{"id":4050,"date":"2020-10-09T21:37:18","date_gmt":"2020-10-09T19:37:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/?post_type=article&p=4050"},"modified":"2020-10-09T21:37:51","modified_gmt":"2020-10-09T19:37:51","slug":"il-vaccin-kontra-l-covid-19-ghandu-l-ewwel-jilhaq-gruppi-ta-prijorita","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/article\/il-vaccin-kontra-l-covid-19-ghandu-l-ewwel-jilhaq-gruppi-ta-prijorita\/","title":{"rendered":"The COVID-19 vaccine must initially reach priority groups"},"content":{"rendered":"

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As<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span> COVID-19 p<\/span>andemic<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>continues<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>there<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>is<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>no<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>doubt<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>that<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>we<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>must<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>be<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>ready<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>face<\/span>\u00a0a\u00a0<\/span>long<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>road<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>ahead<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>certainly<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>beyond<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>end<\/span>\u00a0of\u00a0<\/span>this<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>year<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>The<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>fact<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>that<\/span>\u00a0a\u00a0<\/span>vaccine<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>alongside<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>other<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>treatments<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>is<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>our<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>only<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>true<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>exit<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>strategy<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>remains<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>unchanged<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>hopes<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>that<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>we<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>will<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>see<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>results<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>emanating<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>from<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>first<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>vaccines<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>after<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>undergoing<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>clinical<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>trials<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>However<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>we<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>must<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>be<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>cautious<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>about<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>this<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>vaccine<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>that<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>it<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>will<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>be<\/span>\u00a0a\u00a0<\/span>complete<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>immediate<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>solution.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0<\/span>first<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>vaccines<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>will<\/span>\u00a0most\u00a0<\/span>likely<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>not<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>be<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>perfect<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>here<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>we<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>need<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>be<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>pragmatic<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>on<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>this<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>front<\/span>.\u00a0The\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>reality<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>is<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>that<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>with<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>these<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>vaccines<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>we<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>will<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>be<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>taking<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>small<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>steps<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>return<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0a\u00a0<\/span>sense<\/span>\u00a0of\u00a0<\/span>normality<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>first<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>generation<\/span>\u00a0of COVID-19\u00a0<\/span>vaccines<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>will<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>probably<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>be<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>only<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>partially<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>effective<\/span>. They\u00a0<\/span>might<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>not<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>be<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>completely<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>effective<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>all<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>ages<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>It<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>is<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>very<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>possible<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>that<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>they<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>might<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>provide<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>immunity<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>only<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>for<\/span>\u00a0a\u00a0<\/span>limited<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>period<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Accelerating<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>vaccine<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>development<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>must<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>not<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>mean<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>compromising<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>safety<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Most\u00a0<\/span>importantly<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>fair<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>access<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>vaccine<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>must<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>be<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>addressed<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>It<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>must<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>initially<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>reach<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>priority<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>groups<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>particularly<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>frontline<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