COVID-19 vaccine wastage in low-income countries: What is the starting point?

Another aspect to take into consideration is vaccine accessibility. For centuries, the geographical barrier has been a critical barrier to accessing healthcare services in many rural areas. The situation was not so different as the COVID-19 vaccine never reached some remote areas. But even in the urban ones, which are denser and more favorable for virus transmission, the vaccine delivery failed because of external factors unrelated to the vaccine itself. The recurrent gang violence and political unrest associated with natural disasters, such as the earthquake in the South part of Haïti in August 2021, prevented vaccine delivery by shifting the population priorities and disrupting or destroying the delivery system. Then, any delay in administering the vaccine to the target population increases the risk of vaccine expiration and wastage, as COVID-19 vaccines are known for having a limited shelf life.