COVID-19 Coronavirus UK and World News Weekend Update 23rd / 24th October 2021
UK Daily Statistics:
Cases: 8,773,674 (+39,962)
Losses of Life: 139,533 (+72)
Tests: 1,011,431
Vaccinations 1st Dose: 49,684,322 (86.4% of UK aged 16+)
Vaccinations 2 Doses: 45,542,207 (79.2%)
Rep. Of Ireland: 428,152 cases and 5,369 losses of life (not yet reported today).
World: 244,355,896 reported cases and 4,962,875 losses of life.
"The pandemic is a powerful demonstration of just how much we rely on health workers, and how vulnerable we all are when the people who protect us are themselves unprotected.
A new WHO working paper estimates that 115,000 health workers may have died from COVID-19 between January 2020 and May this year. That's why it's essential that health workers are prioritised for vaccination.
Data from 110 countries suggests that on average 2 in 5 health and care workers globally are fully vaccinated.
But of course the average makes huge differences across regions and economic groupings. In Africa less than 1 in 10 health workers have been fully vaccinated. Meanwhile in most high income countries, more than 80% of health workers are fully vaccinated.
More than 10 months since the first vaccines were approved, the fact that millions of health workers still haven't been vaccinated is an indictment on the countries and companies that control the global supply of vaccines."
Very strong words from Dr Tedros, Head of WHO.
Time and again promised vaccines have been diverted to wealthier countries, the West won't allow African countries to produce their own patent-free at-cost versions of vaccines, and vaccine equity has gone out of the window in the scramble to keep countries open.
I do feel incredibly fortunate to be fully vaccinated (especially as my 11 year old just tested positive), but it has a bitter taste when I know that vaccine is more likely to save a life if it goes to someone else.
