Dublin: Getting an early Covid-19 vaccine course for unprotected groups around the world must remain a top priority before offering a booster shot to the vulnerable group, the emergency director of the World Health Organization (WHO) Mike Ryan said on Tuesday.
A large study on Tuesday found that two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine Pfizer-Biontech appeared to have provided 70% protection against hospitalization in South Africa in recent weeks, suggested weaker efficacy against the new Omicron variant.
Ryan said he hoped the current vaccine would provide significant protection against hospitalization and death, but the data came very early and who did not have enough determination.
“People always ask if we will go for the vaccination or main booster, the reality is we have to do both,” Ryan told the online event.
“We must focus on getting those who are not vaccinated vaccinations as soon as possible and then can provide a booster dose to those who are vulnerable.” Ryan said Omicron would most likely replace Delta as a global dominant variant from time to time and that the government needs to focus on basic protection measures such as masks that wear and ensure their hospitals are ready.
Even if Omicron turned out to be a lighter disease in individual patients, there was no doubt that the power of infection that increased rapidly would produce more inpatient in the coming weeks only with the weight of the number, he added.
“Every health system must be prepared,” Ryan said.
“We will tend to see very large omicron waves.
We need to protect the health system, we need to protect the people we love.
This is not rocket science, everyone knows how to do it.”