Geneva: experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend that the Covid-19 booster shot must be offered to people who are quite immunocompromised.
After four days of talk last week, the WHO strategic advisory group, on immunization (Sage) on Monday recommended that these people must accept the third dose of vaccines on the list of emergency use of WHO (UEL) because they “tend to respond adequately for vaccination after the series The standard primary vaccine and at high risk of severe Covid-19 disease “, reported the Xinhua news agency.
Since the end of September, several Covid-19 vaccines have been certified by Uel WHO, including Pfizer-Bontech, Janssen, Modera, Sinopharm, Sinovac, Astrazeneca, and Covishield.
Sage said it has also reviewed Covaxin, made by Bharat Biotech India, and policy recommendations will be issued after the vaccine is approved by UEL WHO.
The third dose of China Sinovac and the non-active virus vaccine has been provoked to be offered to those over the age of 60, the experts said.
Meanwhile, the use of heterologue (or viruses) for additional doses can also be considered based on vaccine supply and consideration of access.
“When implementing this recommendation, countries initially must aim to maximize the coverage of two doses in the population, and after that it gives the third dose, starting in the oldest age group,” Sage said.
WHO previously called for a global moratorium on the dose of Covid-19 booster, which aims for a more fair vaccine distribution globally to enable every country to vaccinate at least 40 percent of the population.
Last week, the organization announced the initiative to vaccinate 40 percent of the population of each country against Covid-19 at the end of 2021, and 70 percent in mid 2022.
This drive will prioritize vaccine shipments to low-income countries, especially those in Africa.