AWITI: Omicron a reason for vaccine equity, not xenophobia

Omicron, a new coronavirus variant is spreading. It was first reported in South Africa. Wealthy nations are in a panic.

The UK, EU, Japan, Australia, Israel, Canada and the US have slapped a raft of restrictions on travellers from Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Lesotho and Zimbabwe.

The scale of panic among wealthy nations is both palpable and senseless. Clearly, we have learnt nothing from the pandemic.

Just like in the early days when the then novel Delta variant erupted, political alarm and xenophobic panic reverberated in the rich world. The panic is senseless and premature because we know so little so far about the new variant.

Scientists don’t understand the variant properties. For example, it is not clear if Omicron causes more, or less severe illness and whether it can evade immune responses triggered by existing vaccines.

What is currently known is that Omicron contains more than 30 mutations or changes to the spike protein, which recognises the host cells and is the main target of the body’s immune responses.

But many of the changes seen in Omicron have been found in other variants, including the virulent Delta. But we also know that while Delta is highly infectious, it does not evade immune responses triggered by existing vaccines.

Very early data from South African scientists suggest that Omicron can evade infection blocking antibodies and the high number of mutations in the spike protein may dampen vaccine potency. But this is not unique to Omicron. Breakthrough infections have been reported across the world among vaccinated individuals.

Currently here are the facts about Omicron: We don’t know for certain if the variant spreads faster, evades or dampens vaccine potency or causes more severe Covid-19 illness.

Everything else is unscientific, politically charged alarm and panic. Did the World Health Organization cause panic by categorising Omicron as a 'variant of concern'? Out of an abundance of caution maybe. Out of reliable scientific evidence based on real-world data, maybe not.

The avalanche of travel restrictions arising from WHO’s categorisation of the Omicron variant has caused and rightfully so, bitter protest and resentment among Africans.

Africans now believe that our continent is yet again the victim of panicked decisions by the wealthy nations that are bereft of science, even good old humanity. I understand the abundance of caution bit but it does not justify the speed and severity of the punitive, isolating actions of the West. It reeks of xenophobia.

As the West scrambles to save their populations from the “new plague” out of Africa, it is instructive to remember that only two per cent of the world’s Covid-19 vaccines had been administered in Africa by September 2021, according to WHO.

To be blunt, the wealthy nations hoarding vaccines is partly responsible for the fertile ground that now breeds Omicron and perhaps many more.

South African scientists deserve praise for acting responsibly by sharing vital genomic data on Omicron. Imposing punitive restrictions on South Africa could discourage other nations from reporting new variants.

The views expressed are the writer’s