WHO officials changed the recommendation to “strongly supports urgent and broad access” to booster doses amid the global spread of omicron.
GENEVA — An expert group convened by the World Health Organization said Tuesday it “strongly supports urgent and broad access” to booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine amid the global spread of omicron, capping a reversal of the U.N. agency’s repeated insistence last year that boosters weren’t necessary and contributed to vaccine inequity.
It said vaccination, including the use of boosters, was especially important for people at risk of severe disease. on booster doses while dozens of countries embarked on administering the doses, saying rich countries should immediately donate those vaccines to poor countries instead. WHO scientists said at the time they would continue to evaluate incoming data.
Numerous scientific studies have proven that booster doses of authorized vaccines help restore waning immunity and protect against serious COVID-19. Booster programs in rich countries including Britain, Canada and the U.S. have been credited with preventing the surge in omicron infections from spilling over into hospitals and cemeteries. known as BA.2, which has been documented to have re-infected some people after an initial case of omicron.