Moderna CEO warns COVID-19 shots less effective against Omicron, spooks markets

[Jeffr2]

1 hour ago, blackprince said:

That's not strictly true. The biggest problem in SA is oversupply now - ie the supply exceeds the ability to get it into people's arms.

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/28/world/africa/south-africa-omicron-vaccination.html

 

Apart from that, this issue isn't confined to South Africa. It's in Botswana too. And further spread would seem to be inevitable.

 

But the more general point about the west's failed promises which I made is far more important - it was a quote from Gordon Brown (as per my original link), and he should know as he's the WHO Ambassador for Global Health Financing.

 

He's also the guy that co-ordinated the global response to the Global Financial Crash, the guy who saved global capitalism (for better or for worse).

 

I know that a few people here are fixated by vaccine hesitancy, and yes it's a particularly big problem in your native USA, but other countries have other issues.

I've got little regard Brown. But as you say, supply is not the biggest problem.

[Jeffr2]

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/456705/omicron-variant-south-africa-battles-vaccine-hesitancy-conspiracy-theories

 

Omicron variant: South Africa battles vaccine hesitancy, conspiracy theories

 

Professor Charles Shey Wiysonge, director of Cochrane South Africa at the South African Medical Research Council, said there was one clear problem holding back vaccine rates: vaccine hesitancy.

 

Earlier in the year, South Africa's vaccine programme stalled because supply was constrained.

 

Now the country has plenty of doses and not enough people showing up to be vaccinated.

 

At its peak in August, South Africa administered nearly 400,000 vaccine doses in one day. Over the past week, the daily rate has at times dropped below 10,000 doses.

[blackprince]

1 minute ago, Jeffr2 said:

I've got little regard Brown. But as you say, supply is not the biggest problem.

Brown's performance in leading the world out of the Global Financial Crash is well documented.

 

It was a statesmanlike performance, just as his actions are in his currrent WHO role re covid.

 

Covid would have been far better managed if we'd had a few more statesmen like him around last year.

 

 

[Jeffr2]

3 minutes ago, blackprince said:

Brown's performance in leading the world out of the Global Financial Crash is well documented.

 

It was a statesmanlike performance, just as his actions are in his currrent WHO role re covid.

 

Covid would have been far better managed if we'd had a few more statesmen like him around last year.

 

 

Your opinion and not supported by many others.

[blackprince]

2 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

Earlier in the year, South Africa's vaccine programme stalled because supply was constrained.

 

Now the country has plenty of doses and not enough people showing up to be vaccinated.

 

As I've posted from the NYT previously, the problem current is oversupply.

 

Vaccine hestitancy will likely beome a factor in SA in the not too distant future, but it certainly didn't create omicron.

 

And I'll say for the 3rd time - the problem is the rest of Africa not SA.

[blackprince]

1 minute ago, Jeffr2 said:

Your opinion and not supported by many others.

I don't post my own opinions, I post the validated opinions of experts in the field.

[Bkk Brian]

1 hour ago, Jeffr2 said:

Professor Charles Shey Wiysonge, director of Cochrane South Africa at the South African Medical Research Council, said there was one clear problem holding back vaccine rates: vaccine hesitancy.

I'd say local reports like this are far more credible than the New York times

[Jeffr2]

10 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

I'd say local reports like this are far more credible than the New York times

Not really.  This is a doctor with a very limited number of patients, and mostly young.  Hardly representative of what might happen in the rest of the world.  It's going to take scientists, not doctors, to figure this out.  Luckily, hundreds if not thousands are working on this right now.

 

Worth a read, seriously.

https://www.nytimes.com/article/omicron-coronavirus-variant.html

[Bkk Brian]

1 hour ago, Jeffr2 said:

Not really.  This is a doctor with a very limited number of patients, and mostly young.  Hardly representative of what might happen in the rest of the world.  It's going to take scientists, not doctors, to figure this out.  Luckily, hundreds if not thousands are working on this right now.

 

Worth a read, seriously.

https://www.nytimes.com/article/omicron-coronavirus-variant.html

Actually I was talking about Professor Charles Shey Wiysonge, director of Cochrane South Africa at the South African Medical Research Council, said there was one clear problem holding back vaccine rates: vaccine hesitancy. 

[Jeffr2]

5 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Actually I was talking about Professor Charles Shey Wiysonge, director of Cochrane South Africa at the South African Medical Research Council, said there was one clear problem holding back vaccine rates: vaccine hesitancy. 

Ah....sorry...need another cup of coffee!!!!!  But that's what I'm reading also.  They've got the supply, but due to misinformation, can't get enough arms for the jabs.  Not much different than many other countries.  Sadly.