The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that healthy adults do not require an additional dose of Covid-19 vaccines beyond the core vaccine and booster dose, as the health benefits of additional doses are small.

For persons under 60 years of age with an average health risk, as well as for children and adolescents aged 6 months to 17 years with comorbidities, there is no risk from taking additional booster doses, but the “health benefits are small.”

Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) The WHO released its updated recommendations after this week’s meeting.

Why do vaccination recommendations change?

WHO noted that the new SAGE recommendations reflect the impact of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus and the high level of immunity that the world’s population now enjoys due to infections and high vaccination rates.

SAGE is proposing three new categories for prioritizing Covid vaccinations based on a person’s risk of developing severe illness or death: high, medium, or low.

Who should receive additional booster doses?

Conversely, older adults, adults with underlying medical conditions, immunocompromised people, pregnant women, and health care workers are advised to take additional booster doses. SAGE recommends an interval of 6 to 12 months between booster doses, depending on comorbidities.

However, when it comes to data on the impact of coronavirus vaccines on the prevention of long-term Covid, it “doesn’t matter.”

Nearly 13.3 billion doses of Covid vaccines have been administered worldwide.

New methods of administering vaccines

WHO is researching new vaccines that cover a wide range of variant strains, have a longer duration of action and better results in preventing infections and disease transmission.

At the same time, new methods of administering vaccines are being explored, such as through the nose, orally, or through the skin.

Source: AFP, Reuters, APE-MPE.