Â鶹´«Ã½

Coronavirus

    • Omicron shows need for global vaccine coverage, as Canada doses slowly reach African clinics

    Share
    TORONTO -

    Vaccine inequity is a more pressing concern than ever, but despite wealthy countries making a show of donating doses, the rollout of those doses to poorer regions of the globe has been a slow drip rather than the flood needed for wide protection.

    Vaccine doses donated to COVAX by Canada have started arriving at their intended destinations, all while the spread of Omicron highlights one of the dangers of failing to ensure global vaccine coverage.

    Tabitha Medical Clinic in Kibera, Kenya, health workers are finally getting the first box of Canadian-donated AstraZenca vaccines, now called Vaxzevria.

    Eddah Ogogo, CFK Africa's primary health-care program co-ordinator, said they were “excited†to receive the vaccine doses.

    “This is very crucial in fighting the pandemic,†she said.

    This clinic is in the middle of a poor and densely packed community outside of Nairobi with an estimated population of more than 250,000 people.

    The clinic was founded by a local nurse Tabitha Atieno Festo, and is now funded by an international charity, CFK Africa, as well a partnership with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It relies on shipments like this one from Canada.

    Kenya is one of three countries in Africa that started receiving the first Canadian-donated shipments of AstraZeneca this fall through COVAX, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) vaccine donation program seeking to provide vaccines to lower-income countries where vaccine access is still a huge problem. Nigeria and Niger in September.

    While Canada has announced that , through financial support or direct doses, the equivalent of at least 200 million doses to COVAX by the end of 2022, so far it has shipped out around 9.1 million doses according to the government’s website — a small fraction of the amount Canada procured for itself.

    In Kenya, less than 11 per cent of people have received even one dose so far.

    According to a Reuters tracker, the country has reported around 255,000 COVID-19 infections, and 5,300 virus-related deaths.

    Amos Achola, who lives in Kibera, says he has lost five family members, and even more neighbours to COVID-19 so far. 

    “COVID-19 has really affected my family negatively because I used to work,†he said. "When COVID-19 hit, I stayed here and to date I am jobless right now.â€

    After some hesitation, he said he stopped listening to rumours that the vaccine was dangerous, and has come to the clinic to get inoculated. 

    He said he believes it is important to get vaccinated because he believes in protecting himself.

    World health officials have been warning for months that delaying vaccinating the globe could allow new variants to develop in countries with a lower level of vaccination.

    As of now, there haven’t been any cases of the Omicron variant at the Tabitha Medical Clinic, but allowing COVID-19 to spread unchecked in poorer regions of the world is a recipe for disaster, officials say.

    In some parts of Kenya, five to seven people often share a 10-by-10-foot home, the majority of families lack regular access to clean water and soap, and masks can be prohibitively expensive for people living on less than US$2 per day.

    “We have very many tiny urban dwellings,†Ogogo said, describing the community around the clinic.

    “Isolation is also very difficult. [Sick patients] will have to share with small dwelling units and this may increase the spread of the virus should one member of the household get infected.â€

    But while this clinic is able to vaccinate today using doses from Canada, with other doses of Pfizer and Moderna arriving - vaccine sharing remains shamefully low, according to world health officials, with wealthy countries achieving high levels of vaccination while some poorer areas of the world haven’t even received first doses.

    “Vaccination is our best defence,†Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said in a press conference last week. “But while many high-income countries report more than 60 per cent vaccine coverage, just over seven per cent of Africa’s population is fully vaccinated — in spite of a rise in shipments of doses to the continent.†

    COVAX was supposed to receive 3.67 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses, but so far they have 589 million.

    run by the International Monetary Fund and WHO which tracks how many vaccines countries have secured compared to their population shows that Canada has secured 414 per cent of its population — meaning that we have purchased enough vaccines to fully vaccinate our entire population four times over.

