WHO revises COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for Omicron-era
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[March 29, 2023]
(Reuters) - The World Health Organization has tailored its
COVID-19 vaccination recommendations for a new phase of the pandemic,
suggesting that healthy children and adolescents may not necessarily
need a shot but older, high-risk groups should get a booster between 6
to 12 months after their last vaccine.
The U.N. agency said the aim was to focus efforts on vaccinating those
facing the greatest threat of severe disease and death from COVID-19,
considering the high-level population immunity worldwide due to
widespread infection and vaccination.
The health agency defined high-risk populations as older adults, as well
as younger people with other significant risk factors. For this group,
the agency recommends an additional shot of the vaccine either 6 or 12
months after the latest dose, based on factors such as age and
immunocompromising conditions.
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Meanwhile, it said healthy children and adolescents were "low priority"
for COVID-19 vaccination, and urged countries to consider factors like
disease burden before recommending vaccination of this group. It said
the COVID-19 vaccines and boosters were safe for all ages, but the
recommendations took into account other factors like cost-effectiveness.
The WHO said in September last year that the end of the pandemic was "in
sight". In a briefing on Tuesday, the agency said its latest advice
reflected the current disease picture and global immunity levels, but
should not be seen as long-term guidance over whether annual boosters
would be needed.
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The World Health Organisation (WHO) logo
is seen near its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, February 2,
2023. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2019/Sep/05/images/ads/current/stclara_lda_SPONSOR_090519.png) The recommendations come as
countries take differing approaches. Some high-income countries like
the United Kingdom and Canada are already offering those at
high-risk COVID-19 boosters this spring, six months after their last
dose.
"The revised roadmap re-emphasises the importance of vaccinating
those still at-risk of severe disease," said Hanna Nohynek, chair of
the WHO's Strategic Group of Experts on immunisation, which made the
recommendations.
The committee also called for urgent efforts to catch up. on routine
vaccinations missed during the pandemic and warned of a rise in
vaccine-preventable diseases like measles.
For COVID, it said that vaccines beyond the initial two shots and a
booster were no longer routinely recommended for those at "medium
risk" as benefits were marginal.
(Reporting by Bhanvi Satija in Bengaluru and Jennifer Rigby in
London; Editing by Shailesh Kuber, Alexandra Hudson)
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