WHO calls for a temporary moratorium on administering booster shots of Covid-19 vaccines

The World Health Organization called Wednesday for a temporary moratorium on the use of Covid-19 vaccine booster shots by wealthy countries, saying the global priority should be on increasing supplies of first doses to countries that are still struggling to protect health workers and older adults.

Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that countries should hold off on starting to give booster doses until at least the end of September — though it was quickly clear that the global health agency might extend the call if vaccine doses available to lower-income countries do not increase to adequate levels.

Tedros said the aim of the moratorium would be to get enough vaccine supply into COVAX, the WHO-led international distribution system, to vaccinate 10% of the populations of all countries. That 10% includes people at the highest risk from Covid-19 infection.