The vaccine itself may take a year or longer to be approved. Cape Town-based company Afrigen Biologics and Vaccines has made only microlitres of it, reports the journal Nature, and clinical trials are expected to start only in November. But have no doubt about the significance of what South African scientists have achieved. It is a landmark win in a continent whose ability to fend for itself in the crisis caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been practically written off. South Africa has proved that with a little bit of financial help from the rich nations and technological aid from the World Health Organization (WHO), it can do what the developed nations have done.
This is a huge morale-booster for Africa, which exemplifies the glaring inequity in access to vaccines, with close to 90 per cent of the population yet to get even a single dose. This is because vaccine production is, for the most part, concentrated in a few rich countries, and supplies have not gone to low-income nations, barring a scatter of doses as donations.
Esta historia es de la edición March 01, 2022 de Down To Earth.
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Esta historia es de la edición March 01, 2022 de Down To Earth.
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A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara