WHO chief wants booster ‘scandal’ to end across the globe

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyes, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), has described as a “scandal” the fact that more people around the world are receiving booster doses of a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine than those who are receiving primary doses in low-income countries, and called for the practise to be stopped.

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This observation comes by the WHO chief during his opening remarks at a COVID-19 media briefing on Friday. “Every day, six times more boosters are administered globally than primary doses in low-income countries. It makes no sense to give boosters to healthy adults, or to vaccinate children, when health workers, older people, and other high-risk groups around the world are still awaiting their first dose,” he remarked. However, he added that booster doses should only be given to immunocompromised people as an exception, as suggested by the World Health Organization in October.

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Ghebreyesus further alleged that some countries were ‘stockpiling’ vaccines. “Nations with the highest vaccine coverage continue to stockpile more vaccines, while low-income countries continue to wait,” he said.

His comments come at a time when several countries are already administering booster doses to at least a part of their eligible populations in response to a recent spike in COVID-19 cases, or in anticipation of a future spike. Several others have approved booster doses or are considering them. Additional doses will be given in countries such as Norway and Italy, which have once again become the ‘epicentre’ of the pandemic.

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In India, a doctor from the All India Institute Of Medical Science in Delhi said on Thursday that the country can’t afford to give booster shots because only about 35% of the population has been administered with double shots against the deadly COVID-19.  The doctor believes that the country should prioritise and vaccinate the remaining population first, rather than administering the doses as a booster to those who have already received both vaccine shots.