The Air Rescue Team of FEMERAID International – the health service institution of the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Knights of Malta, Federation of the Autonomous Priories (KMFAP) – draws your attention to the followings: 

 WARNING 

Winter is the season of low temperatures, and people are increasingly using gas or wood-fired heaters to warm themselves, resulting in a dramatic increase in the number of cases of intoxication by inhaling carbon monoxide, and its symptoms can look a lot like COVID-19: headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, chest pain and altered state of consciousness. If you experience the symptoms described above, do not assume immediately that you are infected with coronavirus, but check to see if you have any chance of being intoxicated by carbon monoxide first and not wait because it may be late afterwards... 

 VACCINATION 

The worldwide largest scale vaccination in the history of mankind is being prepared and will start in a few days. 

According to the DHL to vaccinate around 7.8 billion people, 15 billion doses will be needed and for that, at least 15.000 flights, 200.000 transport pallets, 15.000.000 thermal boxes will also be required, and not to mention the extreme temperature needed for some vaccines, and that the dry ice is a dangerous element for aviation, so for sure we will need new technology for these vaccines to be transported by airplanes in the near future. 

The distribution of vaccines in rural areas of Africa, Asia and South America raises many questions and problems, so perhaps drones may have a chance to shine, but the fact is that more than half of the world does not have cold chains nor enough health professionals in remote areas to properly vaccinate their population. 

Finding a vaccine for the COVID-19 was just the tip of the iceberg, but distributing and administering it to at least 60% of the world’s population to acquire community immunity is being considered as “The Task of the Century”, a task only compared with the first trip to the Moon. 

However, we must not forget that this pandemic has only dramatically accentuated the differences between the richest and the poorest countries of the world, and the panorama of vaccine distribution will not change this paradigm: according to calculations by the People’s Vaccine Alliance, the poorest countries of the world have succeeded to obtain vaccines only for 1 in 10 citizens. In fact, we found that 100% of Moderna vaccines and 96% of Pfizer vaccines were purchased by only 14% of the world’s population. Countries like Canada have already managed to guarantee 5 doses per inhabitant, so don’t be surprised if there is a new type of refugees, the COVID Refugees to get the vaccines, because we all want our children to live in dignity and safety... 

Stay safe and keep healthy! 

 18th December 2020