From Sam Rainsy, Former Finance Minister of Cambodia, Living in exile in Paris, France
Reading your leader “The pandemic’s biggest tests still lie ahead” (FT View, January 6), one aspect not mentioned was the role of the immunity passport which will have far-reaching implications.
Back in April, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned against the creation of an immunity passport because there was “no evidence” that people who have recovered and have antibodies are protected from a second infection.
But the situation has since dramatically changed. Rigorous scientific observations have shown that spontaneously acquired immunity after infection with Covid-19 lasts at least as long as the immunity generated by the best vaccines.
This applies in particular to poor countries in Africa and Asia that are still asking how they can find the financial and logistical means to vaccinate even a small part of their populations. Covax, the globally-pooled vaccine procurement and distribution effort to help poor countries, reportedly aims to secure vaccines for only 20 per cent of the population in each participating country by the end of the year.
In such a dire situation, ignoring the immunological status of the millions of people who have recovered and do not need to be vaccinated would be a serious mistake.
Sam Rainsy
Former Finance Minister of Cambodia Living in exile in Paris, France
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