COVID-19 vaccine equity: the need of the hour.

Dear Editor,

The article by Maclean et al. is an interesting and globally pertinent challenge of post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination breakthrough infections. The article attempts to discuss the reasons and documented literature for the same. However, there are certain features to focus in the current scenario.

The global focus, especially of the developed countries is diverting to booster COVID-19 vaccine doses with many countries have already formulated guidelines and recommendations for the same. However, the vaccine equity is grossly imbalanced, and poorer countries are struggling to complete COVID-19 vaccination.

It has already been proven that besides a robust efficacy ranging between various vaccine schedules and doses in preventing COVID-19, vaccination also brings down the severity in breakthrough infections. The published literature on breakthrough infections reports it as mild and easily manageable at home leading to no increase in morbidity and mortality.

Many high-risk individuals planned for vaccine booster dose have already got two doses of vaccine and suffered a clinical or subclinical infection. It is for the same reason, perhaps, a booster dose is not showing that robust immune response.

Unfortunately, due to the large-scale campaign of a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine in developed countries in view of fear of emerging variants, the developing countries are struggling to vaccinate their population leading to vaccine inequity. This can have disastrous global consequences as there is a potential for newer variants and COVID-19 waves emerging from such nations.

To conclude, in current times, it is prudent to accelerate global and universal COVID-19 vaccination for all.

Conflict of interest. None declared.

Funding

None declared.