A World Health Organization expert group recommends COVID-19 boosters for those at highest risk of serious illness and death. A strategic advisory group of experts on immunization or SAGE, held at an extraordinary meeting on August 11, issued updated guidance on Thursday.
SAGE recommends continued use of the two-dose mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. However, the effectiveness of the vaccine diminishes after a few months, so a group of experts recommends a booster shot for everyone, starting with those at highest risk.
This is the first time we have updated guidance on administering a second booster injection. Its recommendations are based on growing evidence about the benefits of a second booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for certain groups of people.
SAGE Chairman Alejandro Cravioto He said the group recommends a second booster shot for people over the age of 55 who are most at risk of developing serious illness and who are considered to require hospitalization. He said SAGE does not advocate a second booster for the general public, generally healthy adults who do not suffer from severe immunodeficiency. All the while, it also includes people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised," Cravioto said. "It includes children and adults with comorbidities who are at increased risk of serious illness. It also includes pregnant women and health care workers."
A second booster is recommended 4-6 months after the first dose. It states that healthy children and adolescents remain at low risk of severe disease from COVID-19, so there are currently no recommendations for young people.
However, Cravioto said SAGE had made interim recommendations for the use of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for use in children. , , children aged 6 months to 17 years with comorbidities should be vaccinated to avoid a higher risk in these serious groups of diseases. This includes children. If infected with COVID.”
The expert group said its recommendations are based on currently available data. They said it was not a prediction for the future, but specifically related to the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.Guidance could change depending on how the pandemic evolves and new variants circulate.
