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- The World Health Organization Monday renewed its push to stall COVID-19 vaccine boosters.
- Tedros asked countries “to share what can be used for boosters with other countries so [they] can increase their first and second vaccination coverage.”
- Tedros told reporters that “vaccine injustice and vaccine nationalism” increase the possibility of a more dangerous variant emerging.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Monday renewed its push to stall COVID-19 vaccine boosters while much of the world awaits a first dose.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for a two-month moratorium on additional doses for the fully vaccinated and asked wealthy nations “to share what can be used for boosters with other countries so [they] can increase their first and second vaccination coverage,” The Associated Press reported. Tedros previously urged a booster moratorium until at least the end of September.
Tedros said Monday that “vaccine injustice and vaccine nationalism” increase the possibility of a more dangerous variant emerging.
“The virus will get the chance to circulate in countries with low vaccination coverage, and the delta variant could evolve to become more virulent, and at the same time more potent variants could also emerge,” he said.
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Global data show that 24.5 percent of the world’s population is fully vaccinated. But only 1.4 percent of people in low- and middle-income countries have received at least one shot.
Mike Ryan, the director of the WHO’s health emergency program, recently compared doling out boosters to fully vaccinated individuals as akin to handing out “extra life jackets to people who already have life jackets.”
“The fundamental, ethical reality is we’re handing out second life jackets while leaving millions and millions of people without anything to protect them,” Ryan added.
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The Biden Administration announced last Wednesday that it is preparing to begin administering vaccine boosters by Sept. 20. The U.S. has delivered more than 120 million COVID-19 vaccine doses globally thus far.
Tedros said prior to the announcement that countries rolling out booster shots while global vaccine numbers stagnate increases an ever-growing divide.
“What is clear is that it’s critical to get first shots into arms and protect the most vulnerable before boosters are rolled out,” Tedros said. “The divide between the haves and have nots will only grow larger if manufacturers and leaders prioritize booster shots over supply to low- and middle-income countries.”
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