Penalizing Progress: Reflecting on the Global Response to Omicron Variant

The Omicron COVID-19 variant has once again heightened transmission concerns around the globe. While the potential spread of this new variant and its impact on some of the world’s most vulnerable countries reinforces the need for a continued focus on building capacity and science infrastructure in the Global South, the response to its discovery exposes the unproductive practice of penalizing countries for transparent reporting. This article argues that strong incentives for reporting potential outbreaks, a global commitment to vaccine equity and the co-creation of interoperable tools to facilitate fast and rapid sharing of data are fundamental components to combatting the pandemic.