It has been said that about the
only time the “new normal” global socio-economic situation that resulted from
the COVID-19 pandemic would only return to a “normal” normal at the time that a
vaccine for the China-originating novel coronavirus can be developed and
distributed worldwide. Until then, the best one can hope for is to keep clean
and distant, or if infected but recovered then for his antibody count not to
diminish. The Philippine government has talked to other countries undertaking
COVID vaccine development, but despite the most optimistic estimates it seems
clear that no relief is coming this year.
Inquirer.net reports that while contact has been maintained between
the country’s Department of Health (DOH) and four drug manufacturers
researching a vaccine for COVID-19, the hard and uncomfortable fact remains
that no real results could be achieved until 2021 at the earliest. This was
stressed by DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire in a statement Tuesday,
July 28. She explained that the Philippines in undergoing negotiations for possible
priority distribution with three drug manufacturers in mainland China and a
fourth in Taiwan. The hope is that the country could at best be considered for
joining in clinical trials for any vaccines these companies might eventually
develop.
Already the Philippines is an
official participant in the Solidarity Trials for COVID-19 vaccine candidates
to be overseen by the United Nations organ the World Health Organization (WHO).
Unfortunately the trials have not yet begun, and as the year 2020 rolls further
into its latter half the once-ideal “vaccine by year’s end” threshold has
become increasingly unlikely. Under optimal circumstances, adds Vergeire, a
clinical trial for a new vaccine or medicine takes months, and even after the
procedure the manufacturers must still spend additional time in consolidating
the results of the trials to see if the prospective cure is effective.
“It will take one
year before we can know whether there is a vaccine we can use or not,”
concludes Undersecretary Vergeire. But that is cold comfort to Filipinos, who
are still reeling from the explosion of new confirmed cases of COVID-19 this
month with consecutive days recording four-digit figures in infection. With
82,040 total COVID cases, the country is coming close to surpassing the current
figures from Ground Zero of the pandemic, China itself. Restrictions on travel and
business in the interest of arresting the spread are seemingly rendered
fruitless, while still crippling the economy to near-disastrous levels. The
vaccine cannot come soon enough.
Image courtesy of Manila Bulletin
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