Canada continues to be urged to lift travel restrictions on a number of African countries in response to the Omicron variant and to make efforts to improve vaccine equity around the world.
Akwatu Khenti, chairman of the Black Scientists Task Force on Vaccine Justice, voiced concerns about federal government policies during an interview with CTV’s Your Morning on Friday.
Foreign nationals who were in Botswana, Egypt, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe 14 days ago are currently prohibited entry into Canada.
Khenti says while understanding the original reason to essentially protect Canada’s people at all costs, Omicron has now spread to multiple continents and dozen of countries around the world – including Canada.
“It’s no longer needed if it ever was,” he said. “Canada should lift the travel ban as soon as possible.”
Khenti, assistant professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, says he would rather see a coordinated approach that leads to meaningful vaccination equity and makes tackling low vaccination rates a priority in low-income countries.
Low vaccinations create an “incubator for mutations,” he said.
“And this policy is the ultimate consequence, which by the way is a racist consequence.”
Canada has promised to donate through financial assistance or direct doses, the equivalent of at least 200 million cans to COVAX, the World Health Organization’s vaccine donation program for low-income countries.
As of December 5th, around 9.1 million cans had been shipped.
In addition to delivering on its promise to deliver cans, Canada must support intellectual property surrender for COVID-19 vaccines and help address vaccine reservations, according to Khenti.
“It’s not just about supply, it’s also about access and access to its technology. Access is convenience, access is communication, and we can do it.”
He says the world’s expertise and resources were brought together to create a scientific wonder.
“We need a share miracle and I think it is entirely possible.”
