Many countries in the developed world are rapidly lifting restrictions like mask mandates and vaccine passports. There seems to be optimism that for many countries, 2022 will be the year that the emergency phase of the pandemic will end. But leaders must remain cautious and humble. There’s still much work to be done before this optimism is shared by everyone. The push toward normalcy should be accompanied by concerted efforts to achieve universally high rates of vaccination.
Only about 15 percent of the population in Africa has been fully vaccinated. Because of this, the trajectory of the pandemic on the continent remains unpredictable and uncertain.
The global community must act collectively and decisively to control the Covid-19 pandemic in Africa. Otherwise, the rising sense of optimism that people around the world feel as they return to normal may be compromised by the emergence of new variants in other parts of the world with limited vaccination. This pandemic has shown that we are more connected and vulnerable than many of us believed, and that the risk of allowing health inequities to persist is too great. We must come out of this pandemic together, for the interest of our common humanity.
