world
August 04, 2021 – 18:46

The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for a temporary halt to programs to administer booster doses of coronavirus vaccines, while poor countries are still waiting to get vaccines.

The head of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has criticized plans for a third dose of the vaccine, which are being considered by a number of countries.

Tedros has said booster dosing programs, which are being implemented in some countries, should be suspended at least until the end of September, when 10 percent of the population may be vaccinated.

“High-income countries have provided 100 doses of vaccine per 100 inhabitants,” Tedros said.

“At the same time, low-income countries have given 1.5 doses per 100 people because they lack them. “We need to change this urgently, so that most vaccines are allocated to low-income countries, not the richest ones.”

The call came as the WHO reported that a variant of the coronavirus, identified in Peru, is not as contagious as the Delta variant.

The WHO also said Wednesday that it recommends that vaccinated mothers who come in contact with the coronavirus continue to breastfeed their babies, as the vaccine does not pose a risk to their babies and that antibodies to milk may help them protect themselves from infection. / REL