Putting the PA’s Vaccine Refusal in to Perspective
David Lange
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With the PA rejecting a deal in which Israel would provide them with 1.4 million of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine under the pretext they are nearing expiry, it is instructive to see how other countries have handled a similar situation.
From April, the US shared millions of its near-expiring AstraZeneca vaccines with Canada. Not only did the Canadians use them gratefully, they were cognizant of the ethical problem with wasting them :
Meanwhile, in Ontario, people who got their first dose of AstraZeneca, could be getting their second jab of the COVID-19 vaccine as the province tries to avoid wasting thousands of vials currently sitting in freezers.
According to a report, first published by the Toronto Star, Ontario plans to use its remaining AstraZeneca supply for second shots. An announcement on the supply can be “expected with days.”
Some experts feel other provinces should do the same.
“It is absolutely unethical to waste thousands of good vaccine doses,” said Kerry Bowman, a bioethicist at the University of Toronto, who received his first dose of AstraZeneca in March.
Of course, when it comes to the PA and Hamas leadership – to paraphrase Tina Turner – what’s ethics got to do with it?
Meanwhile, during the last week reported, the palestinian Arab territories averaged about 7,147 doses administered each day. Assuming they had accepted the 100,000 doses that arrived as planned, they could have used almost all of them before the end of June, assuming the current vaccination rate. Actually, they could have done it in one weekend, given their health minister’s admission they can even vaccinate 80,000 per day!
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David Lange
