ISLAMABAD: The World Health Organization (WHO) has revised its COVID-19 vaccination recommendations for a new phase of the dangerous pandemic. It suggests that healthy adolescents and children may not necessarily require a shot, but older, high-risk people should get a booster between six to twelve months after their last vaccine.
The UN agency said the purpose was to focus efforts on vaccinating those people facing the greatest threat of serious disease and death from the virus, considering the high-level immunity in the population worldwide due to widespread infection and vaccination, Reuters reported on Tuesday.
WHO defines high-risk populations
WHO defined high-risk populations as older people and younger people with other considerable risk factors. For this group, the health agency recommends an additional shot of the vaccine either six or twelve months after the latest dose, based on factors like age and immunocompromising conditions.
Meanwhile, it said healthy adolescents and children were a low priority for vaccination and urged countries to consider factors such as disease burden before suggesting vaccination of this group.
It said the vaccines and boosters were safe for all ages, but the suggestions considered other factors, such as cost-effectiveness.
The WHO said in September 2022 that the end of the pandemic was near. A briefing on Tuesday said its latest advice reflected the present disease picture and global immunity levels but should not be considered long-term guidance over whether annual boosters would be required.
The recommendations come as nations take differing approaches. Some high-income nations like the UK and Canada already offer those at high-risk boosters this spring, six months after their last dose.
WHO’s Strategic Group of Experts on immunization chairperson Hanna Nohynek said that the revised roadmap re-emphasizes the significance of vaccinating those still at risk of serious disease.
The committee also urged urgent efforts to catch up on routine vaccinations missed during the pandemic and warned of an increase in vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles.
For COVID, it said that vaccines beyond the initial two shots and a booster were no longer routinely suggested for those at “medium risk” as its benefits were marginal.
