The World Health Organisation’s chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan sais that there is no proof at present the healthy children and adolescents need booster dose of Covid-19 vaccine.
She said that more research needs to be done to make certain of who needs booster dose, as there seems to be some attenuate of vaccine immunity over time against the rapidly spreading Omicron variant. Israel has begun administering boosters to children age 12 and below, and the U.S States Food and Drug Administration sanctioned the use of a third dose of the Pfizer and BioNtech Covid vaccine for children aged 12-15 earlier this month.
Both the countries Germany and Hungary were the latest to recommend that all children between the ages 12-17 receive the booster dose in the previous week. The chief scientist from WHO Soumya confirmed that the top group of experts of WHO would meet later this week to consider the specific question of how countries should consider giving boosters to the people in their countries.
She said that the aim is to secure the most vulnerable, those who are at higher risk with severe disease and dying. Those are healthcare workers and elderly populations, immuno-compromised people with underlying conditions.