Goes the year of despair

The world will never want to visit a year like the one that ends today. It was a year when a microscopic pathogen, known as SARS-Covid-2, brought all nations, rich and poor, to their knees, socially and economically. So, the pains it inflicted on the peoples all over will not fade away soon.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) in January of 2020 informed the world about the detection of the severe respiratory disease caused by a new virus called coronavirus in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Rest is history. Countries, one after another, fell victim to the marauding virus. Every country did pay a price, in terms of life and livelihood. Human casualty and sufferings varied. The number of Covid cases and deaths in some countries was too heavy.

Intending to save lives countries imposed lockdowns that again took a severe economic toll. The world witnessed the most severe economic recession after the 1930s. The global stock markets also saw an unprecedented plunge.
Bangladesh too suffered during the year that proved to be devastating. But, in terms of the rate of infection and the number of death, the country was a bit lucky. Notwithstanding being a densely-populated country, both had been on the lower side. Yet for the families that lost one or more of their members---in most cases, elderly ones--- to Covid are yet to recover from the shock and grief.
The country's economy also suffered, though less than most other countries did. But the slowdown of economic activities did leave a damaging impact on almost everything. Thousands lost jobs. Millions also went down the poverty threshold. There was also the reversal of the poverty alleviation trend that had continued for the last three decades. The number of poor is now more than that estimated in February last.
The world will be stepping into a new year---2021---tomorrow (Friday). What remains in store in the days ahead is difficult to predict right at this moment. The threat from the virus--- also of its new variant having far greater transmissibility---is looming large. The USA, the UK and many other European countries are now in the midst of the second and the most severe wave of infection. Some countries have clamped very tough lockdowns again as their hospitals are overflowing with Covid patients.
There is, however, a silver lining on the horizon. Vaccines developed by the two US pharmaceutical giants against the Covid-19 are being administered in some countries now. The UK Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory products Agency (MHRA) approved the vaccine developed by the Oxford-Astrazeneca on Wednesday. The Oxford vaccine is seen as a game-changer because its price is low and its distribution remains to be one of the easiest. The vaccine can be kept in the normal fridge temperature for six months.
The Oxford vaccine is the one Bangladesh has been waiting for eagerly. With the UK approval, the Serum Institute of India (SII) is expected to get the Indian government's approval for the production of the Oxford vaccine. The government, SII and the Beximco Pharmaceuticals have already struck a tripartite deal on the supply of the vaccine to Bangladesh. The SII, according to the deal, will start delivering 30 million doses in phases to Bangladesh through the Beximco, within a month after receiving the regulatory approval. The delivery is expected to be completed within six months.
It is almost certain that the pandemic will continue to rule the roost for some more time. But the vaccines will surely instil new hope in the minds of billions across the globe. It may take some more time for the countries getting their populations vaccinated. The scars of the pandemic will be there for many years to come. But the world is expected to pick up the pieces and start anew, once the pandemic eases. However, for the poor and low-income countries, much would depend on the generosity of the rich countries. The latter need to help the former buy vaccines for their populations.
All credit goes to science and scientists for developing the vaccines in such a short time. The development of vaccines within a record time---normally it takes years to develop a vaccine--- has been a surprising achievement.
The health authorities here, rightly or wrongly, have given rise to a lot of questions about their performance as far as the handling of the pandemic is concerned.
Hopefully, they would prove their critics wrong by carrying out the programme of immunising the population against the most dreaded Covid efficiently. Bangladesh has vast experience in immunisation programmes. Health workers here carried out many such programmes successfully in the past. The country has both logistics and infrastructure to handle a vaccine like the one developed by the Oxford-AstraZeneca.
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