    According to the same database, Kenya has only secured enough vaccines for 56 per cent of the population. The database does not look at how many people have received vaccines in a region, merely the secured supply or expected supply.

    from WHO and IMF found that 73 countries are not on track to reach the goal of 40 per cent vaccination coverage by the end of 2021. None of those countries were designated as high-income.

    Catherine Hankins, part of Canada’s COVID-19 Immunity Task Force, said that there are issues with “the lack of notice and the short shelf life of donations.

    “What do I mean by that is the countries […] need to be getting vaccines that have at least a 10 week shelf life in order for them to be able to use them, and they need four weeks notice that they're coming,†she explained.

    “The important points really are that you can feel like you're doing well because you're donating vaccines, but if you're donating vaccines with shorter shelf life, and you're not giving countries enough notice that it's coming, they’re not able to use it well and so we really need to think about this together. How do we make this work logistically?â€

    She said if Canada is committed to helping get the unvaccinated vaccinated across the globe, we need to step up.

    “We're seeing right now what happens when we don't pay attention to what's going on in other countries.â€

    Hankins said vaccine production capacity in Africa will eventually need to be ramped up. To that end, the World Health Organization, COVAX and the have teamed up with Africa CDC and partners to create an mRNA technology transfer hub in South Africa. Unfortunately, its efforts will take time, and people on the continent need vaccines now.

    Local health workers at CFK Africa's Tabitha clinic in Kenya simply want a steady supply. So far, they have managed to give first doses to 1,026 recipients. Those who work at the clinic say that despite widespread vaccine hesitancy, more people are starting to come forward seeking the shot.

    Ogogo said they need doses “without fear of delay, that fear of coming to the facility and missing out on something.â€

    It’s a desperate plea as the world learns the hard lessons of shared protection.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

    Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people

    Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.

    Canada

    • A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

    • Two nephews of the beloved Harry R. Hamilton share stories about his life and legacy.

    • The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

    • A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province’s police watchdog.

    World

    Politics

    • Murray Sinclair’s family members say the late justice and senator has been laid to rest according to his wishes.

    • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced voters in Cloverdale—Langley City will pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16.

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

    Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

    A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

    As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

    A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.

    A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

    Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

    A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

    • LIVE

      LIVE

      Thousands of people are gathered in downtown Vancouver to observe the city’s 100th Remembrance Day ceremony.

    • A suspect was arrested for allegedly brandishing a knife outside a Vancouver elementary school on Friday – just as the young students were heading home for the day.

    • The federal government is urging both sides in the British Columbia port dispute to return to the table after mediated talks broke off on Saturday, the first of three scheduled days.

    • Several hundred people gathered outside the Ontario legislature in Toronto to honour veterans and remember those who died fighting for their country.

    • Toronto is expected to see an economic boost to the tune of nearly $300 million thanks to Taylor Swift’s upcoming Eras Tour, which will be making a stop in Canada’s largest city for a six-show run later this month.

    • A man believed to be in his 40s has been rushed to a trauma centre following a stabbing in downtown Toronto.

    • Calgarians will be observing Remembrance Day at a number of different ceremonies across the city, including at the Hangar Flight Museum.

    • July 2025 may seem like it’s in the distant future, but for the St. Luke playground committee time is ticking to fundraise the $340,000 they still need to build a new playground.

    • Getting out to the mountains is even easier with a new bus route from a growing Germany-based service.

    • Crowds gathered in Ottawa and eastern Ontario on Monday to honour the sacrifice of men and women in uniform who gave their lives in service of Canada.

    • CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa.

    • After months of controversy surrounding a dog park in Ottawa's west end, a solution has been reached to divide the park in half.

    • A 36-year-old Montreal man who was out on bail after allegedly uttering death threats to a woman is now accused of murdering her on the South Shore.

    • With fewer interments and rising maintenance fees, the money for Canada's largest military cemetery will run out in three to four years.

    • Montreal Metro passengers can now flag a safety concern by texting a new phone number launched by the STM.

    • A member of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Edmonton participated in the national Remembrance Day Ceremony in Ottawa on Monday.

