Opinion: Nations should consider BCG Vaccination which has shown resistance against COVID-19 so far

Scientists and Researchers across the world are perplexed about two questions when it comes to the spread of COVID-19:

1) Why are some people affected fatally by this virus, while it only creates some mild symptoms in others?

2) Why is it that in some nations (Spain, Italy, USA, etc.), this virus is raising havoc by creating a huge number of fatalities while in others (Japan, India, Bangladesh, etc.), the number of casualties is extremely small?

I tried to ponder the answer to the first puzzle in my previous blog post and this post is about the second. If you see the COVID-19 outbreak map, what commonality do you see among those nations where the outbreak has been relatively mild, and what has been the stark difference in that regard to those nations where it has been extreme and fatal?

With a few exceptions, almost all nations where the virus hasn't been successful to create a drastic impact have had a universal BCG vaccination program. Its a mandatory vaccine that newborn infants in countries like India are injected to immunize against TB (Tuberculosis), one of the deadliest lung diseases of the 19th century. God only knows how this century old vaccine administered since 1920 is providing residual immunity (or at least a fighting chance) against COVID-19 in 2020.

None of the European nations like Spain, France, Italy, etc. or even the USA have a universal BCG vaccination program anymore. Perhaps they're so convinced that they've defeated TB for good that they no longer feel they need vaccination against it. Also very ironical that it was the British who introduced TB vaccination to India while they don't implement it themselves nowadays.

Partly, this is sort of like the Titanic phenomenon, humans habitually take little things for granted due to over-confidence. And then there is also the case of general societal disdain towards the weaker section. Since many years, TB has gained the reputation of being the disease of the poor and underprivileged, that perception could've been a reason for avoiding this vaccination too. Again ironical considering that John Keats, one of the popular literary geniuses of Britain had died due to TB at a very young age!

I strongly suggest that all European nations and in fact any nation which doesn't have a universal BCG vaccination program should start and implement it instantly now to save the precious lives of their citizens.