WHO fights COVID-19 booster shots

Germany recently announced it would start administering coronavirus boosters to the elderly, immunocompromised, and those who received single-dose vaccines. France said people who got vaccinated early on would be eligible for boosters in September. On Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus asked high-income countries to donate extra vaccines and resources to low-income countries still struggling to administer first doses. Pfizer has advocated third supplemental doses, and the U.S. and Britain are considering the option amid surges in Delta variant infections, including among vaccinated people.

Why are other countries so far behind? WHO reported poorer countries have only dispersed 1.5 doses per 100 people due to lack of supply. The organization expects to fall short of the goal to get at least 10 percent of the population of every country vaccinated by September. Tedros called for “global solidarity” from economically prosperous countries and said research has not indicated a need for booster shots.

Dig deeper: Read John Dawson’s report in Beginnings on India’s fight against COVID-19.