“Bell” from the WHO to immunocompromised and those who have had an inactivated vaccine: “Give a boosting dose”

It is recommended to make an immediate boosting dose to the immunosuppressed and to those who have become inactivated. coronavirus vaccine the advisory committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) through its head.

Many countries have already started providing supportive doses, focusing mainly on the elderly and people with underlying diseases. But at the same time strong concerns about the new Omicron mutation have pushed some countries to extend the use of booster doses to a wider section of their population.

With vaccination rates alarmingly low in much of the developing world, the WHO has said in recent months that the administration of the first installments – and not the souvenirs – should be a priority.

The World Health Organization’s current recommendation was made following a meeting of the Strategic Expert Advisory Group (SAGE) on immunization aimed at assessing the need for booster doses of new disease vaccines. coronavirus. This valuation is largely in line with the guidelines given in October.

Vaccine protection lasts up to six months after the last dose

In today’s press conference, SAGE President Alejandro Craivoto noted that Vaccines provide a strong level of protection against a serious illness for at least six months, although evidence suggests that immunity is reduced against severe disease in the elderly and in those with underlying diseases.

“At the moment we continue to support the need for equality in the distribution of vaccines and the use of a third dose “only to those with health problems or people who have received an inactivated vaccine”, he underlined as broadcast by the Athens News Agency.

The COVID-19 vaccines protect “very well” for six months after the last dose with some “minor, moderate reduction” in protection, added Kate O’Brien, WHO Director-General immunization.

A single dose of Johnson & Johnson vaccine is still effective, but data from the company’s clinical trials using two doses clearly show the benefit of further vaccination, Craivoto added.

Inactivated vaccines that take SARS-CoV-2 and inactivate or kill it using chemicals, heat or radiation, are made by the Chinese companies Sinovac Biotech and Sinopharm, as well as Bharat Biotech of India.

These had been approved for urgent use by World Health Organization.

SOS for vaccines that expire before administration

Donating short-lived vaccine doses from rich countries to the COVAX global vaccine distribution program is a “major problem,” Kate O’Brien said.

The WHO director of vaccines made the remarks at a time when concerns are growing that many African countries are facing the fact that they do not have time to get vaccines before they expire.

Reuters reported on Tuesday (7/12) that up to 1 million vaccines are estimated to have expired in Nigeria in the last month without being used, in one of the largest losses recorded individually in a country, which shows the difficulty faced by African nations in getting vaccines into the hands of their citizens.

Kate O’Brien also noted that rich countries may resume stockpiling vaccines, threatening global supplies, as they seek to boost their reserves to curb the new variant of the coronavirus Omicron.