WHO "requests" postponing COVID-19 boosters to facilitate first doses in poor countries

The World Health Organization has requested world leaders to postpone the administration of Covid-19 boosters for at least another month to allow poorer countries to inoculate more of their populations with initial doses.

According to the WHO, more than 5 billion Covid vaccination shots have been provided globally, with 75 percent of them administered in only ten nations.

“That’s why I have called for a moratorium on boosters, at least until the end of this month, to allow those countries that are furthest behind to catch up,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Third doses may be required for the most vulnerable groups when there is evidence of decreasing immunity against serious disease and death, such as the extremely tiny number of immunocompromised persons who did not respond well to their initial doses or are no longer generating antibodies.

“But for now, we do not want to see widespread use of boosters for healthy people who are fully vaccinated,” WHO Director-General said.

According to the global health agency's head, some high-income nations have adult immunization rates of 50%, while many low-income countries, particularly several in Africa, have adult vaccination rates of less than 2%.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States has fully immunized more than 52 percent of its population.

According to the CDC, almost 1 million Covid-19 vaccine booster injections have already been provided in the United States since health regulators allowed providing extra shots of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines to patients with weaker immune systems on Aug. 12.

Meanwhile, President Biden advised that an adult with two dosed regimens should be given a third injection of an mRNA vaccine, such as Pfizer amid the rising contagious coronavirus variant.

The FDA has already been provided with data demonstrating by Pfizer that a third of their vaccine enhances the immune system to levels higher than those of the normal two-dose regime against the original virus and the Beta/Delta versions. As an addendum to full approval, Pfizer is planning to file a booster approval application.

With inputs from CNBC

Picture Credits: Reuters