Boxing Day, which is being celebrated across the Commonwealth and parts of Europe today, is a tradition dating back to the 17th century when the rich used to box up gifts to give to the poor and to their servants who were given the day off to spend with their families.
Here in T&T, this would, in normal times, be the unofficial kick-off to the Carnival season and calypsonians and soca artistes would use this occasion to launch their latest musical offerings.
This holiday would also be an extension of Christmas Day activities, with large family gatherings and neighbourhood limes filled with food and music.
But these are not usual times. For the second straight year, COVID-19 has dampened yuletide observances and Carnival celebrations are unlikely, even in a scaled-down format, as the country is experiencing the deadliest wave of the pandemic.
The news was particularly depressing on the eve of what is usually a festive time of year as T&T recorded its deadliest day for the pandemic, with 37 COVID-19 fatalities and 964 new cases. This nation has lost close to 3,000 citizens since the start of the pandemic, with most of the deaths occurring this year.
It has been a struggle to find anything to celebrate amid all this doom and gloom but, true to all that gives meaning to the Christmas season, light shines through the darkness of COVID-19. In just the past few days, there have been promising developments, regionally and internationally.
For Latin America and the Caribbean, there was the very welcome news that the World Health Organization (WHO) has officially listed an AstraZeneca vaccine jointly produced by Argentina and Mexico—a first for a COVID-19 vaccine manufactured in this region.
The COVID-19 Vaccine (ChAdOx1-S [r.ecombinant]), is jointly manufactured by Argentina’s mAbxience, which reproduces its active pharmaceutical ingredient, and Mexico’s Laboratorios Liomont, which mixes and finishes the product for distribution.
The WHO Emergency Use Listing will facilitate procurement and distribution of this vaccine through the Pan American Health Organization’s (PAHO) Revolving Fund and COVAX. For countries in this part of the world, this means easier access to doses and a major step toward vaccine equality.
Even more exciting news is that the US Food and Drug Administration has authorised the use of Pfizer’s Paxlovid, a series of pills, taken at home that prevents nearly 90 per cent of severe COVID-19 among high-risk individuals. The FDA authorised the use of another antiviral, molnupiravir, developed by Merck, which prevents progression to severe disease about 30 per cent of the time.
Thanks to these recent advances in science and medicine, the prospects of defeating COVID-19 have improved considerably.
However, this public health war will not be won until more of us follow the science by adhering to the protocols of sanitising, maintaining social distance, and wearing a mask. Most important of all, take the vaccine as well as the recommended booster shot.
Do all this and there is a greater possibility of a brighter, healthier 2022 and a world that will finally be rid of this pandemic by this time next year.