Link to article: https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-pledges-105-mln-pounds-help-vulnerable-nations-fight-omicron-2021-12-29/
The UK pledged 105 million pounds ($141.7 million) to nations lacking adequate resources to fight the Omicron variant. This includes many countries in Sub- Saharan Africa such as Kenya. In these countries Omicron is rapidly spreading due to lack of measures for reducing the spread of covid. The money is for increased measures to reduce transmission, increase testing, and boost oxygen supplies. Britain and other powerful countries were accused of not doing enough to share vaccines with poorer countries, which some scientists say is the key to stopping the new variants. Britain has also donated 30 million vaccines by the end of 2021, working towards their goal of 100 million vaccines donated.
Though the Omicron variant has given many people milder symptoms, it is proving to be more transmissible than other variants. Though less people are dying and in most cases have milder symptoms than with other variants, it is crucial to stop the spread as Omicron can lead to other variants that the vaccine might not protect against. In addition, hospitals are overflowing and many industries are affected due to workers being infected. Since the Omicron variant was first detected in Africa, it is important for wealthy countries to distribute vaccines to African countries like Kenya so that new variants do not occur again.
The spread of COVID and the continuous reemergence of new variants are created because of globalization and our interconnectedness. Though there were efforts to stop connection between countries through air travel, our level of connection in the world is still too great for it to make a difference. Because of this, it is crucial that global and regional hegemonic powers are aiding other countries as well as their own. Because of a lack of help from powerful countries to struggling countries, we see new variants emerge, and our troubles persist. Hopefully the current efforts to give vaccines to countries that lack them will increase and prove to be effective in stopping the spread of Covid.