CNN journalist from Africa: suddenly I heard that because of the Omikron variant I was not going anywhere

Contents

«I heard that because of the Omikron variant, I will not go anywhere»
“Omicron was in Europe before it was discovered in South Africa”
“Flight ban hits African countries”
How to vaccinate Africa? One option is local production
Could vaccines be made in Africa?
Africa is desperately trying to get back on its feet

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– The fact that a variant has been recorded in a given place does not mean that it comes from there. We already know that Omicron is present in many other countries, including the United Kingdom, which was the first to introduce a travel ban from South Africa. The latest reports even confirm that Omicron was in Europe, in the Netherlands, before it was detected by South Africa, writes Eleni Giokos, CNN presenter and correspondent in a special report from South Africa prepared for MedTvoiLokony readers.

There was complete chaos, people stayed at the airport, not knowing what awaited them, and the chances of any journey decreased by the hour – this is how the first hours after the detection of the Omikron variant in South Africa is described by Eleni Giokos, CNN journalist
As the reporter explains, the ban on flights to South Africa severely affects the country’s economy. There are also voices saying that it is an “illusion of protection” that will not improve the sanitary safety of the inhabitants
Parallel to all this, there is a discussion about vaccine inequalities, writes Giokos. – South Africa has 25 percent. vaccinated population. Getting the first doses into the hands of South Africans remains an enormous challenge, while the United States and European countries distribute booster doses
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Eleni Giokos is the host of CNN International’s Connecting Africa and Marketplace Middle East. Working in South Africa, she was able to closely observe the situation in the country, after detecting cases of a new Omikron mutation there. Here is the account she wrote for MedTvoiLokony:

More than a week ago, I completed my last professional affairs in Johannesburg and ready to return to my new home in Dubai, I was getting ready to go to the airport.

I hosted an awards ceremony for journalists in South Africa and complained that we had to meet virtually due to pandemic restrictions. Even though I was able to dress smart for the occasion (a dress with pockets, but always!), I felt weird – I got used to the freedom we enjoyed when the restrictions were relaxed and now we’re back to reality with the restrictions.

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A week earlier, I was standing on various stages of the Intra-Africa fair in Durban. About 15 thousand people participated in them. people who were accompanied by recurring optimism. It felt like a family reunion. Leaders and policymakers, whom I had not seen live in two years, were enthusiastic about Africa’s perseverance and waited for the continent to become more united and stronger.

«I heard that because of the Omikron variant, I will not go anywhere»

I was a moderator of many panel discussions, but one of them stuck in my memory in particular: how tourism will help revive the African economy. Everyone was talking about how the world is finally emerging from the shadow of the coronavirus and maybe we will finally be able to look to the future instead of still looking back. These words rang in my ears while packing my suitcases in Johannesburg, when I heard the message that because of the Omikron variant, I was not going anywhere.

What I did not expect was the aggressive and immediate imposition of travel bans. The UK started a domino effect as other countries immediately put South Africa and neighboring countries on their red lists.

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I quickly realized that my strategy for sleeping off the problem was wrong. Dubai sped up its own ban and direct flights were completely canceled, while flights to other possible quarantine sites in “safe countries” filled up almost immediately. There was complete chaos, people stayed at the airport not knowing what awaited them, and the chances of any travel decreased by the hour.

“Omicron was in Europe before it was discovered in South Africa”

However, I was very lucky. I was able to stay with my family, get ready for my next job, and cover what had quickly become the biggest event of the week for CNN. But being a part of it, in the literal sense, I was able to closely watch developments, and I must admit – I did not believe how things turned out.

South Africa has been praised for its achievements in genome sequencing, an area where it really excels, as well as for its transparency in alerting the world to a new variant. But also, according to many, she was punished for both.

As we’ve already figured out from the discoveries of earlier variants, the fact that one has been recorded in a given place does not mean that it comes from there. We already know that Omicron is present in many other countries, including the United Kingdom, which was the first to introduce a travel ban from South Africa. The latest reports even confirm that Omicron was in Europe, in the Netherlands, before it was detected by South Africa.

Epidemiologist: Omikron could prove to be a way out of a pandemic

Travel restrictions may seem like a logical move to contain new variants, but CNN senior medical analyst Dr. Jonathan Reiner said last Monday that they could offer an “illusion of protection.” “It’s like locking a door. You have the feeling that you did something to protect yourself, but you didn’t really do it, ”he said.

