WHO Secretary-General Tedros 'waits' for three vaccinations, concerned about disparity in new coronavirus

by UN Geneva

The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a statement on August 4, 2021 calling for the third dose of the new coronavirus vaccine to be postponed until at least the end of September. WHO Executive Director Tedros Adhanom is calling on developed countries to consider low-income countries with shortages of vaccines.

Head of UN health agency seeks vaccine booster moratorium
https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-united-nations-0e7636c1bcf61e70d9e61ce70300aa78

WHO calls for halting COVID-19 vaccine boosters in favor of unvaccinated | Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/who-calls-moratorium-covid-19-vaccine-booster-doses-until-september-end-2021-08-04/

In July 2021, Pfizer, a major American pharmaceutical company developing a new coronavirus vaccine, announced clinical trial results that 'booster shot', which inoculates the vaccine three times, significantly increases antibodies against delta mutant strains. Announced. In response, the company has begun discussions with regulators on a third vaccination, and Israel has already launched a third vaccination for the elderly.

Pfizer announces that 'booster shots' of three vaccinations will increase protection against delta mutants-GIGAZINE

Vaccine shortages are a serious problem in poor countries, as discussions begin on a third vaccination in rich countries. According to a survey by Our World in Data, a news site dealing with global issues, as of June 2021, about 10.04% of the world's population had been vaccinated, while low-income countries received the first vaccination. The current situation is that only 0.9% of people have completed it.

What is the global 'vaccination rate gap'? --GIGAZINE

As the vaccination gap between rich and poor countries widens, WHO has issued a statement calling on developed countries to refrain from boosting vaccines until at least the end of September.

'I understand the concerns of governments to protect their people from delta mutants, but countries that already use most of the world's vaccines accept more vaccines,' Tedros said in a statement. I can't. '

In May, WHO set a goal of '10% of the world's population will be vaccinated by the end of September.' However, in high-income countries, about 50 vaccinations were given per 100 people as of May, while in low-income countries, due to lack of vaccines, only 1.5 doses can be given to 100 people. is.

In addition, some have pointed out that the existence of unvaccinated areas may lead to the development of new mutant strains. Elin Hoffmann Dahl, Doctors Without Borders Infectious Diseases Medical Advisor, said, 'If most people in the world remain unvaccinated, there will definitely be vaccines for new mutants in the future. It will be necessary, so giving a vaccine booster shot to healthy adults is a short-sighted idea. '