The World Health Organization (WHO) called on the countries to postpone the giving of COVID-19 booster shots to “enable” every country, especially low-income countries, to vaccinate at least 40% of their population.
In a statement, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus explained that the organization’s global targets “remain to support every country to vaccinate at least 10% of its population by the end of this month, at least 40% by the end of this year, and 70% of the world’s population by the middle of next year.”
He said that almost 90% of high-income countries have reached the 10% target and more than 70% have reached the 40% target. However, he announced that “not a single low income country has reached either target.”
Ghebreyesus pointed out that almost every low-income country is already using the vaccines given to them. With this, he called for an extension of the booster shots’ moratorium until the end of 2021.
“Almost every low-income country is already rolling out the vaccines they have. I am calling for an extension of the [boosters] moratorium until at least the end of the year to enable every country to vaccinate at least 40% of their country.”
The WHO reiterated that the low and lower-middle-income countries are “not the second or third priority” in the world’s battle against COVID-19.
“Low and lower middle income countries are not the second or third priority. Their health workers, older people, and other at risk groups have the same right to be protected,” he asserted.
(PTV News)/NGS-rir
