The World Health Organization (WHO) said it is not against giving boosters to high-risk populations, in particular older adults and immunocompromised people, clarifying its position on the issue whether the first dose should be given priority over extra jabs for those already vaccinated.
It said also that there were enough Covid vaccine supplies available to cover the high-risk population with booster doses by the end of this quarter.
The WHO had earlier called for a moratorium on booster vaccination for healthy adults until the end of 2021 to address inequity in global vaccine access.
“Global supply is improving and is projected to be sufficient for vaccination of the entire adult population of the world and boosters of high-risk populations, in particular older adults and immunocompromised persons, by the first quarter of 2022,” WHO regional director for Southeast Asia Poonam Khetrapal Singh said in an interview to ET.
Several countries including India are planning to start booster vaccination for high-risk populations such as people above 60 years of age with comorbidities, and healthcare and frontline workers.
“WHO is not against boosters. WHO is against vaccine inequity. Giving boosters to groups at low risk of severe disease or death simply endangers the lives of those at high risk who are still waiting for their primary doses,” said Singh. “On the other hand, giving additional doses to people at high risk can save more lives than giving primary doses to those at low risk.”
Vaccines for children
Singh said countries should consider individual and population benefits of immunising children and adolescents in their specific epidemiological and social context.
“As children and adolescents tend to have milder disease compared to adults, unless they are in a group at higher risk of severe Covid-19, it is less urgent to vaccinate them than older people, those with chronic health conditions and health workers,” Singh said.
