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Persistent low vaccine coverage could increase the likelihood of emergence of vaccine-resistant variants of the coronavirus, experts say, The Independent reported.
The effectiveness of vaccines currently in circulation may be jeopardized by the evolution of mutations in the virus in the future, according to the 77 scientists from 28 countries who were interviewed by the People’s Vaccine Alliance.
The newspaper found that two-thirds of survey respondents said that in about a year, most of the vaccines currently in circulation would be “rendered ineffective” due to the constant mutation of the Covid-19 virus. This will require the purchase of “modified jabs” to contain the spread of the virus.
About 88 percent of respondents also argued that “persistently low vaccine coverage in many countries” would likely increase the likelihood of vaccine-resistant mutations.
Devi Sridhar, professor of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, explained: “The more the virus circulates, the more likely it is that mutations and variants will emerge, which could make our current vaccines ineffective.”
“At the same time, poor countries are being left behind without vaccines and basic medical supplies like oxygen. As we’ve learned, viruses don’t care about borders. We need to immunize as many people as possible, all over the world, as quickly as possible. Why wait and watch instead of getting ahead? He retorted.
About three-quarters of respondents also suggested that, to increase global access to Covid-19 vaccines, their manufacturers should “share technology and intellectual property.”
“Unless we vaccinate the world, we are leaving the playing field open for more and more mutations, which could produce variants that could escape our current vaccines and require booster shots to treat them,” said Gregg Gonsalves , associate professor of epidemiology at Yale. University, as cited in the Sputnik International report.
“The virus does not respect borders, and new variants somewhere on the planet mean none of us are safe,” Gonsalves added.
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