9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief – May 22, 2021

Good evening dear reader

Here is our 9pm current affairs brief for you today

Issues and Significance of Longer Vaccine Gaps

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus: GS:2 –  Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health

Synopsis: Recently, the government introduced longer vaccine gaps for few reasons. But it fails to take other things into account.

Introduction:

Recently the Indian government recommended a higher interval between two doses of the Covishield vaccine. Apart from that, the government also introduced few other changes. Such as,

• Encouraging lactating women to take vaccines
• 3-month waiting period before taking vaccines for the Covid-19 recovered persons (earlier it was four to eight weeks).
• If the person gets Covid-19 infections after the first dose, s/he also needs to go through a three-month waiting period before taking the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine.
• Increasing the vaccine gap between two doses from 12-16 weeks for Covishield.

Two underlying principles behind longer vaccine gaps:

1. To tackle the shortage in the vaccine:
   • Prior to second-wave, the government focussed on vaccinating vulnerable sections and frontline workers.
   • But during the second wave, the government allowed vaccine manufacturers to ‘free up’ vaccine supply. Under this, they can sell only 50% to Center and the rest on their own. But this policy did not improve access to all citizens.
   • So, the government introduced the higher vaccine gap.
2. Best timing of the second dose for an optimal boost to the immune system:
   • Clinical trials of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the UK (18-55 years) showed that the binding antibodies (the ones that actually block viruses) were nearly twice high for persons who got their vaccine shots after 12 or more weeks.
   • Further, the vaccine also appeared to be more protective for persons above 18 with a longer dose interval.

Challenges with longer vaccine gaps:

A general policy for childhood vaccines in India is 4 to 8-week intervals. So, the 12-16 week difference is not a general one. Further, it also has many concerns. Such as,

• Antibody levels are one of the key markers of protection. But, they are not the only ones. Cell-based immunity (immune system confers long-lived immunity) is not considered in scientific studies.
• Duration of protection: At present, there is huge uncertainty about the duration of protection given by vaccines. For example, there are many pieces of evidence that exist for breakthrough infections and Covid-19 related deaths even after the second dose of vaccination. So, only more vaccination will provide greater clarity on the degree of protection.

Way forward:

The death tolls from India’s second wave continue to surpass similar daily figures from the U.S. and Brazil. Further, the policymakers have to remember that many Indians have still not been exposed to the virus and newer threatening variants are on the line.

So the government has to aim for universal vaccination to prevent disease spread and death toll. The government has to accelerate vaccination drives and policy recommendations geared towards that goal.

WhatsApp’s Privacy Policy and Data Protection law in India

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus: 

Synopsis: The government sought a response against WhatsApp’s Privacy policy, but it is just a short-sighted one. The government should focus on long-term solutions like enacting data protection law.

Introduction:

The central government recently issued a notice to WhatsApp to withdraw its updated privacy policy. But this is a clear government intervention into a legitimate business decision.

The development of WhatsApp’s privacy policy:

• WhatsApp updated its privacy policy earlier this year. Under this policy, WhatsApp can share data (such as location and number) with its parent company Facebook unless they delete their accounts altogether. The App initially proposed a February 8 deadline.
• This attracted harsh criticisms from the government and experts. Further, there was also an exodus of user migration to rival platforms such as, Signal.
• WhatsApp moved the deadline to May 15. Eventually, WhatsApp decided not to enforce the policy itself.

Reason behind WhatsApp’s Privacy policy:

• The App has more than two billion users in the world. Among them, about half a billion are Indians. The privacy policy aims to make business interactions easier. At the same time, the policy aims to create personalised ads on Facebook.
• In its affidavit in the Delhi High Court, WhatsApp has reportedly said that it is not forcing users to accept the updated privacy policy. As the users have the option to delete their accounts.

The Government response:

Ministry of Electronics and IT (MEITY) has sought a response from WhatsApp within seven days. Due to the following reasons,

• The MEITY thought that the Privacy policy is discriminating against Indian users as Indians depend on WhatsApp for communication.
• The ministry is also of the opinion that WhatsApp is imposing unfair terms and conditions. As the similar policy is not applicable for WhatsApp’s European users.

