The world last week: Crisis of confidence in vaccines
(Baonghean.vn) - The number of deaths after seasonal flu vaccination in South Korea has reached 13, and health officials are trying to reassure the public. Meanwhile, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro affirmed that his government will not buy the Covid-19 vaccine developed by China... All of this is shaking confidence in vaccines, even risking political coloration.
Once again faith is shaken
The Korean Medical Association has called for the suspension of the free vaccination program until safety is assured. South Korean health officials say there is no link between the deaths and seasonal flu vaccines. But the deaths, and two recent vaccine recalls, have raised concerns and shaken public confidence in safety at a crucial time for vaccination efforts.
About 13 million people in South Korea have received seasonal flu shots so far. South Korea began a free vaccination program for 19 million eligible people last month, aiming to prevent a flu outbreak amid the ongoingCovid-19 pandemic.
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| People get vaccinated against seasonal flu in Seoul (South Korea). Photo: Reuters |
The deaths are being investigated, but officials have quickly ruled out the vaccine as the primary cause, instead saying they all came from local drugmakers rather than export shipments.
“We did not find a direct link between deaths and the vaccine, or a link between deaths and adverse events following flu vaccination.”
The first death to come to the attention of authorities was a 17-year-old boy who died two days after receiving a flu shot.
South Korea and many other countries have seen annual flu vaccination programs as crucial to tackling the pandemic, especially for children, the elderly, pregnant women and health workers. Officials have also revealed plans to purchase 20% more flu vaccines for this winter than last year, to inoculate half the country’s population.
But the campaign caused a stir last month after 5 million doses were found to be at room temperature in transit when they should have been refrigerated. A recall was issued, and officials said about 2,300 people had received the faulty batch, mostly children and teenagers.
However, officials also said that temperature alone does not pose a risk to vaccines. According to the Korean CDC, lack of temperature control can make vaccines ineffective, but not toxic.
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| South Korean officials are concerned that the safety of the flu vaccine could undermine efforts to prevent and fight the pandemic and develop a vaccine against Covid-19. Photo: AFP |
Flu vaccination anxiety could undermine public confidence in a range of candidatesCovid-19 vaccineMany scientists have expressed concerns about the speed at which Covid-19 vaccines are being developed. Raising public awareness is another matter, especially if there are concerns about mismanagement of vaccines during transport and storage.
“Not a guinea pig”
Concerns about vaccines are not only in South Korea, but also in the South American country. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro refused to buy 46 million doses.potential vaccine against Covid-19developed by a Chinese company, because it is impossible to use a vaccine whose effectiveness and safety have not been verified by the country's Ministry of Health, nor licensed by the National Epidemic Surveillance Agency.
“The Brazilian people will not be guinea pigs for any party. That is why I decided not to buy the vaccine,” Mr. Bolsonaro wrote on Facebook.
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| Brazilian President Bolsonaro announced his refusal to buy Covid-19 vaccine from China. Photo: AP |
Bolsonaro's move comes after he faced pressure from loyal supporters calling for a ban on the CoronaVac vaccine developed by China's Sinovac Pharmaceutical Company. CoronaVac is embroiled in political controversy in Brazil, raising concerns that politics is creeping into decisions regarding the vaccine.public health.
João Doria, the governor of Brazil’s most populous state, is a political rival of Bolsonaro, who is involved in vaccine development at the Butantan Institute, through a partnership with Sinovac to test and produce the Covid-19 vaccine. Meanwhile, President Bolsonaro’s government is inclined to promote the purchase of another Covid-19 vaccine being developed by Oxford University in the UK, instead of CoronaVac.
After posting on social media, Mr. Bolsonaro accused his opponent, that Doria was using his last card to seek popularity, to restore everything that was lost during the pandemic.
Claudio Couto, a professor of political science at Getulio Vargas University, said the Brazilian leader's move had little to do with containing the pandemic. Instead, it was a means to compete with Doria, who is seen as a challenging opponent with many advantages in the 2022 re-election race.
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| Covid-19 vaccine packaging inspection process of Chinese manufacturer Sinovac. Photo: Reuters |
Bolsonaro and Doria have had a hostile relationship since the pandemic began, with each taking opposing views on recommendations and restrictions. The governor of Brazil’s most populous state has heeded the advice of public health experts and implemented strict containment measures, while the president has argued that the new economic downturn is killing more people than the disease.
For his part, Mr. Doria said that this is not the time for political games. “It is not ideology, it is not politics, it is not the electoral process. It is the vaccine,” Doria said. The governor of Sao Paulo state, many other political opponents of Mr. Bolsonaro, and politicians have spoken out against the president’s move. They said that people’s health is a greater asset than political disputes.
Brazil has confirmed more than 153,000 deaths from Covid-19, the second highest in the world, behind only the United States. The South American country has also reported 5.2 million infections, the third highest in the world.
