WHO head calls for two-month vaccine booster moratorium

[discocrisco01]

Source: Associated Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — The head of the World Health Organization on Monday called for a two-month moratorium on administering booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines as a means of reducing global vaccine inequality and preventing the emergence of new coronavirus variants.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Hungary's capital, Budapest, that he was “really disappointed” with the scope of vaccine donations worldwide as many countries struggle to provide first and second doses to more than small fractions of their populations while wealthier nations maintain growing vaccine stockpiles.

Tedros called on countries offering third vaccine doses "to share what can be used for boosters with other countries so (they) can increase their first and second vaccination coverage

Read more: https://news.yahoo.com/head-calls-two-month-vaccine-115704789.html

[cinematicdiversions]

1. Yeah that is not going to happen.

This is the equivalent of finish your meal there are children starving in China.

Giving Americans much needed booster shots needs to take priority.

[Tetrachloride]

2. 50 Million adults within 500 miles of me have

yet to receive their first shot.

With a president like Joe Biden, world equity in Covid vaccines has a chance.

[Scrivener7]

3. Getting the rest of the world innoculated is how we survive this. If we don't, it's only

a matter of time until the virus mutates to a form that the vaccines don't work against.

No. Americans should not get priority over the rest of the world just because we are Americans. It's not the equivalent of "finish your meal there are children starving in China."

It's unethical AND self-destructive.

[LisaL]

7. We have hospitals full of covid patients with no more room.

Rates of breakthrough infections are increasing. Are you suggesting we should send out vaccines to other countries, and let our elderly die from covid that could be prevented with a booster?

[Scrivener7]

19. Sure Lisa. That's what I'm suggesting.

[pnwmom]

10. MRNA vaccines require super cold storage and yet many of the poor parts of the world

don't even have access to regular refrigeration.

The J and J vaccination seems a better choice, and that wouldn't even have to be produced here. The US could help pay the costs of licensing it.

[jimfields33]

21. We've sent vaccines out worldwide

I think they were referring to other rich countries in Europe and China.

[lagomorph777]

9. It is entirely possible to make enough vaccines for the planet.

The problem at the moment is persuading idiots to take the vaccine.

Even at DU, we have a couple of people trying to persuade us that the vaccines are useless.

[bucolic_frolic]

4. Reasons to think we're on the right path

America is a hot spot. We know who to blame, but we still need to douse the fire.

Vaccines have a shelf life. Distribution worldwide takes time, so we may still have vaccine to use here, before expiration.

[Dopers_Greed]

5. Not going to happen

Americans won't accept being told that they need to get sick so that we can send our vaccines to other countries.

[LisaL]

8. And I don't think we should accept it.

We are at 1,000 people dying per day.
Breakthrough infections are increasing. We should be speeding up boosters, not postponing them.

[LisaL]

6. Israel is giving boosters to its citizens and its working.

The ones boostered have a lot less of breakthrough infections compared to un-boostered.
Our hospitals are getting overwhelmed with all the patients.
The rates of breakthrough infections are increasing.
So we can't wait.

[speak easy]

12. Our hospitals are getting overwhelmed with unvaccinated patients.

According to state and federal data, vaccinated people account for less than 2% of the 19,000 Ohioans hospitalized with COVID-19 this year and less than 1% of the nearly 7,000 who died from the disease.

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2021/08/21/covid-19-vaccines-unvaccinated-account-vast-majority-hospitals/8200900002/

[LisaL]

16. Does the name Jesse Jackson ring a bell to you?

He is fully vaxxed and is in the hospital right now.
And never mind that numbers of vaccinated people in the hospitals are increasing.
It's not longer just 2 % if you look at July or August.
2 % this year means they are counting starting in January. Yea, if you count from January (where almost no one was vaccinated) it's 2 %. If you start in July and August it's more than that.

[speak easy]

17. Sharpshooter fallacy.

[LisaL]

18. Fallacy is letting elderly here to die when you can prevent that with a third dose.

NT

[speak easy]

20. If you want to argue that the majority or vast majority of Covid Hospital patients are vaccinated

go right ahead. It is upstream.

