COVID-19 vaccines look promising
It is rejoicing to note that the UAE has organised various centres for the COVID-19 vaccine (“When and how will COVID-19 vaccines become available?”, Gulf News, December 02). Congratulations to the UAE government. It is also encouraging that the UK has started vaccination amid the second wave of COVID-19. The USA should also be clearing the inoculations soon, even as it engulfed by a fresh surge of around 200,000 coronavirus cases per day. The plight of developing countries is yet uncertain. Developed countries have amassed a big enough stock of vaccine doses to immunise their people nearly three times over by the end of next year, assuming the vaccines in clinical trials are all approved for use. Governments in developing countries in Asia and Africa should cut all unnecessary expenditures and focus on buying high-quality vaccines. Just 14 per cent of the world's population has bought 53 per cent of the most promising vaccines. Poorer countries, on the other hand, will only be able to vaccinate one in every ten people next year. Fighting COVID-19 is a war, and we must act timely.
From Mr Rajendra Aneja
Mumbai, India
Silent observers
The article by Annie Mathew is one of the nicest, most meaningful, and thought-provoking ones that I have read in recent times ( Silence of plants is taken for granted", GulfNews, December 07). The writer deserves praise and appreciation for her feelings, coupled with describing them in a flowery language and style. Kudos to Gulf News for selecting and carrying the article in its column.
From Mr Raveendran Nambiar
Abu Dhabi
Uphill tasks for Biden
While it is already an uphill task to appease and win the support of 73 million voters who voted for Trump (“Biden needs to repair crimes against migrant children”, Gulf News, December 09). It looks like it is going to be even more challenging to function as a bipartisan government and get support for his governance and the decisions that Biden will make as the US President. A recent survey of Republicans shows little acknowledgment of Biden’s win. It shows a troublesome governance future, to try to work with more than 200 Republican lawmakers who will sit in both houses with the feeling of scepticism about the outcome of the recent US elections resulting in Biden becoming the US president. Biden has to dismantle the biggest threat the US is facing in the form of ‘Trump-ism’. It is not easy to change perceptions and requires a cohesive, coordinated, and nationwide approach. This is the second most crucial issue Biden has to deal with on a ‘war footing’ in addition to the arduous task of dealing with coronavirus and taking it head-on with strict measures and overseeing a smooth vaccination campaign across the country. Then comes reversing all the immigration rules Trump implemented.
From Mr Anas Khan
Alberta, Canada