    • WEATHER

      WEATHER

      This is shaping up to be one of the warmest Remembrance Days in the past decade, at least, for temperatures.

    • Thousands of Maritimers turned out in wet weather Monday to remember those who have served, and continue to serve, in Canada's armed forces for Remembrance Day.

    • A Cape Breton senior recalls her life in German-occupied France, and her mother’s death, during the Second World War.

    • Thousand of people gathered at the Menin Gate in the Ypres, Belgium for Monday’s Remembrance Day Ceremony.

    • Remembrance Day is today, and a number of ceremonies are taking place around the province to honour those who gave their lives to serve our country.

    • A pillar in Canada’s history was honoured in Winnipeg Sunday afternoon, with thousands showing up to pay tribute to the life and legacy of the late Murray Sinclair.

    • One Manitoba veteran is on a mission to commemorate and honour those who served our country, and not just on Remembrance Day.

    • There will be two ceremonies taking place in Regina for Remembrance Day, hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion.

    • Regina author Valerie Crowther is celebrating the release of her book ‘War Letters: Linking Lives in the Second World War.’

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • Saskatchewan RCMP are searching for a suspect after a man was seriously injured in a farm-related incident in Montreal Lake.

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • The Regina Rams claimed the Hardy Cup after a hard fought battle against the Saskatoon Huskies 19-14 on Saturday in the first all Saskatchewan U-Sports western conference final since 2002.

    • Emergency crews responded to the scene on Road 68/Highway 2 east of Thamesford around 7 p.m.

    • The events will start at 10:15 a.m. with a parade that forms up in front of the Delta London Armories, marches east on Dundas Street and turns north onto Waterloo Street to Dufferin Avenue, the west to the Cenotaph.

    • A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

    • A Barrie man is at the centre of an alleged $2.2 million stolen used car scheme.

    • Environment Canada issued a weather alert for Barrie, Collingwood and surrounding areas, alerting residents about the wicked winds that are expected to pick up to 80 kilometres per hour in the afternoon hours.

    • Barrie residents gathered on Monday to honour Canada’s veterans and pay tribute to those who served and sacrificed for the country.

    • Representatives of the Windsor Veterans Memorial Services Committee, military representatives, wreath bearers, government officials, and members of the public will attend the Cenotaph at City Hall Square for the outdoor service.

    • Windsor Paralympic champion, Danielle Campo, has been crowned the number one Inspirational Speaker of the Year for 2024 at the Inspirational Speaking Finals.

    • One person has been arrested after Chatham-Kent Police Service (CKPS) received multiple complaints about an alleged drunk driver.

    • Environment Canada says heavy rain and winds could cause power outages on Vancouver Island as an "intense" storm system is set to hit the B.C. coast Sunday.

    • Six deer were struck by vehicles in six different locations in a six-hour period on B.C. highways on Saturday, according to the transportation ministry.

    • The union for locked-out port workers in British Columbia says the BC Maritime Employers Association cut off talks in less than an hour Saturday, refusing to budge on a final offer that the union has so far rejected.

    • The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.

    • Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.

    • More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.

    • The Southern Alberta Recreation Association is officially announcing the Town of Taber as next year’s host for the Southern Alberta Summer Games.

    • The Lethbridge Hurricanes broke open a close game with three goals in the first two minutes of the third period as they defeated the Warriors 7-3 in a game played Friday night in Moose Jaw.

    • There might not a lot snow just yet, but many southern Albertans are still itching to get outdoors.

    • It was just days before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down when the Shaft Bottom Boys of Sudbury broke a world record for 'Deepest Concert Underground.' Now, more than four years later, a Timmins band is looking to take the title.

    • Police have arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a break-in and $50,000 in damage done to the Centennial Arena in Elliot Lake in September.

    • Mayors of the five largest cities in northern Ontario met in North Bay the last two days to discuss a range of critical issues impacting their cities and the region.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at Â鶹´«Ã½. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow Â鶹´«Ã½