Booster dose a ‘scandal’ as poor countries await first jab-WHO Chief

The World Health Organization (WHO) chief called the distribution of booster shots of Covid-19 a “scandal” as poorer countries continue to wait for the first jab. Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasised that every day, there are six times more booster shots administered globally than primary doses in low-income countries. Ghebreyesus said, “It makes no sense to give boosters to healthy adults or to vaccinate children, when healthworkers, older people and other high-risk groups around the world are still waiting for their first dose. The exception, as we have said, is immunocompromised individuals.”

The global health body underlined that vaccines do not replace the need for other Covid-19 precautions. The WHO further added that it’s not just about how many people are vaccinated, it’s about who is vaccinated. During the briefing on Saturday,Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the COVAX vaccine distribution programme had shipped almost 500 million vaccines to 144 countries and territories. He added that to reach WHO’s target of vaccinating 40 per cent of the population of every country by the end of this year, an additional 550 million doses are needed.