The World Health Organisation Chief has today called for a worldwide delay in the use of Covid-19 vaccines for boosters as some countries trail far behind with dose rates.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom has warned that unless vaccination rates grow significantly in all countries, the virus has the ability to mutate into problematic strains that current vaccines may not be able to protect us against.
While some of the richest countries in the world are edging towards 85% full vaccination, there are numerous regions across the globe that are struggling to get sufficient supplies.
Speaking today, the health expert said vaccines intended as booster shots should be donated to countries where people have not received their first or second doses.
Following on from this, Dr. Adhanom pointed to the fact that recent studies into the effectiveness of booster shots haven’t shown significant evidence of benefit - and so questions are being raised.
"In addition, there is a debate about whether booster shots are effective at all," Dr. Tedros told a news conference in Budapest.
He went on to say that people who have compromised immune systems should get an additional dose, but that they represent a small percentage of the population.
The likes of Israel and Hungary announced their plans for a third shot this summer, and now Europe and the U.S. have begun to develop their own plans to offer boosters at some point in Autumn.
Last week, Mike Ryan, Executive Director of the World Health Organisation said; “Right now we’re planning to hand out extra life jackets to people who already have life jackets while we’re leaving other people to drown without a single life jacket, that is the reality.”
HSE Chief, Paul Reid announced on Sunday that Almost 6.6 million doses have now been administered in Ireland, meaning 91% of all adults are partially vaccinated and 85% are fully covered.
Meanwhile, the following countries have only reached 2% or less of their population with vaccines:
- Uganda 0.5%
- Afghanistan 0.6%
- Nigeria 0.7%
- Iraq 1.3%
- Ghana 1.3%
- Kenya 1.5%
- Algeria 1.7%
- Vietnam 1.9%
- Egypt 2.1%
