Researchers are proposing a new way to boost access to COVID-19 vaccines

While the value of vaccines for COVID-19 may seem obvious, government action and investment in vaccines has not been commensurate with the large scale of benefits they offer, argues Juan Camilo Castillo and colleagues in this Policy Forum.

With even one more month of exposure to COVID-19 kills hundreds of thousands, reduces global gross domestic product (GDP) by hundreds of billions of dollars, and generates huge losses on human capital by undermining education and health, by expanding vaccination capacity even further generate significant global benefits.

Castillo et al. report on the results of two related exercises: estimate the global benefits from vaccine capacity already established, and estimate the benefits from investing additional capacity starting now.

The large estimates from both exercises provide a wake-up call relevant to the flow [and future pandemics]. “

Research Researchers

For example, the results suggest that investment now in expanding capacity for a further 1 billion year course of vaccination could accelerate the completion of widespread vaccination by more than 4 months, providing additional global benefits. of $ 576 to $ 989 per course.

“These dwarfs are priced at $ 6 to $ 40 per course seen in dealing with vaccine producers,” they say, urging governments and international organizations to enter into a contract with vaccine producers to further expand capacity and encourage measures – such as second – dose delays, lower dose regimes, or the provision of just one dose to previous ones – to extend existing capacity.

“These recommendations could have major benefits; so it’s worth examining medical suitability,” they say. To avoid the issue of some countries ending up with vaccine distribution that does not meet their needs, the authors are advocating for measures involving cross-country vaccine exchange. Such an approach is being considered with COVAX, a global initiative to promote access to COVID-19 vaccines.