The Alabama Hospital Association said this week that 85% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients are unvaccinated.
https://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/though-young-and-healthy-unvaccinated-father-dies-of-covid/NTA3YQLQUZFL7O6ZDBAEWG345M/

The hospitals are overwhelmed, not because people have not have access to a third shot, but because of the Covidiots who will not accept any shot.

Taking AL as an example, reducing the numbers of the 15% who have been vaccinated, will not save their hospital system.

[Javaman]

25. but for only so long...

there was a report from England's Royal Medical Academy regarding boosters. (I've been trying to find the article)

basically, much like the over prescribed anti-biotics in the 1990's, if we start giving boosters to the first world countries without first vaccinating the 3rd world countries, we are just setting up the world for a potential vaccine resistant strain of the virus.

I'll see if I can find the article.

here is an article about it, not the one I am trying to find but this gives the same informaiton

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/not-careful-booster-vaccines-could-end-giving-coronavirus-boost/

[Hugh_Lebowski]

26. I don't disagree with the article you posted, but it's not 'much like' antibiotic over-prescription

It's really a quite different problem.

Not just because the way antibiotics work against bacteria is inherently quite different from how vaccines work against viruses, but also because that over Rx'ing was not inherently denying others from getting antibiotics in the 90's.

Over-Rx'ing of antibiotics was/is, by their method of action, inherently creating antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

You could give everyone a vaccine shot every day and it would not create the same issue.

Just saying.

I'm still philosophically onboard with the idea we need to get the WORLD their first shot before we take our 3rd here, both because it feels morally right, but also scientifically right.

But then, I don't care that much if I live to be old

[WHITT]

13. That's Nutz

First off, the only vaccines being utilized for boosters are the mRNA from Pfizer and Moderna, but the other countries the WHO is referencing don't have the special -100 degree freezers required to store them.

Moot point. Non starter. Doesn't deprive those countries of a single dose of vaccine.

Secondly, if anything, the boosters should start two months EARLIER, not extended for an additional two months. The rising levels of breakthrough infections of those that are double-vaxed is evidence the effectiveness of the vaccines require boosting, and the CDC is only counting those that are hospitalized, which is crazy.

Even the Repub governor of Maryland recognizes this. From 'Face the Nation:

MAJOR GARRETT: Do you want Marylanders to get their booster shot as soon as possible or wait this eight-month interval?

GOVERNOR LARRY HOGAN: No, we can't wait that long.

Boosters need to be given at SIX MONTHS, not eight months, and certainly not extend it to ten months. That's whack.

[LisaL]

14. Exactly.

We need to speed up the boosters, not slow them down. Israel is getting very good results with their boosters in seniors.

[Worried2020]

15. If my Province offers a booster shot, I'm going for it.

.

Already had both Pfizer shots, and aware of the continuing dangers.

Sharing third vaccine shots with those less fortunate is not as easy as sharing something on FB - all sorts of logistical, political and financial requirements need to be met.

If/when the third shot is offered, the logistics etc for administration have already been met.

I'm sad for the less fortunate, but it's MY life I'm trying to hang on to here.

No guilt here.

W

[NH Ethylene]

22. WHO has a global perspective and it makes sense.

Covid does not respect national borders. To prevent mutations to new variants of this virus we need to quell outbreaks all over the world.

I don't think we need to halt booster shots though. It's not like we can easily send m-RNA vaccines to other nations. But all the well-off countries should be investing in J & J vaccines that go to places around the world. Or maybe set up vaccine centers in undeveloped countries where m-RNA vaccines can be stored and administered.

We need to do both - get out the boosters and help the rest of the world get the shots.

[WHITT]

23. Biden IS Doing Both

He's already donated our stockpile of Astra Zeneca, as it would be next year before they could even get an EUA here, but it was already cleared by the British medical system, and it only requires normal refrigeration.

And we'll be donating half billion batches of vaccines at a time, multiple times, just as a start.

[luv2fly]

24. The WHO Director is correct

But of course too many here are all "me first, screw everyone else." Just another day...

[BradAllison]

27. Boy, we can't win can we?

Those of us who wanted to get vaccinated have done our job. If we are recommended a booster, than we'd like to follow the advice....

Now it's "fuck off", eh?

[luv2fly]

28. It's a big world

... with lots of people waiting for their first shot. All this "America first" stuff sounds a bit too much like the dark side for my taste.