WHO Recommends Vulnerable Adults Get Second Covid Booster Shot
Immunocompromised and other vulnerable adults in Europe should get a second Covid-19 booster shot, WHO said.
(Bloomberg) -- Immunocompromised and other vulnerable adults in Europe should get a second Covid-19 booster shot as new infections continue to rise across the continent, according to the World Health Organization.
The European Technical Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (ETAGE) recommended that member countries should administer a second booster dose to moderately and severely immunocompromised individuals age 5 years and above, as well as their close contacts.
The committee, in a statement Tuesday, also said countries should consider offering a second booster dose to specific at-risk groups, including older adults, health care workers and pregnant women.
A second booster shot will help reduce the risk of severe disease and the burden on health systems as cases rise, said Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe.
“As we go about our daily lives, we must remember that this virus is still with us and it’s still dangerous,” he said.
Europe is at the center of a resurgence in Covid-19 infections as more people mix at large-scale events and travel, the WHO said earlier this month.
The ETAGE also recommended countries consider co-administering Covid vaccines and seasonal influenza vaccines, whenever feasible.
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