Will a vaccine end the COVID-19 pandemic? Know the ground realities

Will a vaccine end the pandemic? Or is it just wishful thinking? Read on to know the ground realities on the most important question in people's minds.

It is now almost a year since the COVID-19 virus made its presence felt. The global health crisis has left everyone exhausted and people across the world are pinning their hopes on an effective vaccine. Scientists have developed several vaccines and most of them are now in the final stages of trials. According to experts, we may have one soon, maybe as early as the end of the year. According to the World Health Organization, there are 33 vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and another 143 vaccine candidates in preclinical testing stages. Now, the important question that arises is will a vaccine end the pandemic? Or is it just wishful thinking?

There is still so much that is unknown about the COVID-19 virus. Many experts think that a single vaccine may not be an effective solution. Recently, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, said at a news briefing, "We all hope to have a number of effective vaccines that can help prevent people from infection. However, there is no silver bullet at the moment, and there might never be."

Here, let us take a look at the challenges and the ground realities.

The exact nature of the COVID-19 virus is not yet known

There is no consensus about the nature of the virus that has brought the entire world to a standstill. It affects different body parts in different ways. From the lungs to the kidneys to the brain, experts find it difficult to predict the way the virus will attack a human body. The 'hows' and 'whys' are still not properly understood. So, basically for a vaccine to be effective, it has to look at all these things. One vaccine may be able to provide immunization against respiratory effects, another against neurological effects. But, a single vaccine may not be able to do all this. Those who do get it may receive only partial protection from the virus. So, experts are still not sure if a vaccine will actually work against the COVID-19 virus.

The vaccine will not reach everybody initially

The entire world is reeling under the COVID-19 effect. It is logical to conclude that the entire global population cannot get the vaccine at one go. This will not help in achieving herd immunity or community protection. According to some estimates, there may be just enough doses for 10 million to 15 million people in the US initially and most of the initial shots will be reserved for the people who need them most, like healthcare professionals and other vulnerable people.So, even if some people do get the vaccine, it will not really help control the pandemic.

Everybody may not agree to vaccination

This may turn out to be the biggest problem in controlling the pandemic. Many people may not be in favour of vaccination. So, convincing the skeptics may be of pressing concern. According to a recent poll by Gallup, 35 per cent of Americans are against vaccination and even those who plan to get vaccinated want to adopt a wait and watch policy. This may be due to the hurried manner in which vaccines are being developed with no data on long term side effects. This trend is also reflected in most other nations. So, if too many people opt out of getting a shot, how can the pandemic be controlled?

Is the vaccine for complications or the disease itself?

Experts are divided in their opinion as to how effective a vaccine may be. Will it save you from complications or from the disease itself? For example, if it is able to prevent the disease, but it doesn't really prevent growth in the upper respiratory tract, some people may get the infection and be asymptomatic. But they will still carry the virus in their respiratory tract. This makes them carriers and they will spread the disease.