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Vaccines have been much in the news this week. In the EU a number of countries stopped using the Astra Zeneca one over safety concerns, despite what the European Medicines Agency and WHO said; there was talk of stopping exports of vaccines; meanwhile in some places take-up of vaccination is low while infection rates are rising. In Britain the vaccination programme continues apace, but at almost the same time that over-50s in England were encouraged to book a slot for vaccination, over-40s were advised that they might have to wait because supplies from India were being delayed. It is wonderful that we have vaccines, we are grateful to those who developed them and those who administer them. They aren’t talismans that will magically change the world, but they offer us real hope of avoiding the devastating effects of catching Covid-19, and will hopefully enable life to come out of lockdown restrictions to something like ‘normal’. But does it sometimes seem as though politicians and the media want to start playing games with vaccines and vaccination programmes, fitting them into political agendas that aren’t appropriate for health measures? And what about low-income countries, and the roll-out of vaccines there?
Lord, thank you for the knowledge and skill that enables us to use vaccination programmes to save lives. We appreciate all the work done in developing and producing them, and in rolling out the vaccination programmes. Help us to remember that it is about the health of everyone, wherever they live, however rich or poor their country is. Inspire all governments to work together to roll it out, and not use it as a matter of politics
