Much has been made of how well Africa coped in 2020, as Covid-19 spread across the globe. With few exceptions, African governments took the threat seriously, acting quickly to implement social distancing and other measures. Tough decisions were made to protect lives, even as livelihoods were squeezed and millions slipped deeper into poverty.
Science’s triumph over the virus in the form of vaccines was the relief the world needed. Developed nations have already secured hundreds of millions of doses, and restaurants, bars and even sports stadiums are filling with life again. However, this is yet to happen in Africa — a continent of 1.3 billion people.