Although vaccines against COVID might respond differently to the new variant omicron of the coronavirus, “it is not likely that they will lose all their effectiveness,” said the director of the Department of Immunization of the World Health Organization (WHO), Kate O’Brien today.
“Nobody expects that the vaccines will not have any effect on the new variant,” O’Brien stressed at a press conference, pointing out that experts from inside and outside the who they continue to analyze the omicron strain and its possible effects on these drugs, as well as on treatments and diagnostic tests.
The Canadian expert stated that it is still important that “everyone who has access to the doses is vaccinated” and that “it cannot be assumed that the vaccinated population will protect the unvaccinated,” reported EFE.
WHO pronounces on omicron
The WHO chief scientist, Soumya swaminathan, added in this regard that most of the serious cases currently treated in ICU are unvaccinated people, and regretted that even in developed countries with wide access to doses there are rates of up to 30 or 40 percent of unvaccinated people.
“The message is clear, the vaccine protects against serious and fatal cases, and we want to vaccinate all vulnerable groups before the end of 2021,” said Swaminathan, before recalling that in Africa only one in four health workers is vaccinated against the COVID-19.
Asked if the increase in COVID-19 cases in European countries could cause the WHO to rethink its call to delay booster doses (so that there are more vaccines in developing economies), the experts insisted that it remains essential. reach more communities.
“The priority continues to be that the vaccine reaches people not yet vaccinated,” said O’Brien, who said that studies show that after two doses, without a booster, in general subjects continue to be protected against serious forms of COVID -19.
The immunologist Canada noted, however, that this week the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on vaccines (SAGE) is meeting to study possible changes in the recommendations around booster doses, which in many countries are already being administered to older people and risk groups.
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