Coronavirus: WHO chief calls for moratorium on vaccine booster shots
- Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the delay until at least the end of September would enable poorer nations to catch up on vaccinations
- Several countries have started or will start providing booster shots to fully vaccinated people to better protect them against the Delta variant
“I understand the concern of all governments to protect their people from the Delta variant. But we cannot accept countries that have already used most of the global supply of vaccines using even more of it,” Tedros added.
High-income countries administered around 50 doses for every 100 people in May, and that number had since doubled, according to the WHO. Low-income countries have only been able to administer 1.5 doses for every 100 people, due to lack of supply.
“We need an urgent reversal, from the majority of vaccines going to high-income countries, to the majority going to low-income countries,” said Tedros.
Some countries have begun to use or started weighing on the need for booster doses. Germany said on Monday it will start to offer a booster shot to vulnerable people in September.
The United Arab Emirates will also start providing a booster shot to all fully vaccinated people considered at high risk three months after their second vaccine dose, and six months afterwards for others.
Study on vaccines’ effect on Delta raises hopes for shorter isolation periods
US health regulators are still assessing the need for a booster dose.
