COVID boosters have been a hot topic as of late and the World Health Organization (WHO) has joined in on the conversation by slamming countries ordering booster shots. The organization said that many other countries have yet to vaccinate the majority of its citizens.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that what the world should prioritize is solving the problem of the "hugely uneven and inequitable" distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, according to a report by MarketWatch.
According to the report, last week was the fourth straight week that tallied an increase in COVID-19 cases globally.
COVID Boosters May Bring More Serious Side Effects
COVID boosters may put people at risk of having more serious side effects, according to a U.S. health official. According to Reuters, the United States is reviewing the need for a third shot, but needs more data to study the risk of more serious side effects.
"We're keenly interested in knowing whether or not a third dose may be associated with any higher risk of adverse reactions," said Jay Butler, deputy director at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as quoted by the Reuters report.
According to Butler, what they're particular about are the more severe, although very rare side effects.
He also said that existing COVID-19 vaccines are able to provide "significant protection" against the Delta variant, which was first spotted in India and has since spread in different parts of the world.
COVID Boosters: What We Know So Far
The latest developments on the issue comes after Pfizer has said that it plans to ask the United States to authorize a booster shot for its COVID-19 vaccine. Pfizer hopes to have an approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by August.
Moderna has also said that it is planning to develop COVID-10 booster shots for better protection against the new strains of the virus.
Related Article: Pfizer COVID-19 Booster to Get FDA Approval in August, Third Shot to Significantly Improve Immunity
Are COVID Boosters Really Necessary?
If the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were to be asked, COVID boosters are not yet a necessity for now. Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) shares the opinion.
The CDC released a joint statement with the FDA on the matter, stating that "Americans who have been fully vaccinated do not need a booster shot at this time."
The statement also adds that the "FDA, CDC, and NIH are engaged in a science-based, rigorous process to consider whether or when a booster might be necessary."
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on June 23, 2021, has said that a third booster shot of mRNA could create better results against COVID-19. mRNA COVID-19 vaccines include Pfizer and Moderna.
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Written by Isabella James
