‘Won’t stay silent’: WHO chief reiterates moratorium on Covid-19 booster shots

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had called for a moratorium on Covid-19 booster shots in August saying that the agency cannot accept it when many several countries remain unprotected.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reiterated its call for a moratorium on Covid-19 vaccine booster shots, even as several countries, including the United States, emphasise their need and importance.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that he was “appalled” that some pharma firms think that the global supply of vaccines is high for both normal vaccinations and Covid-19 booster shots.

“I will not stay silent when companies and countries that control the global supply of vaccines think the world’s poor should be satisfied with leftovers,” WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was quoted as saying by The Associated Press.

He added that he was “appalled” at remarks made by pharmaceutical manufacturers, who said that coronavirus vaccine supplies are high enough to enable both booster shots as well as provide for normal vaccinations in nations facing shortages.

The WHO chief had in August called for a moratorium on booster jabs until September end. Addressing a press briefing, Tedros said that 80 per cent of the Covid-19 vaccine doses have gone to the high-and-upper-middle-income nations, while the low-and-lower-middle-income countries are struggling to administer doses to even their high-risk groups and healthcare employees.

“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 had said.

Nevertheless, US President Joe Biden announced last week that the country will commence delivering Pfizer and Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine jabs to its citizens starting September 20. The US authorities said that people who had been inoculated with the vaccine shots would need a booster jab eight months after the second dose.

The US health officials had said that the efficacy of the coronavirus vaccines against the infection wears off over time, based on findings by recent studies.

White House chief medical advisor Dr Anthony Fauci also said last week that the three-dose Covid-19 vaccine may become the standard regimen for most people.