There is no evidence at present that healthy children and adolescents need booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine, the World Health Organization's chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a news briefing, she said that while there seems to be some waning of vaccine immunity over time against the rapidly spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus, more research needs to be done to ascertain who needs booster doses.
"There is no evidence right now that healthy children or healthy adolescents need boosters. No evidence at all," she said.Israel has begun offering boosters to children as young as 12, and the U.S. States Food and Drug Administration earlier this month authorized the use of a third dose of the PfizerLast week Germany became the latest country to recommend that all children between ages of 12 and 17 receive a COVID-19 booster shot. Hungary has also done so.
Swaminathan said the WHO's top group of experts would meet later this week to consider the specific question of how countries should consider giving boosters to their populations. "The aim is to protect the most vulnerable, to protect those at highest risk of severe disease and dying. Those are our elderly populations, immuno-compromised people with underlying conditions, but also healthcare workers," she said.Reporting by Mrinalika Roy and Manas Mishra Editing by Mark Heinrich
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Covid-19 news: Joint flu and covid-19 vaccine could be offered in 2023Today’s covid-19 news: · Single covid-19 and flu vaccine could be available in 2023, says Moderna CEO · England coronavirus restrictions might end in March · Thousands of hamsters euthanised in Hong Kong following evidence of coronavirus transmission
Read more »
Apple is requiring its workers to get COVID-19 vaccine boostersApple is requiring workers to get COVID-19 vaccine boosters as employers start mandating the shots amid the surge in Omicron cases
Read more »
Top U.S. general Milley tests positive for COVID-19: spokesmanU.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday and is experiencing very minor symptoms while isolating and working remotely, a spokesman said on Monday. Milley's most recent contact with President Joe Biden was on Jan. 12 at the funeral of retired General Raymond Odierno, the spokesman said. Milley had tested negative several days prior to and each day following contact with Biden, until yesterday, the spokesman added.
Read more »
Extreme winter weather causing business closures and delays at COVID-19 testing siteFollowing an overnight winter storm dumped more than 10 inches of snow in many cities across Northeast Ohio, businesses, parks and institutions announced closures on Martin Luther King Jr. Day due to major snowfall and winter weather.
Read more »
Covid-19 news: Falling cases in UK suggests omicron wave has peakedThe latest coronavirus news updated every day including coronavirus cases, the latest news, features and interviews from New Scientist and essential information about the covid-19 pandemic
Read more »