WHO Revises COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations, Older and High-Risk People Should Get Booster Doses

Illustration of COVID-19 vaccination. (Wikimedia Commons/Annalyn Gallego/Province of Camares Sur)

JAKARTA - The World Health Organization (WHO) is adjusting its COVID-19 vaccination recommendations for a new phase of the pandemic, with older and high-risk groups having to get booster doses between 6 and 12 months after their last vaccine.

On the other hand, healthy children and young people no longer need booster doses of vaccines.

The UN agency said its goal of this revision was to focus vaccination efforts for those facing the greatest threat of severe illness and death from COVID-19, launched Reuters March 29.

Also, given the high level of immunity in populations around the world, due to widespread infections and vaccinations.

WHO itself defines 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 6 or 12 months after the last dose, based on factors such as age and immune-compromising conditions.

Meanwhile, the WHO said healthy children and young people were a "low priority" for COVID-19 vaccination, urging countries to consider factors such as disease burden before recommending vaccination for this group.

WHO says vaccines and COVID-19 booster doses are safe for all ages. However, the recommendations take into account other factors such as cost-effectiveness.

"This revised roadmap reemphasizes the importance of vaccinating those who are still at high risk of developing severe disease," said Hanna Nohynek, chair of WHO's Immunization Strategic Expert Group, which made the recommendations.

The committee also called for urgent efforts to catch up on routine vaccinations missed during the pandemic, warning of an increase in vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles.

For COVID-19, it says vaccines beyond the initial two shots and boosters are no longer routinely recommended for those at "moderate risk" because of little benefit.

In Tuesday's briefing, the WHO said its latest advice reflects the current picture of the disease and global levels of immunity. However, it should not be seen as a long-term guide as to whether annual boosters will be needed.

The recommendations arise because each country takes a different approach. Several high-income countries such as the UK and Canada have offered COVID-19 vaccinations to those at high risk this spring, six months after their last dose.

It is known, WHO in September last year said, the end of the COVID-19 pandemic was in sight.