WHO: halt boosters, focus on 1st shot for poorer countries

The World Health Organization called on wealthy countries to stop giving out third booster vaccine shots through the end of the calendar year, and to focus on the people in poorer countries throughout the world who have not yet received a first dose of a vaccine. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday in Geneva, Switzerland that wealthy countries and vaccine makers should prioritize getting first vaccine shots to health workers and vulnerable populations in poorer nations over providing booster shots for healthy people. Israel has already given over 2.6 million booster shots.