Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, WHO Chief Tedros called for a moratorium on COVID-19 vaccine booster shots until at the end of September to address the drastic inequity in dose distribution globally. He urged the nations and companies controlling the supply to immediately change course and prioritize less wealthy countries.
He stressed on vaccinating at least 10 percent of every country’s population by the end of September, at least 40 per cent by the end of the year and 70 percent by mid 2022.
According to AFP count 80% of jabs administered globally belonged to the high upper middle income countries. Citing these statistics, Tedros said,” accordingly, WHO is calling for a moratorium on boosters until at least the end of September. To make that happen, we need everyone’s cooperation, especially the handful of countries and companies that control the global supply of vaccines.”
Calling G20 nations as the leaders in production, consumption and donation of COVID-19 jabs, he said,” the course of the Covid-19 pandemic depends on the leadership of the G20.”
Emphasizing the fact that schools should remain open, Dr Katherine O’ Brien, a member of the WHO COVID-expert committee said: “There is no requirement for teenagers or kids to have to be vaccinated in order to attend school. That should not be a barrier for them to attend school. It’s about the protection of the adults around them, who are the ones who really have more risk of disease.”