The head of the World Health Organization is calling for a two-month moratorium on booster COVID-19 shots. The call comes as the U.S. granted full approval to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, as well as booster shots at the eight month mark following full-vaccination.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he was disappointed with vaccine donations, as some countries around the world struggle to provide first and second doses of the COVID shot.
Instead of offering boosters to those in places like the U.S., Tedros called on those countries to share “what can be used for boosters with other countries so (they) can increase their first and second vaccination coverage.”
At this point, 75% of the doses in the world have gone to 10 countries- while vaccine coverage in Africa is less than 2%. “The virus will get the chance to circulate in countries with low vaccination coverage, and the delta variant could evolve to become more virulent, and at the same time more potent variants could also emerge,” he added.
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