COVID-19 pandemic will end in mid-2022, says Moderna CEO, as WHO demands increase in vaccine supply to Africa

Chief Executive Officer of Moderna, Inc., an American pharmaceutical and biotechnology company based in the United States, Mr. Stephane Bancel, has hunted that the situation with COVID-19 will eventually become similar to the one with the common flu.

This is also the boss of the drug maker further posited that with the increase in vaccine production, the Coronavirus pandemic finally coming to an end by mid-2022.

Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine is approved in around 100 countries, including Nigeria, while also being one of three drugs used in the immunization campaign in the United States.

“If you look at the industry-wide expansion of production capacities over the past six months, enough doses should be available by the middle of next year so that everyone on this Earth can be vaccinated,” Bancel said in an interview.

According to US pharma giant CEO, there will be jabs available even for infants soon as well as booster doses for those who would require them.

“Those who don’t get vaccinated will immunize themselves naturally because the Delta variant is so contagious,” the chief executive said.

When asked when humanity will be able to exit the pandemic, which already saw over 219 million people infected and more than 4.5 million dead, and return to normal life, Bancel replied: “As of today, in a year, I assume.”

Moderna’s two-dose COVID-19 vaccine is approved in some 100 countries, while also being one of three drugs used in the immunization campaign in the US. The jab boasts a high efficacy rate of 93% six months after the administration of its second shot, barely waning from the 94.5% reported during its phase-three clinical trials.

However, Bancel insisted that those vaccinated would “undoubtedly” need a refresher at some point to stay protected from the virus. He said he expects younger people to get a booster shot once every three years and older people – once a year.

Moderna’s booster contains half a dose of the active ingredient compared to the original injection, which provides the company with a further opportunity to increase production, he said.

“The volume of vaccine is the biggest limiting factor. With half the dose, we would have three billion doses available worldwide for the coming year instead of just two billion,” Moderna CEO explained.

Moderna was among the six vaccine-makers the Amnesty International accused of fueling an “unprecedented human rights crisis” by refusing to take part in initiatives to boost global vaccine supply and preferring to cooperate with rich countries.

According to Amnesty International’s report, the US company together with the likes of Pfizer-BioNTech, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca and Novavax were to blame for the fact that out of 5.76 billion doses administered worldwide, just 0.3% have gone to low-income nations.

Meanwhile, in a related development, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said that COVID-19 vaccine shipments to Africa must rise by over seven times from around 20 million per month to 150 million each month on average if the continent is to fully vaccinate 70% of its people by September 2022.

The 70% target was agreed at the global COVID-19 summit hosted by the United States of America on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly this week.

At the summit, the United States pledged to share 500 million more COVID-19 vaccines to low-income countries over the next year, bringing its total pledges to more than 1.1 billion doses.

“The global COVID-19 summit was a dose of hope for Africa and we commend pledges to share more vaccines, save lives and build back better. It is the kind of international solidarity that will help to end the pandemic. This is about life and death for potentially millions of Africans so there is no time to waste in getting these shipments moving,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa.

The COVAX Facility, the global platform to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, has been forced to slash planned deliveries to Africa by 25% this year, due to global supply shortages and export bans. COVAX shipments are still coming into African countries – with 4 million doses received in the past week. However, only a third of the vaccines that wealthy countries pledged to share with Africa by the end of 2021 have been received.

“Actions speak far louder than words and African countries need clear delivery dates so they can plan properly. We also need strong structures set up to ensure that all promises made are promises kept,” said Dr Moeti.

WHO has assisted 18 African countries in conducting intra-action reviews, which analyse all aspects of their vaccination campaigns and offer recommendations. The reviews have shown that vaccine supply security and uncertainty around deliveries have been a major impediment for many African countries. Also, the longer the delay in rolling out the vaccines, the greater the risk of additional challenges emerging such as variants, hesitancy, operational gaps or other threats.

While Africa’s third wave continues to ease, 108 000 new cases were recorded, and more than 3000 lives lost in the week to 19 September. There have now been nearly 8.2 million COVID-19 cases recorded on the continent. The Delta variant has been found in 38 African countries. The Alpha variant has been detected in 45 countries and the Beta in 40. 

“Health workers, services and communities can and should use this time to regroup and prepare for the next wave. With end-of-year travel and festive celebrations fast approaching, fresh increases in cases should be expected in the coming months. Without widespread vaccination and other preventive measures, the continent’s fourth wave is likely to be the most brutal yet,” said Dr Moeti.

The WHO Regional Office for Africa held a virtual press conference Thursday facilitated by APO Group. During the briefing Dr Benido Impouma, Programme Director for Universal Health Coverage/Communicable and Noncommunicable Disease, WHO Regional Office for Africa, was joined by Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe, Director-General, National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB), Democratic Republic of the Congo and Technical Secretary of the Multisectoral Committee for the Response to COVID-19 in DRC, and Dr Githinji Gitahi, Group Chief Executive Officer, AMREF Health Africa.

Also on hand to respond to questions were Dr Richard Mihigo, Coordinator, Immunization and Vaccines Development Programme, WHO Regional Office for Africa, and Dr Thierno Balde, Regional COVID-19 Deputy Incident Manager, WHO Regional Office for Africa.