WHO Calls for a Moratorium on Booster Jabs Till the End of 2021
by Naba Batool
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The reason behind this sudden urge in halting the booster jabs is because WHO is concerned about the availability of vaccinations in third-world countries.
90% of high-income countries have reached the 10% #COVID19 vaccination target; 70%+ have reached the 40% target. Not 1 low-income country has reached either target. This is why I call for a booster moratorium extension until the end of 2021.https://t.co/DGXyAJvD5i #VaccinEquity pic.twitter.com/fU8jejdR0K
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) September 8, 2021
The director-general Tedros Adhanom said that he is appalled by the current situation and the mindset that the poor countries should be given the leftovers. He further argued that the top association of pharmaceutical manufacturers claim that there is more than enough vaccine available for economically stable countries for both vaccines and booster jabs and the rest of booster shots will make their way into poor countries.
“I will not stay silent when companies and countries that control the global supply of vaccines think the world’s poor should be satisfied with leftovers,” he told a news conference. “Because manufacturers have prioritized or been legally obliged to fulfill bilateral deals with rich countries willing to pay top dollar, low-income countries have been deprived of the tools to protect their people.”
Tedros has previously called for a moratorium and he argues that there is a more prevalent need for inoculation in those who do not have the right tools and resources to combat the effects of this deadly virus. He stresses that rather than having fully vaccinated, equity demands that those who lack these resources benefit from these vaccinations so that they can also fight this virus.
Countries are independent in their decision-making scenarios but the World Health Organization and its call for moratorium matters and do make a difference.
