WHO calls for moratorium on Covid booster shots as Delta variant threatens lives of unvaccinated...
WHO calls for moratorium on Covid booster shots as Delta variant threatens lives of unvaccinated...
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted the vaccine disparity as rich countries are moving swiftly to plan booster doses for their citizens.
As millions of people are waiting for their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday called for a moratorium on booster shots until September end. WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted the vaccine disparity as rich countries are moving swiftly to plan booster doses for their citizens.
Tedros told a press briefing that 80% of the vaccine doses administered globally have gone to high- and upper-middle-income countries, while low- and lower-middle-income countries are struggling to vaccinate even their healthcare workers and high-risk groups. He stressed that hundreds of millions of unvaccinated people require Covid-19 vaccines urgently as they cannot afford to stay home.
"I understand the concern of all governments to protect their people from the Delta variant. But we cannot accept countries that have already used most of the global supply of vaccines using even more of it, while the Earth globe Europe-Africa's most vulnerable people remain unprotected," the WHO chief said.
