Geneva (SunstarTV Bureau): The World Health Organization (WHO)’s experts said that COVID-19 booster shots should be offered to moderately and severely immunocompromised people.
According to Xinhua news agency report, the WHO’s strategic advisory group of experts on immunization recommended that such people should receive a third dose of vaccine on the WHO emergency use listening as they are less likely to respond adequately to vaccination following a standard primary vaccine series and are at high risk of severe Covid-19 disease.
Covid-19 vaccines have been certified by the WHO UEL, including Pfizer-BioNTech, Janssen, Moderna, Sinopharm, Sinovac, AstraZeneca, and Covishield, since the end of September. SAGE said it had also reviewed COVAXIN, made by India’s Bharat Biotech, and a policy recommendation will be issued once the vaccine is approved by the WHO UEL.
Third doses of the Chinese Sinovac and Sinopharm inactivated virus vaccines should be offered to those over 60, said WHO experts.
The WHO had earlier called for a global moratorium on Covid-19 booster doses, aiming for a more equitable distribution of vaccines globally to enable every country to vaccinate at least 40 percent of its population.
Last week, the Organization announced an initiative to vaccinate 40 per cent of the population of every country against Covid-19 by the end of 2021, and 70 per cent by mid-2022. This drive would prioritise vaccine delivery to low-income countries, particularly those in Africa.
