WHO, April fools?

WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts

https://www.who.int/news/item/28-03-2023-sage-updates-covid-19-vaccination-guidance

revised the roadmap for prioritizing the use of COVID-19 vaccines,

to reflect the impact of Omicron and high population-level immunity due to infection and vaccination.

The roadmap newly considers the cost-effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination for those at lower risk

– namely healthy children and adolescents –

Revised roadmap reemphasizes the importance of vaccinating those still at-risk of severe disease,

mostly older adults and those with underlying conditions,

Chair Dr Hanna Nohynek.

“Countries should consider their specific context in deciding whether to continue vaccinating low risk groups,

like healthy children and adolescents,

while not compromising the routine vaccines that are so crucial for the health and well-being of this age group.”

The high priority group

and frontline health workers.

SAGE recommends an additional booster of either 6 or 12 months after the last dose,

Medium priority group

healthy adults – usually under the age of 50-60 – without comorbidities

Although additional boosters are safe for this group, SAGE does not routinely recommend them,

The low priority group

healthy children and adolescents aged 6 months to 17 years.

Primary and booster doses are safe and effective in children and adolescents.

The public health impact of vaccinating healthy children and adolescents is comparatively much lower than the established benefits of traditional essential vaccines for children

Vaccinating pregnant persons – including with an additional dose if more than 6 months have passed since the last dose – protects both them and the fetus

Other meeting highlights include:

Polio, OPV

Regional reports on measles

With measles cases increasing in all WHO regions in 2022

In 2021, with 25 million children missing out.

Status of new tuberculosis vaccines

Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading cause of death and a vaccine that prevents disease in adolescents and adults is urgently needed.

A substantial effort for vaccine development is underway, with several candidates in late-stage clinical trials

Malaria

Introducing the RTS,S malaria vaccine has resulted in a substantial reduction in severe malaria and all-cause mortality among age eligible children.