Concerns with government decision:

• It is a business decision: The privacy policy reflects WhatsApp’s strong business decision. The users can avoid accepting the policy and delete their accounts. Even WhatsApp is ready to take the risk of user migrations to other Apps. This is also reflected in the WhatsApp affidavit.
• WhatsApp is not the only one: Private apps such as Google, BigBasket, Koo, and public apps such as Aarogya Setu, Bhim, IRCTC, and others also use similar privacy policies.
• India did not have General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR like the EU: The government instead of seeking a response from companies has to enact a data protection law in line with the GDPR.

Why IITs Demand for Priority Vaccination is not Justified?

Source: Indian Express

Gs2: Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Synopsis:  IITs are demanding priority vaccination. Their demand for vaccinating their staff and students against Covid-19 on a  should not be encouraged.

Background

• In a recent meeting with the Union education minister, the IIT directors have demanded for vaccinating their staff and students against Covid on a priority basis, so that they can resume classes.

Why IIT’s demands should not be encouraged?

• First, no person’s right to life is bigger than other persons. Though IITs are largely residential institutions, there are many other similar institutions. The risk of community infection is the same for all.
• Second, IITs cannot demand priority on grounds of the nature of their work. They are not a frontline sector. Also, equally, everyone’s work is essential for the functioning and well-being of the community.
• Third, to grant priority to a single interest group would open the floodgates to more such demands. With India facing a shortage of vaccines, such demands will reduce our vaccine distribution to complete chaos.
• Fourth, vaccination is not a private but a public good. Vaccination protects not only the individual receiving it but everybody around them. India can be Pandemic free only when every individual is safe from the threat of the virus.
• Fifth, it will deepen the endemic divisions of our society. For instance, distribution and administration of Covid vaccines are already heavily skewed in favour of the urban over the rural, the affluent over the poor, the digitally-enabled over the digitally-deprived. Any decision to promote subgroup interest will widen this gap further.

IITs need to employ their combined expertise and authority more effectively to guide the nation’s struggle against Covid to general benefit, thus lessening the need for sectarian demands.

Voluntary Licensing Mechanism for Vaccines Will Ensure Social Justice

Source: The Hindu

Gs2: Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health

Synopsis: Other alternatives available to boost Vaccine supply are less effective. But Voluntary licensing Mechanism for Covid 19 vaccines will lead to affordable and accessible vaccines.

 Background

• Affordable vaccination is the key to achieve global herd immunity and to prevent new strains of COVID-19.
• To make vaccines affordable there are multiple arrangements globally. Such as
  • Voluntarily licensing: Manufacturers can place their licensing agreements for which they owned patent rights in the UN-affiliated Medicines Patent Pool.
  • Compulsory licensing: Through TRIPS Waiver on Patent rights, for Covid-19 vaccines under WTO TRIPS agreement.
  • COVAX Program: It was established to purchase vaccine doses and donate them to low-income countries but does not involve modifying patent rights
  • WHO’s COVID-19 Technology Access Pool: a patent-sharing pool for Covid-19 products.
• However, a voluntary licensing mechanism will be more effective in achieving the target of affordable and universal vaccination. Further, it has been successfully demonstrated in making AIDS drugs more affordable.

How voluntary licensing can make medical drugs affordable?

• The case study of AIDS drugs can better explain how voluntary licensing can make medical drugs/ vaccines more affordable.
• During the 1990s, the WTO started implementing a global intellectual property regime known as the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights agreement (TRIPS).
• After that, there was anti-TRIPS activism around the globe due to fear of price rise of essential medicines because of the TRIPS agreement.
• Responding to anti-TRIPS activism from low-income countries, some manufacturers who owned patent rights to produce AIDS drugs placed their licensing agreements in the UN-affiliated Medicines Patent Pool.
• This allowed Several India-based companies to use the voluntary licences to manufacture these drugs on a massive scale and sell them at prices they determine.
• This effort brought down the price of key AIDS medications in low-income countries. For instance, tenofovir, the first-line treatment for HIV/AIDS, has come down in price from $200-$500 per person per year to $39 per person per year in low-income countries.

