The Impact Of The COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout On the Global Health

Impact of immunisation on global health

Immunisation is a significant milestone for health improvement & protection. The process of immunisation is continuous & ever-growing. Vaccination is seen as an effective tool in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.

The vaccine numbers that made a difference – Historical Significance

More than 20 life-threatening diseases have vaccines now. Immunisation alone has helped to avoid nearly 3.5–5 million ‌deaths. 2019 witnessed the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, and by the end of 2021, nearly all countries globally had been vaccinated for COVID-19. There was a total of 63% reduction in deaths during the first year of the COVID-19 vaccination drive.

Looking at the evidence gathered and the statistical figures for vaccines. It is clear that vaccines have created a strong defence against deadly diseases.

The beginning of the Covid-19 vaccine era

The solution to the COVID-19 crisis was a joint success through the COVID-19 vaccine and medication. The COVID-19 vaccine, in particular, gave the best protection against a wide range of Covid-19 strains.

WHO established the COVID-19 vaccines global access (COVAX) facility. The purpose of COVAX was to get all the nations together, irrespective of economic status, to stock COVID-19 vaccines and provide them to all.

The timeline to develop a vaccine is long, but in emergencies, just like COVID-19, the timeline is squeezed. COVAX facilitates the speed of vaccine creation and production through investments, creating & managing manufacturing facilities, and shortening the time for licensing of vaccines.

Distribution and prioritisation of vaccine supplies

Vaccine production is equally challenging as vaccine discovery. The ramp-up in vaccine production is challenging when the entire world is battling ‌a pandemic. Prioritisation of vaccine administration was the way out of this situation. Prioritisation helped in the reduction and elimination of morbidity (disease state) and mortality (death rate) rates.

The priority groups as per WHO

• Front-line workers, like healthcare workers doing social care  
• People over the age of 65
• People under the age of 65- with comorbidities (people with underlying disease history, as they are at higher risk for surviving COVID-19)

Phase-wise distribution of vaccine:

Phase – I

In phase -1, around 20% of vaccines were rolled out, which was sufficient to protect vulnerable people from catching COVID-19. COVAX facility had put this strategy for all the member countries.

Phase 1 Included people like

• Health care workers
• Old aged people
• People with serious health problems

Phase – ll

In phase 2, the vaccines were supplied based on the vulnerability and impact of COVID-19 on the country, which was done by studying epidemiological information.

Phase – III (Humanitarian buffer)

In Phase -3, in addition to Phase 1 & Phase 2, a part of the vaccines was reserved as a “Humanitarian Buffer”. This buffer stock was for ‌people unable to receive vaccines under Govt policies.

Humanitarian buffers reached people like:

• Refugees
• Asylum inhabitants 
• Care workers who work in these set-ups

Read more – COVID-19: A Savage Pandemic

Allotment & use of vaccines under SAGE

SAGE (Strategic Advisory Group of Experts) is the advisory body behind the WHO. SAGE provides independent expert advice & recommendations throughout the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. 

A total of 92—low and middle-income economies could access donor-funded doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. The AMC 92 (it is the 92 countries that could access the vaccines through the AMC -Advance market commitment) should develop National Deployment and Vaccination Plans.

NDPV (National Deployment and Vaccination Plans) preparedness has key points, which include

1. Regulatory Preparedness
2. Planning and coordination
3. Costing and funding
4. Target populations
5. Vaccination strategies 
6. Supply chain
7. Healthcare waste management
8. Human resource management and training 
9. Vaccine acceptance 
10. Vaccine demand
11. Vaccine safety
12. Tracking of immunisation

Conclusion

The discovery of the COVID-19 vaccine is unique & successful. The path to the vaccine’s launch has been cut short, and it did not compromise on quality. The vaccine has fulfilled its prime role of preventing the disease with minor side effects, but at the same time, we also have seen the hesitancy to get vaccinated. Healthcare professionals have a major role in creating awareness to overcome vaccine hesitancy. Vaccines have general benefits at a societal level beyond the individual level. These include improved access to education, increased productivity, positive fiscal impact, control & prevention of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, and limitation of gender inequalities. Avail teleconsultation from our expert doctors on our online pharmacy when you place an order for medicines, or you can also download our Truemeds app to do the same. Get branded as well as generic medicines by uploading your prescription on Truemeds. When placing an order for medicines online, you may save more money by selecting an alternative or generic medicine advised by Truemed’s expert doctors. And also, save up to 72% on your purchase and get free home delivery pan India.

Disclaimer

TrueMeds’ sole intention is to ensure that customers have access to information that is accurate & trustworthy. However, the information here should not be used directly, and it cannot act as a substitute for the advice of a doctor. The information provided is only to stay informed. The information on side effects, drug interactions or warnings, and alerts are not exhaustive. Please consult your doctor for the right advice on diseases & medication information.

References

• https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/access-and-allocation-how-will-there-be-fair-and-equitable-allocation-of-limited-supplies
• https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(22)00320-6/fulltext