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Updated September 2nd, 2021 at 14:39 IST

WHO calls out nations rolling out 3rd shots amid inequalities in vaccines for poor nations

"Some countries are rolling out booster shots to fully-vaccinated people when millions around world have not even received their first dose," WHO chief said.

Reported by: Zaini Majeed
WHO
IMAGE: PTI/Unsplash | Image:self
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Calling out at the “shocking inequities in access to COVID-19 vaccines,” the World Health Organisation [WHO] Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday opposed “widespread use of boosters” for healthy people for now, as he stressed the need to vaccinate the vulnerable population in the poorer countries. Speaking at a press conference in Berlin in person for the Inauguration of the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, Tedros said that the COVID-19 cases and fatalities reported to WHO “declined for the first time” in more than two months but “ it doesn’t mean much.” He then asserted that there were many financially backward nations across the world still witnessing steep increases in cases and deaths, particularly due to the lack of vaccines. 

“More than 5 billion vaccines have now been administered globally, and almost 75 percent of them have been in just 10 countries,” WHO Chief Tedros reminded. “In low-income countries, most of which are in Africa, less than 2 percent of adults are fully vaccinated, compared with almost 50 percent in high‑income countries,” he re-iterated, outlining the issue of global vaccine inequalities. 

Some countries are now rolling out booster doses to fully-vaccinated people, said Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, when millions of people around the world have not even received their first dose. Furthermore, he informed, that he was pushed to call for a “moratorium on boosters” for at least until the end of this month so that it would allow those countries that are furthest behind to catch up on vaccinations to have access to the jabs. He condemned the booster shots administered in rich nations, saying that third doses of COVID-19 vaccines may be necessary only for the most at-risk populations, and when there was clear evidence of waning immunity against severe COVID-19 and death. 

COVID-19 third shots should only be considered for “very small group of immunocompromised people who did not respond sufficiently to their initial doses, or are no longer producing antibodies,” said WHO’s Tedros. “But for now, we do not want to see widespread use of boosters for healthy people who are fully vaccinated,” he stressed, deriding the rich nations’ decision of booster shots to a healthier population. 

Tedros asks G7 to 'fulfill' vaccine donation commitments

WHO Chief informed at the presser that he has asked the heads of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank Group, and the World Trade Organization to call on countries that have contracted high volumes of vaccines to swap near-term delivery schedules with COVAX, and the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust, or AVAT. Furthermore, he urged the vaccine manufacturers to immediately prioritize and fulfill their contracts to COVAX and AVAT, and to provide regular, clear supply forecasts. 

“We urge the G7 and all dose-sharing countries to fulfill their pledges urgently, as barely 10 percent of nearly 900 million committed doses have so far been shipped,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, adding that the countries must quickly eliminate export restrictions and any other trade barriers on COVID-19 vaccines. 

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Published September 2nd, 2021 at 14:39 IST

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