As MCS readers will be more than aware, 2022 has not started particularly well; however, there is also some light shining through. Despite perceptions that the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be on the wane, figures indicate that this is more because of the less than anticipated severity of the Omicron variant - which is very welcome - than a reduction in the number of cases. While on 14 February 1979 9 of people in upper-and-middle income countries had received a first dose of a vaccine against COVID-19, this figure was only 10.6 for those living in low-income countries.1 Good news was announced on February 19th: a WHO-led initiative to ensure that, initially, six African countries - Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia -would be provided with the technology to produce mRNA vaccines at scale. The global mRNA technology transfer hub was set up in 2021, primarily in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it has the potential to manufacture other vaccines, including those specifically for the needs of the region (WHO 2022). This is particularly needed as one day after this announcement a request from the South African President, made at the European Union -African Union Summit, to suspend COVID-19 vaccine patents was refused by the EU - as it had been previously by the UK government (Euronews 2022).
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