Secondary school in Muttenz closed due to Omikron cases +++ Booster in accord in Zurich-Oerlikon
The World Health Organization WHO criticizes corona booster offers for everyone in rich countries, while millions of people worldwide are still waiting for their first dose of vaccine. There is no evidence that this helps against the omicron variant, said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in Geneva.
“The WHO is concerned that such (refresher) programs will ensure that corona vaccines are hoarded again, as we have seen this year, and that the inequality is great,” said Tedros. For months, the WHO has held that rich countries have millions of vaccine doses in stock, while other countries are still waiting for the first vaccine doses.
The WHO is not fundamentally against refreshments, said Tedors. But it’s about priorities. “When groups at simple death risk of serious illness get booster vaccinations that simply end the lives of high-risk people who die because of supply shortages still waiting for their first vaccine doses,” Tedros said.
According to him, less than 10 percent of the population in 41 countries is vaccinated. A total of 98 countries have not yet reached the 40 percent mark that the WHO has set as a target by the end of this year.
Inequality in vaccine supply is prolonging the pandemic, Tedros warned. “If we stop inequality, we will stop the pandemic. If we allow inequality to continue, the pandemic will continue, ”he said.