The organization encourages U.S. to reconsider participation in coalition effort
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director Dr Carissa Etienne said while it is hoped a vaccine against COVID-19 will be developed in under two years, its availability in-country will not bring an immediate end to restrictive measures and resurgences of the virus.
“Even when we have the vaccine we will not be able to go back to normal, at least not immediately since vaccination of an entire population may take some time,” she said during a virtual PAHO briefing.
“Until we are all protected, a vaccine will act as part of our comprehensive package of measures against this virus. For some time, countries will have to continue to test, to isolate and treat patients; to trace their contacts; and to institute containment measures from time to time; and to avoid a resurgence.
“Also, there is a responsibility for us as individuals at that will mean keeping our physical distance, wearing a mask and sanitization.”
Approximately 30 coronavirus vaccines are in the advance clinical trial stages, though health experts have yet to approve one that can be used to inoculate people against COVID-19.
As of yesterday, more than 170 countries had agreed to participate in the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) Facility, aimed at ramping up the speed of vaccine development and securing doses for the global population to distribute to the vulnerable groups.
The vaccine coalition is intended to ensure equitable distribution — a point raised by Etienne, who said healthcare workers and vulnerable groups should be first in line for an approved vaccine.
United States President Donald Trump has said the US will not join the COVAX global effort to develop, manufacture and distribute a coronavirus vaccine, in part due to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) involvement, according to reports.
A number of experimental vaccines in the US remain in the human testing phase.
Asked about the impact of the US not participating, PAHO’s Department of Communicable Diseases and Health Analysis Director Dr Marcos Espinol urged the US to reconsider.
He said the COVAX Facility is an unprecedented initiative that aims to help all countries bring to its people a “global public good”, noting the U.S. has been a generous donor for decades in many other initiatives.
“The international community is grateful to the US for donating to help countries in need,” Espinol said.
“Of course, any initiative that has a situation where funding is needed will have a major impact if a donor is not present.
“So, while every country makes their own decisions — it’s sovereign, and make the best decisions — we encourage the US to reconsider participating in COVAX because it’s a global public good that will bring vaccines to people in need.”
According to Espinol, when a vaccine is produced PAHO will engage in technology transfer to many countries that have manufacturing capabilities, as a single country or handful of countries will be unable to supply the global demand — 8 billion people.
“And soon as it becomes available PAHO will immediately engage in facilitating the distribution of such vaccine to our member-states,” Espinol added.
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