“Flight ban hits African countries”

It’s also hard to escape the thought that the latest series of travel bans are unfairly hitting African countries. Even the WHO called for the borders to remain open, and the regional director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, said on Sunday that the restrictions targeting Africa “are an attack on global solidarity” and “strain our divisions.”

Alongside all this, there is a discussion about vaccine inequalities, about months-long pressure from wealthier countries on the countries of the South. According to Our World in Data, South Africa lags far behind most of the world – with less than 25 percent. vaccinated population. Getting the first doses into the hands of South Africans remains an enormous challenge, while the United States, where more than 59% of vaccinated are concerned. of the population, and the United Kingdom, where almost 69% of vaccines are vaccinated, distribute booster doses.

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Looking at the statistics from a different perspective – because of the number of doses administered – is even more brutal. 459 million injections have already been administered in the US. In China, an incredible 2,33 billion. By comparison, in South Africa it is only 25,4 million doses.

How to vaccinate Africa? One option is local production

We are aware of this because we have been warned repeatedly that the greatest threat to global recovery from COVID-19 is the unvaccinated. It is among them that mutations appear, and it is they – whether by choice or due to the place of birth, that make it difficult to return to normal life. So why are so many African countries lagging behind the rest of the world on vaccination, and what can be done to change that?

Could vaccines be made in Africa?

One possibility is local production. So far, there has been considerable resistance to the sharing of vaccine patents, especially from the European Union. Last Monday, trade unions of nurses in 28 countries around the world called for a temporary waiver of patents on COVID vaccines. In a letter to the United Nations, they called vaccine distribution unfair and cited it as the cause of “an appalling number of deaths.” More than a week ago on Friday, US President Joe Biden also joined the call to the World Trade Organization to end the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).

Putting production in the hands of local companies would at least eliminate a significant stage of the already complex supply chain. Janssen Pharmaceuticals – part of Johnson & Johnson – announced last week a deal with South African company Aspen Pharma that will allow Aspen to sell J&J vaccine to African countries under its own brand. This is an important moment and a certain turning point.

Where did Omikron come from? Scientists had a big surprise

The idea of relinquishing patents for life-saving drugs reminds me of the HIV / AIDS epidemic, where people in sub-Saharan Africa were dying at an alarming rate, while pharmaceutical companies clung to the intellectual property rights of antiretroviral drugs. When treatment cost thousands of dollars, poorer countries simply could not afford to save their citizens. After much negotiation – some people who were close to the talks, more like a plea – the pharmaceutical companies stepped down and allowed generic drug makers to convert antiretroviral drugs for the African market. It was a turning point.

Of course, there remain major logistical challenges and psychological obstacles beyond local production and sharing of patents. Aversion to vaccines is an enduring and difficult barrier in South Africa, and transport and storage at appropriate temperatures are serious problems in many African countries.

Sitting here in Johannesburg, browsing the news and consulting with travel agencies in search of a way back to the United Arab Emirates, I’m also struck by a deeper reflection on the lesson we were supposed to learn from the COVID-19 pandemic, which we clearly didn’t.

Africa is desperately trying to get back on its feet

The pandemic was meant to be an opportunity for us to unite against a common enemy. It has resulted in extraordinary tales of courage, resourcefulness and resilience, as well as deep loss and tragedy; but it also deepened divisions and cut off many countries.

Last week, South Africa said the country’s unemployment rate is 35 percent. This means that a third of the local population is unemployed. According to the expanded definition, unemployment is 45%. Hospitality and tourism are the sectors most affected.

One more warning that the world needs to heed comes from the United Nations: more and more African countries are plunged into poverty as a result of recent bans.

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The President of Malawi says the bans are aphrophobic. They are of no benefit and will cause great pain for a continent that is already desperately trying to get back on its feet with resources that are still pale in comparison to the stimulus packages that richer nations have managed to mobilize. The economic damage will be enormous and cannot be repaired quickly.

At national level, the past week has reminded us of how far apart we are and how quickly nations close their doors instead of reaching out. It was also a reminder of how deep old prejudices and inequalities run. One thing seems certain: we will not end a pandemic if we do not change the way we fight it, and we must do it together.

Africa is a resilient continent used to tackling challenges, but it does not have to suffer as severely with the global resources available. This time, the inequalities that divide us cannot be ignored – African leaders are more resolute than ever. And the Africans may not forgive being forgotten.

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