>healthcare<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>workers<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0most\u00a0<\/span>vulnerable<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>we<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>move<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>through<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>autumn<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>winter<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>we<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>will<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>see<\/span>\u00a0an\u00a0<\/span>increase<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>community<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>transmission<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Without<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>urgent<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>action<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>stop<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>current<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>increased<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>community<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>transmission<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>leading<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>transmission<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>hospitals<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>social<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>care<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>thereby<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>severe<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>illness<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>deaths<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>vulnerable<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>people<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>we<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>will<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>be<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>facing<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>disruptrions<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>schools<\/span>,\u00a0workplaces<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>businesses<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>have<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>do<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>everything<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>possible<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>avoid<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>this<\/span>.\u00a0The\u00a0<\/span>first<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>vaccine<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>may<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>not<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>send<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>us<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>back<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0normal\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>\u00a0a\u00a0<\/span>matter<\/span>\u00a0of\u00a0<\/span>months<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>However<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>by<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>giving<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>doses<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>wisely<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>on<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>people<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>who<\/span>\u00a0most\u00a0<\/span>need<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>them<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>we<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>will<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>be<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>\u00a0a\u00a0<\/span>strong<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>position<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>avoid<\/span>\u00a0a\u00a0<\/span>repeat<\/span>\u00a0of\u00a0<\/span>seven<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>months<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>ago<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  As\u00a0the COVID-19 pandemic\u00a0continues,\u00a0there\u00a0is\u00a0no\u00a0doubt\u00a0that\u00a0we\u00a0must\u00a0be\u00a0ready\u00a0to\u00a0face\u00a0a\u00a0long\u00a0road\u00a0ahead,\u00a0certainly\u00a0beyond\u00a0the\u00a0\u00a0end\u00a0of\u00a0this\u00a0year.\u00a0The\u00a0fact\u00a0that\u00a0a\u00a0vaccine,\u00a0alongside\u00a0other\u00a0\u00a0treatments,\u00a0is\u00a0our\u00a0only\u00a0true\u00a0exit\u00a0strategy\u00a0remains\u00a0unchanged.\u00a0 One\u00a0hopes\u00a0that\u00a0\u00a0we\u00a0will\u00a0see\u00a0results\u00a0emanating\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0first\u00a0vaccines\u00a0after\u00a0undergoing\u00a0clinical\u00a0trials.\u00a0However,\u00a0we\u00a0must\u00a0be\u00a0cautious\u00a0about\u00a0\u00a0this\u00a0vaccine\u00a0that\u00a0it\u00a0will\u00a0be\u00a0a\u00a0complete\u00a0and\u00a0immediate\u00a0solution.\u00a0 The\u00a0first\u00a0vaccines\u00a0will\u00a0most\u00a0likely\u00a0not\u00a0be\u00a0perfect\u00a0and\u00a0here\u00a0we\u00a0\u00a0need\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0pragmatic\u00a0on\u00a0\u00a0this\u00a0front.\u00a0The\u00a0\u00a0reality\u00a0is\u00a0that\u00a0with\u00a0these\u00a0vaccines\u00a0we\u00a0will\u00a0be\u00a0taking\u00a0small\u00a0steps\u00a0to\u00a0return\u00a0to\u00a0a\u00a0sense\u00a0of\u00a0normality.\u00a0 However,\u00a0the\u00a0first\u00a0generation\u00a0of COVID-19\u00a0vaccines\u00a0will\u00a0probably\u00a0be\u00a0only\u00a0partially\u00a0effective. They\u00a0might\u00a0not\u00a0\u00a0be\u00a0completely\u00a0effective\u00a0in\u00a0all\u00a0ages.\u00a0It\u00a0is\u00a0very\u00a0possible\u00a0that\u00a0they\u00a0might\u00a0provide\u00a0immunity\u00a0only\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0limited\u00a0period.\u00a0 Accelerating\u00a0vaccine\u00a0development\u00a0must\u00a0not\u00a0mean\u00a0compromising\u00a0safety.\u00a0Most\u00a0importantly,\u00a0fair\u00a0access\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0vaccine\u00a0must\u00a0be\u00a0addressed.\u00a0It\u00a0must\u00a0initially\u00a0reach\u00a0priority\u00a0groups,\u00a0particularly\u00a0frontline\u00a0healthcare\u00a0workers\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0most\u00a0vulnerable.\u00a0 As\u00a0we\u00a0move\u00a0through\u00a0autumn\u00a0and\u00a0winter,\u00a0we\u00a0will\u00a0see\u00a0an\u00a0increase\u00a0in\u00a0community\u00a0transmission.\u00a0Without\u00a0urgent\u00a0action\u00a0to\u00a0stop\u00a0the\u00a0current\u00a0increased\u00a0community\u00a0transmission\u00a0leading\u00a0to\u00a0transmission\u00a0in\u00a0hospitals\u00a0and\u00a0in\u00a0social\u00a0care,\u00a0and\u00a0thereby\u00a0severe\u00a0\u00a0illness\u00a0and\u00a0deaths\u00a0in\u00a0vulnerable\u00a0people,\u00a0we\u00a0will\u00a0be\u00a0facing\u00a0disruptrions\u00a0in\u00a0schools,\u00a0workplaces\u00a0and\u00a0businesses.\u00a0\u00a0 We\u00a0have\u00a0to\u00a0do\u00a0everything\u00a0possible\u00a0to\u00a0avoid\u00a0this.\u00a0The\u00a0first\u00a0vaccine\u00a0may\u00a0not\u00a0send\u00a0us\u00a0back\u00a0to\u00a0normal\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0matter\u00a0of\u00a0months.\u00a0However,\u00a0by\u00a0giving\u00a0doses\u00a0wisely\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0people\u00a0who\u00a0most\u00a0need\u00a0them,\u00a0we\u00a0will\u00a0be\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0strong\u00a0position\u00a0to\u00a0avoid\u00a0a\u00a0repeat\u00a0of\u00a0seven\u00a0months\u00a0ago.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4044,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"spay_email":""},"issuem_issue":[185],"issuem_issue_categories":[9],"issuem_issue_tags":[],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"2.8.8","language":"en","enabled_languages":["mt","en"],"languages":{"mt":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/4050"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4050"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/4050\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4052,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/4050\/revisions\/4052"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4044"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4050"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"issuem_issue","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/issuem_issue?post=4050"},{"taxonomy":"issuem_issue_categories","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/issuem_issue_categories?post=4050"},{"taxonomy":"issuem_issue_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/weekly.uhm.org.mt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/issuem_issue_tags?post=4050"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}