By now, we know or have heard about the Corona Virus (COVID-19), which has ravaged the world at large for the better part of 2020. It has had a devastating effect on various countries’ economic activities, and some might even say it crippled various sectors of the economy while it was and is still going around. But, according to reports, there has been a COVID-19 vaccine that has been developed and is now being administered to people. According to Bloomberg.com, more than 17.5 million doses have been administered to people of various countries, numbering 38. Vaccinations in the US number over 6.25 million according to data provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
As a result, travel to and from some countries have been restricted, and in the few flights available to and from some countries, a negative COVID-19 test has become one of the most important documents to be presented before you are allowed to travel, alongside others like a PCR Test. Despite all these, there are still some people who think that the best way to curb the further spread of COVID-19 is for everyone looking to travel to be vaccinated before travel. QANTAS CEO, Alan Joyce, believes that other intending travelers would be confident to fly and travel again as they would by vaccinating intending travelers. Travelers would be assured of personal safety during travel because if you know and are sure that every passenger on the plane has been vaccinated, there is little or no reason for you to be afraid of contacting Corona-virus during your travel.
Some world leaders argue for the fact that for a long time now, dozens of countries require certain vaccines before you are allowed into or outside the country and are debating if the COVID-19 vaccination should also be part of those mandatory vaccinations before travel. If the yellow fever vaccination is compulsory for all travelers, why not add COVID-19 to the list since it has proved to be just as deadly and might even be more dangerous?. Since constant travel between two or more countries is a very potent way to spread diseases between numerous country borders, in between the citizens themselves, surely it makes sense to assume that every traveler is a potential vector for the spread of Corona-virus, and the best way to limit or possibly kill the spread is to be vaccinated.
This past week, Chilean lawmakers proposed a bid before their congress to make the COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for their citizens. They also argued that the bill would also modify their health code, which also makes vaccination for whooping cough and smallpox, amongst other diseases, mandatory. Chile is also considered as the first South-American country to begin a Corona-virus vaccination program for their citizens. The government has inked deals with giant pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and AstraZeneca to supply Corona-virus vaccines into their country.
Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced not so long ago that he planned to make the Corona-virus vaccine mandatory for its citizens, especially those who are looking to travel into and outside the country. He said that he aimed to ensure that at least 95% of Australia’s population gets vaccinated against Corona-virus to curb the spread, and he was expecting the vaccine to be compulsory amongst its citizens, except on medical grounds when it is not.
Last week, a large shipment of Corona-virus vaccines from Pfizer also left their facility as the United States made steps in their plan to undergo a wide-scale vaccination of its citizens. Donald Trump even announced his intentions to get the Corona-virus vaccine at the appropriate time and encouraged others to do so.
What we can deduce from all this is that the spread of Corona-virus is to be taken seriously, and vaccination against Corona-virus might just be the best way to reduce or possibly stop the spread of the virus, especially among travelers from different countries.