On Monday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) vaccine adviser suggested people with weaker immune systems should be offered an additional dose of all authorized COVID-19 vaccines.
The UN health agency’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation (SAGE) also suggested that people over 60 who received full vaccination with China’s Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines should also e offered an additional third COVID-19 dose of the vaccine. However, the experts cleared that they are not suggesting any so-called booster shots/doses for the population at large.
Pfizer-BioNTech, Janssen, Moderna, Sinopharm, Sinovac, and AstraZaneca have all received WHO approval to use COVID-19 in an emergency situation during pandemics.
Whether to list India’s Bharat Biotech jab as an emergency use product is nearing a decision. Last week SAGE held a four-day meeting to review the latest data on a range of vaccines for coronavirus and other diseases.
The group said, “sage recommended that moderately and severely immunocompromised persons should be offered an additional dose of all WHO EUL (emergency use listing) COvid-19 vaccine as part of an extended primary series”. “These individuals are less likely to respond adequately to vaccination following a standard primary vaccine series and are at high risk of severe Covid-19 disease”.