What are the issues in other alternative mechanisms?

1. First, the Voluntary licensing mechanism will reduce the cost and time taken to manufacture vaccines compared to producing vaccines through a ‘Compulsory licensing agreement’.
   • Voluntary licensing enables goodwill among Patent right holding companies and general manufacturers.
   • It will enable easy flow of “technology transfer” thereby reducing the cost and time taken to manufacture vaccines.
     • About Compulsory licensing:
     • Compulsory licenses is a mechanism to override patent rights. It allows local production or import of drugs by generic manufacturers in the event of a public health crisis.
     • This right has been enshrined in the Doha Declaration addendum to the WTO’s TRIPS agreement.
     • This is what India and South Africa are lobbying for in the WTO, having recently been joined by the United States.
2. Second, COVAX Programme faces the issue of underfunding. Also, Similar attempts like COVAX Programme during the AIDS crisis were chronically underfunded and had only minor effects on that pandemic compared to the voluntary licensing.
3. Third, the WHO’s COVID-19 Technology Access Pool too faces issues similar to COVAX Programme. For instance, no patent holders have joined this effort. This is the reason why India and South Africa called on the WTO to temporarily waive patent protections for COVID-19.

Way forward

• Patents are not absolute ownership rights. They are a temporary contract that balances the public interest with the claims of the innovator.
• Further, billions of dollars are spent through public money to develop COVID-19 vaccines.
• Considering the above facts, patent owners should enable the mass production of affordable vaccines by granting voluntary licensing for Covid-19 vaccines.

India’s Stand on Palestine and Israel Conflict

Source: click here

Syllabus: GS 2

Synopsis: In its recent statement, India tried to maintain a balance between its relations with Israel and Palestine. Why is it difficult for India to take sides in this conflict?

Introduction 

India is a non-permanent at the UN Security Council. It attempted a subtle balancing act by repeating its traditional support for the Palestine cause. However, it didn’t either desert its new friend Israel at a session held for the Gaza conflict.

• India’s Permanent Representative at the UN conveyed distress over the violence in Jerusalem and the possible expulsion of Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah. He advised against efforts to change the status quo in Jerusalem.
  •  He restated India’s strong support for the Palestinian cause and its firm pledge to the two-state solution.
• India was cautious of not upsetting Israel’s feelings. It directly disapproved of the rocket attacks from Gaza. However, no direct reference was made regarding the uneven bombing by Israel on the Gaza Belt since May 10. 
  • India also did not make any mention of the status of Jerusalem or the future borders of the two states, in line with a recent change in its policy.

How are the relations that India shares with Palestine and Israel?

India supported the creation of an independent, sovereign Palestine state based on the 1967 border with East Jerusalem as its capital until 2017. India’s stance this time did not appear to have gone down well with the Israeli side.

• Firstly, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked 25 countries that stood with Israel, he did not mention India. India voted against the creation of Israel in historic Palestine in 1947 in the UN General Assembly. Their links with Israel have changed since the early 1990s.
  •  In 2017, Mr. Modi was the first Indian PM to visit Israel and Mr. Netanyahu traveled to India in 2018.
• Secondly, even though India has good relations with Israel, it cannot ignore the Palestinians for historic, moral, legal, and realist reasons. Historically, India opposed the partition of Palestine. Throughout the Cold War, it stayed a strong ally of Palestinian freedom. 
  • It took a moral and legal stance against the Israeli occupation, in line with international laws and norms.
• Thirdly, India established full diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992. But India never abandoned the Palestinians.
  • India’s Palestine policy had radical footings too. It has been dependent on the Arab world for energy. It cannot isolate the Arab voices or be isolated in the General Assembly, where most member countries oppose the occupation.

Several lives have lost in this conflict. However, it is not easy for India to choose between its stand for Palestine since independence and its new ally Israel. Only a pragmatic approach can solve this dilemma of India.

Factly :-News Articles For UPSC Prelims | 22 May, 2021