COVID-19: ‘Omicron to create lot of immunity’, says Bill Gates

Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates indulged in a Twitter exchange with Professor and Chair of Global Public Health at Edinburgh University Medical School, Devi Sridhar, over the Omicron variant and a breakthrough (technical or scientific) that can make the biggest difference in ending the pandemic.   During the course of this exchange, Professor Sridhar asked Gates as to how and when the coronavirus pandemic will end. She further asked that does the Omicron variant show that we can ‘live with COVID’ or are other dangerous variants around the corner this year. Gates replied by saying health systems will be challenged across the world due to the rising Omicron cases and majority of the severe cases will be from the unvaccinated population.   Gates further said that Omicron will create a lot of immunity at least for the next year, adding that a more transmissive variant is not likely but the COVID crisis has not failed to surprise us so far by throwing curve balls at us frequently. “A more transmissible variant is not likely but we have been surprised a lot during this pandemic. Omicron will create a lot of immunity at least for the next year,” he said.

Sridhar began this exchange when she asked Gates about a breakthrough that can make the biggest impact in ending the coronavirus pandemic. She tweeted, “To kick-off the conversation with Bill Gates, what scientific or tech breakthrough would make the biggest difference now to ending the COVID pandemic?”   To this, Gates replied that the presently available vaccines have the potential to prevent severe disease and death while agreeing that they do have two major flaws. These flaws, according to Gates, are allowing breakthrough infections and limited duration. The tech wizard also said that vaccines that prevent re-infection and have many years of duration are the need of the hour.

Professor Sridhar said that while she agrees with what Gates has to say about the presently available anti-COVID vaccines, she wants more information about the current challenges in ensuring global vaccine access. While replying to the public health expert’s question, Gates explained that supply of vaccines was limited in 2021 as they mostly went to wealthier nations.   “During 2021, the supply of vaccines was limited and they mostly went to wealthy countries. Now we have a lot of supply overall and the problems are logistics and demand. The health systems in developing countries are a limiting factor. mRNA vaccines still can’t meet all the demand so figuring out who gets what is complicated,” he said.

The public health expert also sought answers from Gates on the role of companies like Pfizer and Moderna to ensure affordable pricing and availability of vaccines in low- and middle-income countries. Gates then went onto explain, “When we have adequate supply then tiered pricing is used where the rich countries pay a lot more than middle income and low income pay the least which is funded by GAVI. When supply is limited, rich countries have to not outbid the others so governments are key to this.”

Also read: ‘A pertinent message’: Harsh Goenka shares heartwarming video on Twitter

Also read: ‘Allow boosters urgently, import mRNA vaccines’, says Harsh Goenka

Also read: Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Ayurved offers 25-40% discount on Coronil kits