By: María Clara Ospina
For those who think that Colombia has been slow in obtaining and applying vaccines, I want to tell you that worldwide we are not so bad. Even though several countries in the area, Chile being the best example, beat us in speed, effectiveness and organization.
To our consolation, the vaccination situation in the European Union (EU) has come very close to being a debacle. Somewhat surprising, considering that this is one of the richest regions in the world, which supposedly has excellent health systems and advanced technology. In addition, important laboratories in the world have their headquarters in European countries.
The fastest response to the pandemic, initially, was from Germany. However, after bitter disputes about how vaccines should be purchased and distributed among the countries of the Union, in addition to a surprising inability to do so quickly and effectively, today vaccination in the area is progressing as slowly as in the other countries. third World countries.
According to The Economist (03/04/21), in the EU only 14% of the adult population has been vaccinated, compared with 58% in Great Britain and 38% in the United States, where vaccination of young people up to 16 years of age in states like Florida.
This, despite the fact that the EU closed agreements last year with six laboratories, ensuring more than 2,000 million doses, enough for the 450 million inhabitants of the 27 member countries.
The EU has had serious production and distribution problems. He mistakenly thought that his vaccine orders would be ready quickly, something that did not happen.
In addition, the high levels of skepticism in its population have meant that thousands of doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine have not been used, after irresponsible claims by Emanuel Macron about its effectiveness. Said statements were corrected, but the “evil” was already done. Many have refused to receive it.
In general, Europeans are more opposed to getting the vaccine than the rest of the world. 43% think it will weaken their immune system, or have secondary consequences.
The complex bureaucracy of the EU government system has also had a high negative impact on the vaccination crisis. Undoubtedly, it is easier to make decisions by a single government than by representatives of the 27 governments that make up the Union.
But, not only the capacity of the European bloc has been slow in its reaction to the Pandemic with regard to vaccination. Its economic recovery is also well below countries such as China with 6.5% growth in the last quarter, the United States with 4.1%, while in the EU it is almost stagnant.
Last week, Pedro Sánchez, the Spanish prime minister, declared that Civid-19 was the worst crisis to hit Europe since World War II.
Not surprisingly, in Britain Brexit supporters have taken advantage of this “catastrophe” in vaccination to remember that the proven inefficiency of the EU justifies their decision to separate.
So it is easy to see that Latin America, especially Colombia, has not done so badly, despite not having the economic power, nor the medical organization that Europe has.
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