Scientists never tire of repeating that humanity will end up living with SARS-CoV-2, as we already do with colds or seasonal flu. This seems to be our immediate destiny until new advances are made in scientific research, and until humans learn to respect the limits established by nature. So, for the moment, the best recipe is to get vaccinated as soon as possible with any of the approved vaccines, because they are safe and effective.
It must be repeated ad nauseam: the main reason for vaccination is to prevent the disease and reduce its severity and mortality. If these objectives are not achieved, it will be impossible to restore normality to our lives and, with it, business activity and employment. But, until a significant part of the population is vaccinated, it is vital that everyone, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, continue to maintain prevention measures, such as continuing to wear a mask.
Pharmaceuticals are among the world's leading industries in terms of annual turnover. These companies are not NGOs, despite the fact that they are dedicated to the manufacture, preparation and marketing of medicinal chemical products for the treatment or prevention of diseases. They earn a lot of money from it, a lot, and, for them, public health is what fills their pockets, so the reason for their existence should not mislead us.
The pandemic has also highlighted the need to have the European Union (EU) as a platform when negotiating and buying in a world where you only gain strength from unity. For this reason, the EU has been able to guarantee some 2.6 billion doses of vaccines to date, and additional doses are being negotiated. It is indisputable that the centralization of purchasing allows for greater negotiating power and success than if it were done in isolation by the member states.
As the weeks go by, vaccine deliveries to EU countries are constantly increasing and vaccination is accelerating, while work has begun to address the new variants, with the aim of rapidly developing and producing effective vaccines against them on a large scale. But that does not mean that we postpone and marginalize other countries, as the EU is committed to ensuring that safe vaccines reach all corners of the world.
Another lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic is the imperative need for Spain and old Europe to reindustrialize, which will require structural reforms and transformations aimed at this goal. While we wait for that process, vaccines and vaccination are free for all citizens, so it would be desirable to also be vaccinated against unreason. But that inoculation is not yet available, unfortunately.
Fco. Manuel Fajardo Palarea, PSOE senator for Lanzarote and La Graciosa.