In a new report, the World Health Organization recently warned there could be a global shortage of syringes in 2020, a threat to the COVID-19 Vaccination strategies.
A Mail Online report specified that the said shortage has a deficit reaching two billion. Such scarcity results from global COVID-19 vaccine campaigns with more than 7.25 billion doses have been given all over the world, the AFP reported, twice the number of standard vaccines administered in one year.
As a result, double as many syringes are being used, badly consuming global supplies. If production is not ramping up, it could result in hoarding and panic buying, and standstill initiatives to shield people from a host of illnesses, United Nations said in a report.
According to WHO senior advisor to the Division of Access to Medicine and Health Products, Lisa Hedman, the real concern is currently being raised that there could have a shortage of immunization syringes, which in turn result in serious problems like slowing down immunization initiatives.
A Moroccan health shows syringes of the Pfizer-BioNTech at a Covid-19 vaccination centre, in the city of Sale
2 Billion Deficit in Syringes
Depending on the manner the vaccine uptake is going, Hedman explained, it could be a shortage of anywhere from one billion to two billion.
A Reuters report said, based on a situation of roughly seven billion people who need two doses of COVID-19 vaccine from now until 2023, as well as a worldwide manufacturing capacity of roughly six billion vaccination syringes each year, continued Hedman adding, it is quite clear that a shortage in 2022 of more than one billion needles could take place "if we continue business as usual."
Syringes are susceptible to supply-chain delays, as well since they are taking up 10 times the space of a vaccine vial. A significant or protracted needle shortage could mean deferrals in vaccinations for other diseases. In October, the WHO endorsed the first malaria vaccine of the world, a boon to the developing world.
Countries Urged to Plan Ahead
During the press conference in Geneva, Hedman urged nations to plan ahead, as an initiative to the foreseen shortage in syringes, ScienceAlert indicated in a similar report.
She said, when one thinks about the magnitude of the number of injections being administered in response to the global health crisis, this is not a place where "we can afford shortcuts," deficits, or any short of complete safety for patients and healthcare staff.
Syringes are not the only thing in shortages. Earlier in 2021, experts cautioned of a deficit of sand as well, which could delay the manufacture of the billions of glass vials needed to get the COVID-19 vaccines to global populations.
In a statement in March, the director of UNEP's Global Resource Information Database Pascal Peduzzi said, "We never thought we would run out of sand," although it is starting in some parts of the world.
After water, the most consumed raw material in the world is sand. It is used to make asphalt, concrete, glass, and even silicon microchips. Presently, there are below less than 1,000 sand and gravel mines throughout the US.
Related report about syringe supplies as one of the challenges faced during this pandemic is shown on ABC News's YouTube video below:
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