Page 9 - Vaccines

Preface

he scale of the coronavirus pandemic, the
numerous variants more or less virulent or
T contagious of the virus, deaths which in some
countries match or exceed the number killed in the
Second World War, health systems or intensive care
departments even in developed countries under severe
strain, varied lockdowns, quarantines and other
enduring restrictions upon whole populations, are all
evidence of a global crisis which persists after almost
eighteen months since early 2020. Its impact upon
families, societies and governments can hardly be
exaggerated, as people have been struck by deaths, grave
illness, unemployment, business closures, as well as
working and studying at a distance, with all that this
implies in terms of fractured relationships in families,
among colleagues and in life more generally.
Much of this has been reflected in the Church, where
Masses and other liturgies, notably marriages and funerals,
have been suspended, curtailed and otherwise restricted,
where parish catechesis, as well as apostolic and pastoral
activities have all been affected. The pastoral care of the sick
and of the elderly in particular has been severely cut back,
if not effectively abandoned, in many places.
The enormous fear unleashed by a new and sudden
pandemic of the kind and nature now being experienced
is one factor which inspires scientific and medical experts
to search for possible cures and for a possible vaccine to
reduce, avert and counter-act the contagion. Such experts
are used to the procedures which have been operative long
since in the development, clinical testing, monitoring and
eventual official approval of new medicines and other