Thread by @macroliter

1/ We in wealthy nations not only hoard vaccines 💉. We also hoard the genome sequencing 🧬 reagents needed for early detection of dangerous new variants like #Omicron which— coincidentally— emerge much more easily in poorly vaccinated regions …🧵 ft.com/content/4597ed…

2/ This problem stems from short-sighted scientific & political leadership in the West, exemplified by the attitude of @emblebi @embl co-Director Rolf Apfweiler in his May 2021 quote to @amymaxmen. THESE WORDS HAVE NOT AGED WELL IN WAKE OF #Omicron 🤦🏻‍♂️ nature.com/articles/d4158…

3/ This quote from Peter Bogner of @GISAID juxtapose hauntingly against Apfweiler’s .. (but please read the whole @FT piece ft.com/content/4597ed…)

4/ African countries don’t have nearly enough viral genome 🧬 sequencing reagents on hand to analyze their COVID-19 samples,…while wealthy, well vaccinated countries boast of sequencing millions of viral genomes.

5/ When it comes to viral genomic surveillance during the coronavirus pandemic, we are gilding the lily in the West while poorer countries are in the dark.

6/ Yet even when scientists in Africa succeed— in spite of these challenges, to warn us of a variant like #Omicron, we don’t give them credit. We ignore their positive contributions to science. Instead, we punish them with travel bans..
wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/s…

7/ PHENOMENAL REPORTING by @donatopmancini @mroliverbarnes in @FT, @OTMBrooke of @WNYCStudios’ @onthemedia & @amymaxmen of @Nature… Thanks for bringing attention to this critical issue that threatens our health, our jobs & our economies in countries rich & poor alike 🌍 🌎 🙏

Rolf *Apweiler

8/ Addendum below…also, 🙏 thank you, @drSikhulileMoyo (pls follow him)

https://twitter.com/monscience/status/1467171967988125702