WHO Recommends Expanding Second Booster Shot Eligibility In Europe As Covid-19 Cases Rise

Breaking Business WHO Recommends Expanding Second Booster Shot Eligibility In Europe As Covid-19 Cases Rise Carlie Porterfield Forbes Staff I cover breaking news. New! Follow this author to improve your content experience. Got it! Jul 12, 2022, 12:32pm EDT | Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline Experts at the World Health Organization recommended that immunocompromised individuals living in Europe and their close contacts should receive a second Covid-19 booster dose as a wave of infections driven by two new variants sweeps across the continent.

A member of medical staff innoculates a patient with a Pfizer/Biotech booster on September 15, 2021 . . .

[+] in Erfurt, Germany. Getty Images Key Facts The European Technical Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization said in a statement Tuesday that member states should “intensify efforts” to keep people up-to-date on their vaccinations and to expand eligibility for additional booster doses. The panel recommended administering second boosters to moderately and severely immunocompromised people ages five and older, along with their close contacts, like people living in the same household.

They also said member states should consider offering additional shots to other at-risk groups, like healthcare workers, older adults and pregnant women, and for Covid-19 vaccines boosters to be administered with seasonal influenza vaccines whenever possible. Expanding eligibility for second boosters will help Europeans avoid severe infections and prevent hospital systems from being burdened with Covid-19 patients as cases rise, WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge said in a statement . On Monday, the European Union’s health agencies issued a similar call , recommending a second dose for everyone 60 and older and anyone considered medically vulnerable.

Crucial Quote “As we go about our daily lives, we must remember that this virus is still with us and it’s still dangerous. Enjoy the summer, but do so safely, and take a second booster shot if you are eligible,” Kluge said. Tangent U.

S. President Joe Biden’s administration is working on a plan to expand second Covid-19 booster eligibility to all adults , White House sources told CNN Monday. Only about half of American adults eligible for a first booster had received one on Thursday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Americans 50 and older are eligible to get a second dose, but last week only one in four had received the shot, the CDC said. Key Background New Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations are on the rise across Europe. Last week, the 14-day case rate jumped by 28% to reach 921 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people across the EU and Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

Experts say most new cases are being caused by the highly infectious BA. 4 and BA. 5 , both subvariants of the Omicron strain.

While early evidence suggests they are more resilient against antibodies from vaccines and previous infections, experts say the two strains do not appear to cause more severe illness. Many European governments have dropped most—if not all—pandemic restrictions like mask mandates, Covid-19 passports and required testing. Further Reading Highly Contagious BA.

5 Variant Becomes Dominant In U. S. As Covid Cases Rise ( Forbes ) Should You Get A Covid Booster? Here’s Who Should—And How ( Forbes ) .

One Of Europe’s Busiest Airports Tells Airlines To Stop Selling Summer Tickets Amid Travel Chaos ( Forbes ) Full coverage and live updates on the Coronavirus Follow me on Twitter . Send me a secure tip . Carlie Porterfield Editorial Standards Print Reprints & Permissions.