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An expert review of the scientific evidence to date has concluded that the vaccines are effective enough to prevent serious Covid-19 and that there is no need for the general population to receive third doses at this time.
The conclusion of scientists, including those from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), shows that the vaccination was 95% effective against serious illnesses in of both the Delta variant and the Alpha variant, and over 80 percent effective in protecting against any infection of these variants.
“While the idea of further reducing the number of Covid-19 cases by boosting immunity in those vaccinated is appealing, any decision to do so should be evidence-based and consider the benefits and risks to them. individuals and society, ”the study says.
“The current evidence does not seem to show the need for strengthening in the general population, in which the efficacy against serious diseases remains high,” he added.
According to the study, although some gain may ultimately be obtained from the stimulation, it will not outweigh the benefits of providing initial protection to unvaccinated people.
If the vaccines are deployed where they would do the most good, they could hasten the end of the pandemic by inhibiting the future development of the variants, he said.
The Lancet study concluded that the current variants had not developed enough to evade the immune response provided by the vaccines currently in use.
The Lancet study comes at a time when the United States is closing in on offering boosters to large segments of the population even as it struggles to persuade Americans to get the vaccine in the first place.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus insisted that wealthy countries with large stocks of Covid-19 vaccines should refrain from offering boosters until the end of the year and put the doses available to the poorest countries.
John Nkengasong, director of the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said “we haven’t seen enough scientific data” to make decisions on when to give booster shots.
“Without it, we are playing,” he said, and urged countries to send doses to countries facing “vaccine starvation”.
U.S. health officials have defended the administration’s plan to provide Americans with additional protection against the virus with another dose of vaccine, even as others wait for the first vaccines, noting that the United States has also donated more doses of vaccine internationally than all other countries combined.
Countries like France have started distributing a third dose to the elderly and people with weakened immune systems, while Israel has gone further, offering children 12 and older a third dose five months after vaccination complete.
According to a Bloomberg report, Israel is preparing to have an adequate supply of vaccines in case a fourth round of Covid-19 vaccines is needed.
India crosses 75 crore Covid vaccine doses
Meanwhile, India has passed the milestone of administering 75 crore doses of Covid vaccine.
So far, all adults in six states and union territories – Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Ladakh and Lakshadweep – have received at least one dose of the vaccine.
India took 85 days to reach 10 crore vaccination mark, 45 more days to cross 20 crore and 29 more days to reach 30 crore, said Union health minister , Mansukh Mandaviya.
The country took 24 days to hit 40 crore from 30 crore doses, and then another 20 days to cross the 50 crore vaccination mark on August 6.
(With contributions from the agency)
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