Convergence of Science and Society:Pandemic 2020

Swarup K. Chakrabarti

As we are close to second anniversary of COVID-19 pandemic around the world, the virus has killed about 5.5 million people worldwide, and resulted an economic loss of about 4 trillion USD to date, making it the most noticeable global disruptor since the World War II. A return to the normalcy of pre-pandemic life is far from over. However, the unprecedented advancement of science, technology, and innovation (STI), during the ongoing pandemic has prepared well the global society, to respond effectively to the pandemic. Thus, the book captures the worldwide COVID-19-related STI development and its implementation in the society. Importantly, journey from vaccine development to mass vaccination, using currently available COVID-19 vaccines is extensively discussed in the book. Also, the fundamental underlying mechanism(s) by which vaccines work and the real-world effectiveness of the newly developed COVID-19 vaccines, the temporal emergence of COVID-19 variants, and their immune escape mechanisms, and the social, and economic benefits of vaccinations are discussed in the book. Thus, this book will help general readers to develop a scientific mindset in embracing the benefits of STI. Also, the book may help policy leaders to make informed decisions about pandemic preparedness, and its effective interventions.

Swarup K. Chakrabarti has a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Master’s degree in Biochemistry from Calcutta University, India. He did his Ph.D. work at Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research), and received doctoral degree (Science) from Jadavpur University. Subsequently, he did his post-doctoral research in infectious disease, inflammation, and metabolic disorders at University of Illinois and University of Virginia, U.S., prior to becoming an Assistant Professor at Eastern Virginia Medical School, U.S. Dr. Chakrabarti has authored numerous research articles in prestigious international peer-reviewed journals. He is currently a Research Analyst at HP Ghosh Research Center, India.

Contents

• Preface

• Introduction

Part One: The Tell Tale of VaccinationThe History of Vaccinations

• The Induction of Immunity
• Vaccine Efficacy
• Vaccine Nationalism
• Vaccine Hesitancy
• Vaccine Equity
• The Chronological Evolution of Vaccine Types, and Technology Platforms
• Real-World Effectiveness of Vaccines: Evolution of COVID-19 Variants and Their Immune Escape Mechanisms
• The Benefits of Vaccination: Health, Economic, and Social Perspectives
• The COVID-19 Vaccination Drive: An Indian Update
• The COVID-19 Vaccination Drive: A Global Update

Part Two: The Multifaceted Societal Impact of COVID-19 on Science & Technology, and Innovation: Indian and Global Perspective

• Towards a Better Normal: An Indian Perspective
• Towards a Better Normal: A Global Perspective
• Conclusion