(Bloomberg) – Variants are increasingly likely to eventually evade covid vaccines because vast regions of the world are still unprotected, and rich countries should refrain from boosting until others catch up. day, according to a special envoy of the World Health Organization (WHO).
“In the coming months and years, no doubt variants will emerge around the world that can overcome the protection offered by vaccines,” WHO envoy David Nabarro said Monday in an interview with Bloomberg Television. “This is an ongoing battle and we have to work together.”
Nabarro issued the warning as some countries like the United Kingdom prepare to administer an additional dose to already vaccinated people. 20 months after the start of the pandemic, thousands of deaths from covid occur every day, which is why health advocates are urging governments and manufacturers to take measures to reduce an obvious gap in access to vaccines.
The envoy asked to prioritize global needs over national agendas. Rich countries could use all manufacturing capacity for their boost programs, leaving minimal supplies for the rest of the planet, he said. The WHO has said that while in most cases the variants of concern lead to a reduction in the efficacy of the vaccine to varying degrees, the vaccines mostly retain their ability to protect against severe cases of the disease. Nabarro said he is concerned that the threat will increase as the virus continues to spread.
“This world is struggling with a dangerous virus that is constantly evolving and new variants are emerging, and there will be more,” he said. “I think this virus is definitely here to stay for the foreseeable future.”
Nota Original:WHO Envoy Warns of Increasing Risk of Variants Evading Vaccines
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