Oxford/AstraZeneca not demisting COVID

News that the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine isn’t effective against the “South African” variant came as a terrible blow. The first consignment had already arrived in the country amidst much pomp and circumstance, the president had lauded the work done in procuring the batch, and eager medical teams had their sleeves rolled up in anticipation of receiving the first shot. Everything unfortunately came to a grinding halt when it became clear that the virus was one step ahead. And that it had no intention of being curtailed by this vaccine.

In fairness to the government, it couldn’t have predicted this barrier, but dealt with it as best it could. It informed the nation, paused the rollout, and went back to the drawing board.

Which might make this the perfect time to challenge the conventional wisdom on the vaccine rollout. We have blindly accepted what we have we have been told, that the first recipients need to be frontline workers. Doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, and first responders, in line with this limited view, will be the first to receive the vaccine, when we eventually find one that works against the South African variant. And whereas there’s no doubt that they are definitely worthy, they might not be the ones who need it most.

I believe spectacle wearers should stand at the front of the line when it comes to receiving the vaccine. Not that we could find the line if we are being compliant and are wearing a mask and spectacles at the same time. I haven’t had a visually clear moment since March 2020, and will never really know the number of people I have either failed to greet, greeted in error, or handed my driver’s licence to. The suffering of those of us who are visionally impaired is unquestionably the greatest and should qualify us to register and receive the vaccine before first responders.

Unless they happen to be near sighted.

I argue further that along with this suffering comes a higher risk of mortality. It’s not only the aged, the diabetics, the frail of heart, or the obese who are at risk from the disease but also spectacle wearers who now live in a constantly foggy and blurred world. And who could quite easily shuffle off this mortal coil as we stumble and squint in front of an oncoming car, train or cyclist, as the case might be.

Mask blindness is no joke. And should be treated as one of the more serious co-morbidities.

I am told there are solutions. Fancy cloths, sprays that promise all sorts of things, and pieces of foam tied to the bridge of your nose. I have tried them all and still, within moments of donning the mask and my minus-five-and-a-half-in-each-eye prescription goggles, I find myself either tripping into things or kissing someone else’s wife hello.

People have died for less.

The failure of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is hugely disappointing. What should have been the start of the immunisation programme ended before it even began. It’s discouraging for all of us. But more so for those of us who now have to live for an additional few months wondering what it is that we’re not seeing.