Covid-19 booster dose is a scandal that must stop now: WHO Chief

World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyes has called the administration of COVID-19 booster doses a scandal that must stop now. He said every day there are 6 times more boosters administered globally than primary #COVID19 vaccine doses in low-income countries.

The WHO Chief continued by saying, " it makes no sense to give boosters to healthy adults or to vaccinate children when the health workers, older people and other high-risk groups around the world are still waiting for their first dose. "

"The exception as we have said is immunocompromised individuals," reiterated Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyes. He pointed out that countries with the highest vaccine coverage continue to stockpile more vaccines, while low-income countries continue to wait. 

He further stated that we need an additional 550 million doses- which is about 10 days production to reach WHO's target of vaccinating 40 percent of the population of every country by the end of this year.

The WHO Director General made the observation while speaking during a media briefing on Covid-19 on November 12, 2021. His remarks come at a time when several countries including the United States have begun administering booster doses to at least a section of the eligible population in the wake of a fresh spike in Covid-19 cases.

Every day, there are 6 times more boosters administered globally than primary #COVID19 vaccine doses in low-income countries. This is a scandal that must stop now. https://t.co/6in6FNlmBD #VaccinEquity pic.twitter.com/YDt8mVocZC

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) November 13, 2021

Background

Europe is currently witnessing an unexpected surge in COVID-19 cases. Germany on November 11 recorded more than 50,000 new COVID-19 cases in a single day for the first time since the outbreak of COVID-19.