WHO experts: Vaccination of the population cannot be done indefinitely, we need completely new vaccines! – NEW TIME

The WHO expert group to assess the effectiveness of the covid vaccines on Tuesday also called for the development of new vaccines that will better protect people from the spread of the virus. TASR took over this information from the French news agency AFP. “A vaccination strategy based on repeated administration of booster doses of the original vaccine is unlikely to be appropriate or sustainable.” an independent group of experts (TAG-Co-VAC), which is a WHO advisory body on vaccines, said in a statement.

Preliminary data suggest that existing vaccines are less effective in preventing the symptomatic course of covid in people who become infected with the new omicron variant. It has so far been recorded in at least 149 countries. The protection against severe COVID-19 disease that vaccines in particular provide, however, according to these data, even in the case of omikron infection, it is “probably preserved”.

In this context, experts have recommended the development of vaccines that not only protect people from the severe course of covid, but can also better prevent the infection itself and its spread. According to experts, such vaccines would reduce the so-called community-based transmission and the need for far-reaching restrictions on public life.

According to WHO experts, pharmaceutical companies should also try to develop vaccines that “elicit strong and long-lasting immune responses” and also reduce the need for further revaccination. However, experts added that until such new vaccines became available, the composition of existing vaccines would “need to be adapted” – depending on further virus developments – to continue to provide adequate protection against coronavirus, including omicron, as well as other future variants. According to the WHO, 331 anti-cancer vaccines are currently being developed worldwide.