember when you had your second dose, you can find those details on your COVID-19 vaccine certificate. Go to servicesaustralia. gov.au for information on how to access your certificate. Or, if you received your second dose from your doctor, you can ask them.

What’s the difference between booster doses and third doses?

Australia’s immunisation experts, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), recommend a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine for people aged 12 years and over who are severely immunocompromised. People who are severely immunocompromised have lower levels of immunity than the rest of the population. They need this third dose to get the same protection others will have from two doses.

Those who are eligible for a third dose should have it between two to six months after their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine, as part of their initial course.

A third COVID-19 vaccine dose is different from COVID-19 booster dose. Booster doses are not currently recommended for people who are severely immunocompromised and who have had a three-dose primary course of the COVID-19 vaccination.

Where do I go for more information?

It’s important to stay informed about the COVID-19 vaccination program through reliable and official sources. Visit health.gov.au/covid19-vaccineslanguages for more information in your language. You can also call the National Coronavirus and COVID-19 Vaccine Helpline on 1800 020 080. For interpreting services, call 131 450.

indian Origin pHysicist prOf. cHennupati JagdisH tO be tHe president Of australian academy Of science

By SaT newS DeSK

MELBOURNE, 25 November 2021: Nanotechnology pioneer Distinguished Professor Chennupati Jagadish AC FAA FTSE will become the next President of Australia’s premier science organisation, the Australian Academy of Science.

Professor Jagadish said he was humbled by the opportunity to lead the Academy. He is the first Australian of Indian heritage to take on the role.

“I never imagined when I came to Australia with a twomonth-old baby and two-year contract thirty-one years ago, that one day I’d be elected a Fellow of the Academy and then go on to lead the organisation,” said Professor Jagadish.

“The Academy plays an important role providing independent, authoritative and influential scientific advice to the Australian Parliament. I look forward to leading that work and being a champion for the cause of science and scientific excellence.

“As a nation, we must adequately invest in research and development to meet national and global challenges, such as climate change and future pandemics.

“We also need to transition from a resource-based economy to a knowledge and technology-based economy.”

Professor Jagadish said nurturing the next generation of young scientists will also be one of his priorities.

“Creating a sense of hope for the younger generation is crucially important at a time when the number of positions in the university research sector is limited and the research funding success rate is also low.”

Throughout his career Professor Jagadish has supervised 65 PhD students, is currently supervising a further 12 PhD students and has mentored 50 postdoctoral and other fellows, with many of them now in leading research institutions across the world.

aBOUT hiS reSearCh

One of the world’s leading physicists, Professor Jagadish’s expertise is in the field of nanotechnology, the science of extremely small things. He arrived in Australia in 1990 to take up a role as a research scientist at the Australian National University and now leads its Semiconductor Optoelectronics and Nanotechnology Group.

Professor Jagadish helps develop semi-conductors used in LED lights and has designed and developed some of the world’s smallest lasers. Approximately 20-30 of these lasers can fit within the width of a single human hair.

His research has also been applied to make lightweight flexible solar cells, to split water to create hydrogen as a pure energy source and to manipulate neurons to treat people living with dementia.

Professor Jagadish has also pioneered the creation of high-performance next generation optical devices, which have huge potential in the field of communications and data storage.

He holds six US patents and has published more than 700 international journal papers. Professor Jagadish was elected to the Academy in 2005 and received the Academy’s Thomas Ranken Lyle Medal in 2019 for his outstanding contributions to physics, just two of many accolades received throughout his career.

LiFe grOwing UP

Born in India, Professor Jagadish grew up without electricity and studied in front of a kerosene lamp until his first year of high school, before coming under the tutelage of maths teacher, Chaganti Sambi Reddy.

Seeing the young student’s potential, Reddy invited Jagadish to live with his family, so he didn’t have to walk six kilometres each day to attend high school.

Reddy said he was not surprised to hear of his protégé’s election to President of the Academy.

“Jagadish has been the most successful among the thousands of students I have taught during my 40-year career as maths teacher and headmaster of many high schools.

“We are delighted and proud of Jagadish and wish him well in this important leadership role at the Australian Academy of Science.”

aCCOLaDeS FrOM COLLeagUeS

Outgoing Academy President Professor John Shine AC PresAA FAHMS(Hon) FRS said he was delighted Professor Jagadish had been elected as the next President of the Academy.

“Professor Jagadish is highly regarded as a scientist and understands the importance of Australia’s international scientific engagement, having research collaborations in 30 countries around the world himself,” said Professor Shine.

“Professor Jagadish will also be a strong voice for our emerging scientists and young researchers who are Australia’s future science leaders. They have been severely impacted by COVID-19, as highlighted in a report published by the Academy’s EMCR Forum last year.”

Professor Jagadish will be the 20th President of the Academy since its founding President, Sir Marcus Oliphant AC KBE FAA FRS FTSE was elected in 1954. The President of the Academy is elected by its Fellows for a four-year term.

Other Fellows elected to the Academy’s Council who will also commence their roles alongside the new President in May 2022 include:

Professor Frances Separovic AO – Foreign Secretary

Professor Lyn Beazley AO – Secretary Education and Public Awareness

Professor Colin Raston AO – Ordinary Member (Physical Sciences)

Professor Julian Gale – Ordinary Member (Physical Sciences)

Professor David Bowtell – Ordinary Member (Biological Sciences) Source- science.org.au

melbOurne Jayanti screening a success

By SaT newS DeSK

MELBOURNE, 29 November 2021: The Jayanti (Marathi) with English subtitles directed by Shailesh Baliram Narwade and starring Ruturaj Wankhede, Titeeksha Tawde and Milind Shinde, has been successfully running in India. The theme of the movie is what makes it different from the regular films and its exclusive show here on 27 November generated keen interest.

The major chunk of the Bollywood movies focus on money generation and box office movies depict the core idea of entertainment and stories unconnected to peoples issues.

But Jayanti makes a break from the routine and takes up the journey of a young misled goon becoming a learned and socially responsible person to bring change in himself and the society. This reflects the radical transforming the passive subjectivity attached to Dalit-Bahujan characters.

The Bahujan protagonist wages a tough struggle against well entrenched class and political elite. This gives the movie a Dalit empowerment color, laying the foundation of upcoming Dalit cinema.

The audience watching Jayanti in Melbourne connected well with the progressive ideas of the movie and it’s liberating message.

This was Jayanti’s first international screening which educated, enriched and entertained the select audience. One hopes the movie gets a regular release in Australia.

more buliding blocks - Charlotte mackie

MADA NOW - monash university’s faculty of art, Design and architecture has recently awarded several significant prizes at its annual graduate show, maDa now, showcases the work of over 750 graduating artists, curators, designers and architects in an online exhibition at - monash.edu/ mada/now. a physical exhibition is also open at Caulfield campus until Dec 3. Celebrating the next generation of melbourne’s creative community is particularly important this year as the sector has faced ongoing uncertainty through extended lockdowns. Check out the maDa now online exhibition: monash.edu/mada/now.

what Do you see - emma winkler

Joanne Ching