WHO recommends additional COVID jab for people with weaker immune systems

The Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE), a group that profer advice to the World Health Organisation on vaccines, suggested people with weaker immune systems inoculate an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccines. The statement from the top vaccine advisory group came nearly two months after the international public health agency was directed to review the authorisation of the booster shots to the weak immune system group. According to SAGE, those who have been fully vaccinated with Beijing's Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccine, and has an age above 60 years should take the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

"For those who have taken the Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines, they can take an additional dose of the vaccine," said the advisory group.

Moderately and critically immunocompromised people should be given an additional dose: SAGE

However, the experts clarified that they are not advocating for the booster jabs for the entire population. It is worth noting that earlier the specialised agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health had appealed to the nations to leave the idea of providing an additional jab of the COVID-19 vaccine to their citizens, citing the global vaccine crisis. 

Meanwhile, the major development came after the WHO's advisory group held a four-day meeting to examine the fresh report and data on a range of vaccines for COVID-19 and other diseases. "Moderately and critically immunocompromised persons should be given an additional dose...since these people are less inclined to react appropriately to shots following a standard primary vaccine series and are at high risk of severe Covid-19 disease," said the experts of the UN health agency.

Earlier, WHO had urged nations to avoid inoculating booster jabs

Earlier in August, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had appealed to the countries to temporary suspend their plans related to booster jabs. He said that there was no such evidence that could prove an additional shot of the COVID-19 vaccine would work against the further versions of the Coronavirus. At that time, Dr Tedros Adhanom had appealed to the developed nations to not administer vaccines to those who had already taken both doses of the COVID-19 jab.

He had cited the 'vaccine shortage' as the most prominent hurdle that has been facing by the developing nations. The UN health agency official has argued that 'no one is safe until everyone is safe.' It has requested the developed nations to help the developing nations in procuring the vaccine. "The longer and more widely the coronavirus circulates, the greater the chance that new variants could emerge — and prolong a global crisis in fighting the pandemic," noted the Director-General of the World Health Organization. Notably, the United States, Israel, France, Germany and many Middle Eastern countries have already started administering boosters jabs in the wake of the emergence of the highly transmissible delta variant.

Image: AP/Representative