Emerging SARS-CoV-2 Variants, Inequitable Vaccine Distribution, and Implications for COVID-19 Control in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, four SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern have emerged, which have shifted the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the disease. Of concern is the impact of the emerging variants on COVID-19 vaccination programmes, with vaccination perceived as a key global pandemic control strategy. Variants of concern can reduce the effectiveness of the currently available vaccines, shift herd immunity thresholds, and promote wider vaccine inequities as richer countries hoard vaccines for booster shots for their populations without accounting for the needs of the underdeveloped countries of sub-Saharan Africa. Currently, Africa lags far behind the rest of the world, with most sub-Saharan Africa countries still to reach 50% vaccination of their eligible populations against global herd immunity thresholds of 70–90%. As long as the vaccination gap between sub-Saharan Africa and the rest of the world persists, SARS-CoV-2 will most likely persist as a significant global health threat, with continued emergence of variants of concern. Therefore, strategies to ensure wider reach of different types of vaccines on the African continent are urgently required alongside fighting vaccine hesitancy and logistical barriers to access for the marginalized populations. Sub-Saharan Africa must look for opportunities to manufacture vaccines on the continent and enhance genomic sequencing capacity as key pandemic-control strategies.

Crisis politics of dehumanisation during COVID-19: A framework for mapping the social processes through which dehumanisation undermines human dignity

“…The stratified differentiation among various constructed groups of humanity is demonstrated also by the inequities in vaccination. At the international level, global North states hoarded millions of vaccine doses, with an amount that far exceeds what their respective populations need in the next few years, while the large majority of countries in Africa had yet to vaccinate at least 70% of their populations as of November 2022 (Holder, 2022; Murewanhema et al, 2022; Soulé, 2022). Whereas the WHO-led COVAX programme aimed to provide millions of vaccine donations from rich countries to the global South, this supposed act of kindness is misleading at best.…”

Engaging with communities to encourage adoption of a harm reduction approach to COVID-19

“…6 New waves of infection will be driven by current variants in the majority of Australians not yet infected, waning immunity from vaccination and past infection, and new variants with unknown levels of transmissibility and virulence, especially given viral propagation in many countries with low rates of vaccination. 2 , 7 Epidemic waves will continue until we achieve global coverage with vaccines that have sustained and broad levels of protection against a range of variants. Until such targets have been met, Australia must have clear plans to combat the waves of COVID-19 we can reasonably expect in coming years.…”