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Updated August 4th, 2021 at 23:53 IST

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom calls for moratorium on administering booster shots of COVID-19

WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom called for a moratorium on administering booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines to ensure availability for developing countries.

Reported by: Ajeet Kumar
COVID-19
Image Credit: @DrTedros/ PTI | Image:self
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As several countries including the United States and the United Kingdom are inoculating booster shots against the highly contagious delta variant, Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr Adhanom Ghebreyesus has appealed to the countries to temporary suspend their plans. He said that there is no such evidence that can prove an additional shot of the covid-19 vaccine would work against the further versions of the coronavirus. Dr Tedros Adhanom has appealed to the developed nations to not administer vaccines to those who have already taken both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Here is the video of the press conference:  

WHO chief appeals vaccine booster moratorium till all countries receive 10 per cent vaccine

According to the WHO Director-General, developed countries have administered about 100 doses of coronavirus vaccines for every 100 people on average, while low-income countries have provided only about 1.5 doses per 100 people. He cited the 'vaccine shortage' as the most prominent hurdle that has been facing by the developing nations. The UN health agency official has argued that 'no one is safe until everyone is safe'. It has requested the developed nations to help the developing nations in procuring the vaccine. "The longer and more widely the coronavirus circulates, the greater the chance that new variants could emerge — and prolong a global crisis in fighting the pandemic," noted the Director-General of the World Health Organization.

Pointing at the target set by the WHO regarding ensuring 10 per cent of vaccines to every country by the end of May, he said that the target has not yet been achieved and, therefore, inoculating a booster jab would further delay the target. 'Accordingly, WHO is calling for a moratorium on boosters until at least the end of September to enable at least 10% of the population of every country to be vaccinated," Dr Ghebreyesus told a news conference. “We need everyone’s cooperation, especially the handful of countries and companies that control the global supply of vaccines,” Tedros said. Israel, France, Germany and many Middle Eastern countries have already started administering boosters, and other nations, including the United States and Britain, are considering plans to do so in the wake of the emergence of the highly transmissible delta variant. Reacting to the plans, a special adviser to WHO chief, Dr Bruce Aylward, said the moratorium was about an appeal to countries considering booster doses to put a hold on such policies 'until and unless we get the rest of the world caught up' in the fight against the pandemic.

(With inputs from AP)

(Image Credit: @DrTedros Twitter/ PTI)

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Published August 4th, 2021 at 23:53 IST

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