Covid 19 coronavirus: Jo Raphael: There is a reason for hope amid the pandemic

The hope that a vaccine can be created, and quickly distributed, weighs on us all. Photo / Getty Images

COMMENT:

Hope can be a powerful feeling.

It was hope that got most of us through our level 4 lockdown earlier this year.

First, there was hope that Covid was not in our community - it was.

Then we hoped that those who contracted the virus would recover quickly - some did. Some did not.

Then, when the daily numbers of positive cases started going down, there was the hope that we could taste a little bit of freedom. It happened.

Level 1 was a godsend. Life began to return to normal, albeit with some restrictions.

Now there is a hope that a vaccine can be rolled out.

Infectious diseases expert Professor Michael Baker says he is optimistic there will be a Covid-19 vaccine within a year.

However, he says the vaccine might only be short-lived and people could be required to get a new shot every year, like the flu vaccine.

"The vaccine is still very encouraging and I'd be fairly optimistic that within a year we have a vaccine that at least helps somewhat," he says.

The prime minister has even thrown money behind it. Hundreds of millions of dollars.

Yesterday Jacinda Ardern announced New Zealand will get in line to secure access as soon as one becomes available.

It's a herculean effort on a global scale. The Herald recently reported that research groups around the world had identified about 100 vaccine candidates and 29 of those have reached clinical evaluation and seven have reached the crunch stage of phase III.

Meanwhile, another expert is saying a vaccine might be two years away.

Programme director of funding recipient Vaccine Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand - Ohu Kaupare Huaketo Professor Graham Le Gros says he doesn't want to give people false hope about when a vaccine might be ready.

"The brutal truth is we don't know a lot about this virus and how to make an effective vaccine against it," he said.

"I don't want to depress anyone, but it is going to take time. We have to be patient. My guess is two years."

Also, there is the concern that we may not get all the vaccines we need all at once due to what will be a massive global demand.

But if we can stave off imported cases at the border and contain community transmission long enough for a vaccine - that is a reason for hope.

And hope is what we need right now.