A prayer report looking at the opportunities and challenges of vaccinations, Covid-19 Hot Spots and some suggested Prayer Pointers with links to resources:

As of 17 March 2021, the total global figure for people infected by Covid-19 stood at 120.7 million according to Johns Hopkins University. In addition to this, the recorded number who have died totalled 2,671,764.  From a peak of worldwide daily cases in early January, numbers have declined steadily and new infections have returned to levels seen in late October.

Covid-19 hot spots

Here are those countries / regions which are currently showing high levels of infection.

The US continues to be the country with the highest number of confirmed cases and deaths related to Covid-19 with figures at around 29,549,008 and 536,914 respectively. Thankfully the daily infection rate has fallen dramatically from a 7 day rolling average high point of nearly 250,000 cases in early January to 56,649 cases mid-March (John Hopkins).

Brazil has seen a steady increase in cases over recent weeks as it struggles to cope with more contagious variants.  Total cases have exceeded 11.6 million with 282,400 deaths.  Worryingly, the 7 day average of new cases continues to rise and currently stands at 66,849 compared to 51,000 at the start of February.

A growing number of European countries are seeing rises in cases as they struggle to vaccinate their populations at a fast enough rate to reduce the impact of new waves.  In particular Poland, Italy and the Czech Republic have seen case numbers start to rise.

India is the second worst-hit country in the world by the pandemic after the United States but has seen a sharp decline in cases since September.  The overall case count now stands at 11,409,831 cases, and 158,865 deaths. Although nowhere near the September peak of an average of over 93,000 new cases each day, there has been a concerning increase in cases in the last 4 weeks to with a current 7 day average of 25,325 new cases each day.

New waves and Variants

New variants of COVID 19 continue to be monitored and reported upon, and President Biden has emphasised the risk they pose in reversing the decline in cases that has recently been seen.  The variant that emerged in the UK has been seen as a significant factor in the rapid increase in cases the country experienced over Christmas.  The variant that emerged in South Africa forced the government to alter its vaccine strategy after initial data showed one vaccine had only 10% efficacy in preventing mild or moderate infections by the new variant dominant in the country.  Along with the variant first seen in travellers from Brazil, there remains great uncertainty as to these variants’ transmissibility and resistance to vaccines.  Thankfully there is no data yet showing them to cause more serious illness.  There remain concerns that variants of the virus will disrupt vaccination programmes and lead to increased cases and the re-imposition of restrictions

Vaccines

The vaccination programme remains the most likely vehicle for ending the pandemic.  Last month we highlighted the disparity between rich western countries and the rest of the world, put sharply into focus by the political turmoil in the European Union.  A month on although there have been some positive changes, the underlying issues remain.   As of mid-March, 390.3 million doses of various vaccines have been administered worldwide, an increase of 306 million in 7 weeks. Vaccines have now been administered in approximately 130 countries.  Equally, midway through February, The United Nations highlighted the fact that 130 countries had not administered a single vaccine dose.

There is no doubt that vaccinations have become deeply politicised in recent weeks.   The Argentinian Bishop, Oscar Vicente Ojea spoke out against the “politicisation” of the Covid-19 vaccine after Argentina’s health minister resigned amid accusations that he gave vaccines out as political favours. In Europe, already delayed vaccination drives are being hindered by a negative perception of the AstraZeneca vaccine created by leading politicians, most notably President Macron of France.  In addition to this, the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine has been restricted by some countries over fears relating to blood clots, although the World Health Organisation and other major regulators continue to support its use.  This is a deeply challenging time for all of our leaders and we must continue to pray for them, noting that the vaccines themselves emerged out of cooperation rather than conflict.

The recent virtual G7 summit allowed world leaders a new opportunity to provide impetus to the COVAX initiative to provide vaccines for poorer nations.  Specifically,

• New funding from the European Union, Germany and the United States will allow COVAX, the international COVID-19 vaccine mechanism, to secure more doses and further diversify its vaccine portfolio, advancing its goal to roll out at least 1.3 billion vaccine doses in world’s poorest economies in the next few months.
• Doses for COVAX to support vital humanitarian work in places where populations face emergencies were promised.
• The UK and France announced commitments to share vaccine doses with lower-income economies, joining a number of other countries expressing the same goal, to further accelerate a coordinated international response and help put an end to the pandemic globally.

David Malpass, the Head of the World Bank, has highlighted that further support for developing countries in terms of delivery systems and supply will need to be in place to allow equity of access to vaccines.

In terms of approved vaccines, the RAPS website provides a good overview of the current situation.  The approval by US authorities of the Janssen Biotech vaccine now means that there are 12 vaccines with some form of regulatory approval, of which 7 are being used widely across the world.  This is unprecedented and something we should all give thanks for, not least when considering the partnership work between scientists, public and private organisations, which is a source of great optimism. 

The approval of the Jannsen Biotech vaccine is a positive development as it only requires one shot and is based on traditional vaccine technology.  It has shown 85% efficacy against serious illness in trials.

There remain challenges in terms of take-up of the vaccine.  In the UK, The Queen used a video call to challenge people to see taking the vaccine as supporting others, not just themselves.  At the same time, some countries, such as Tanzania and Madagascar, have issued statements saying they do not have plans to vaccinate their populations against COVID-19.  With fears that a significant number of unvaccinated people may lead to viral mutations and prolong the crisis, set against the ethics and legality of forcing individuals to be vaccinated, we must pray for grace and love in these sensitive yet vital conversations.

Let’s Pray… Let us continue to declare that the novel coronavirus is defeated by the blood of Jesus.

We pray for divine intervention and for God's name to be glorified even as each nation and government tries its best to flatten the curve, prevent and lessen the impact of second and third spikes, manage the wave of new variants and finally arrest this epidemic.

We pray that individuals, leaders and nations focus on the needs of others rather than themselves, and that cooperation and compassion lie at the heart of the world’s response to the crisis.

We release wisdom, skill, and integrity upon our leaders, particularly as they grapple with the complexities, challenges and many voices that seek to influence them

We pray that leaders and nations will see their moral duty to the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people and back this up with action not just words.

We pray for protection, wisdom and strength, for those working to bring treatment and comfort to the sick and their families.

We pray for individuals struggling to decide whether to receive the vaccine.  We ask that their fears be settled and that the information they receive be truthful and honest.

We pray release and healing from mental illnesses as a result of the lock-downs.

We pray special grace and help for the vulnerable and lesser-developed nations.

We pray for refugees and displaced peoples. We pray against domestic violence and other crimes that have become rampant during lockdowns.

We pray for a safe, effective, and affordable vaccine to be released soonest and the continued development of a range of vaccines to supply the whole world

We continue to release faith, hope, and love over the peoples of the world. May the Church seize this opportune time to manifest Jesus our Lord and Savior to those who are seeking answers and peace.