What needs to be considered as some governments move towards a “herd immunity approach? What does it mean to have “herd immunity”? How would this affect the population and the future of the pandemic? Here, in this Washington Post piece, John Authers discusses the moral decision in immunity. He brings in concepts of utilitarianism and economic status in the consideration for herd immunity.

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Vaccine development is in contention within the United States, navigating the progress of clinical research and pressures for development from the federal government. Pfizer has announced that the goal is to ask for emergency use in November.

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Once a vaccine is developed and efficacious, how do we get the vaccine to those in need? This effort relies on the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) initiative which the U.S is not involved in. How can COVAX help vaccines in Africa?

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“Which countries should get a vaccine first? To what degree should helping essential workers, the poor, minorities and the young (or old) affect vaccine distribution?…” A few of many questions to consider when developing methods to distribute. If the vaccine proves to be a highly efficacious intervention, access to the product will be key to closing disparities in health outcomes due to COVID-19 infection.

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The race for a COVID-19 vaccine has been on the forefront of many research pursuits, and bioethics is crucial when considering vaccine development and distribution. Clinical trials progressing through defined phases allow developers to gauge the effect of the vaccine in the larger population and study any effects of long-term utilization. Carl Zimmer of The New York Times provides a look at the early results from the “Sputnik V” vaccine in Russia.

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As the epidemic rages in a violent, embattled region, two important players — the World Health Organization and Doctors Without Borders — clash over how to end it.

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Ten years ago, Renee Bach left her home in Virginia to set up a charity to help children in Uganda. One of her first moves was to start a blog chronicling her experiences.

Among the most momentous: On a Sunday morning in October 2011, a couple from a village some distance away showed up at Bach’s center carrying a small bundle.

“When I pulled the covering back my eyes widened,” Bach wrote in the blog. “For under the blanket lay a small, but very, very swollen, pale baby girl. Her breaths were frighteningly slow. … The baby’s name is Patricia. She is 9 months old.”

Bach went on to write that Patricia had fallen sick three weeks earlier. But her parents had been unable to find anyone closer to home who could cure her.

Then, wrote Bach, “One of their relatives told them about a ‘hospital’ … with a ‘White Doctor.’ ”

Except Bach was not a doctor.

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False rumors that children are fainting or dying have led parents to turn away vaccinators, threatening the campaign to eradicate the disease.

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The year-old outbreak has now reached Goma, a heavily populated city near the border with Rwanda. The W.H.O. will ask experts again to decide whether to issue a declaration that could increase funding to fight the disease spread.

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