The World Health Organization (WHO) calls for a temporary stop to the administration of booster vaccines, which should maintain protection against the coronavirus and its variants. Who CEO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus calls for a moratorium until at least the end of September so that more vaccines are available for poorer countries.
Israel has recently given boosters to patients with a weak immune system. Countries such as the US, Germany and Hungary have also announced that they will give certain groups an extra shot, partly to attack the Delta variant.
The WHO understands the concerns of these governments, but has already spoken out against this ‘booster policy’ because of the large backlog of vaccinations that poorer countries have. Tedros calls on everyone with influence, such as athletes, investors, businessmen and religious leaders, to support the call for a moratorium.
He stated at a press conference that a temporary stop could contribute to the goal of getting “at least 10 percent of the population of each country” vaccinated. Of the 4 billion doses administered worldwide to date, more than 80% are in high and middle income countries.
About the author: Rick Culpepper
Rick Culpepper is of those journalists who dig the topic to the very bottom. He is often late with the delivery of the piece, but always does it perfectly. In his spare time, he collects data for one of the most high-profile investigations of corruption in the EU.
