Preferential Covid-19 vaccination of international travelers will counter equity: WHO

As there is a shortage of the Covid-19 vaccines, World Health Organisation (WHO) panel of experts on Tuesday criticized international travelers getting vaccination preferences.

“In the current period of very limited vaccine supply, preferential vaccination of international travellers would counter the principle of equity,” Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) said.

“Because of this and the lack of evidence that vaccination reduces the risk of transmission, SAGE currently does not recommend Covid-19 vaccination of travellers,” it said.

However, the high-risk groups who are planning to travel should be included in vaccination programmes, it added.

It is in the wake of report that several countries are lacking the vaccines that WHO advisory body has made this warning.

As Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines need boosters after three to four weeks as both vaccines uses mRNA technology, many countries have been deferred run of administering the second injection.

Earlier, SAGE, had urged the authorities not to give vaccination to pregnant women unless they are health workers or have conditions putting them at high risk.