“It makes no sense to give boosters to healthy adults or to vaccinate kids, when health workers, older people and other high risk groups around the world are still waiting for their first dose,” WHO chief Tedros said.
According to WHO, countries with top vaccination coverage are busy in storing more vaccines, whereas several poor countries are finding it tough to get even the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine for their population. “Everyday there are six times more boosters administered globally than primary doses in low-income countries,” Tedros said.
In India, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre is yet to take a final decision on booster doses and is currently taking steps to ramp up coverage of first and second doses. Several experts, however, are of the view that with the fear of COVID-19 third wave looming large, the government would aim to provide first and second dose to maximum people before moving ahead with the booster dose.