WHO calls for vaccination campaigns for at-risk groups
The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for vaccination campaigns targeting at-risk groups due to the increasing number of COVID-19 infections. Vaccination rates for the elderly and healthcare workers have decreased significantly and have reached a dismal level, said WHO expert Maria Van Kerkhove in Geneva. "We urgently need a turnaround in this trend."
The proportion of positive results among all COVID-19 tests has been rising for several weeks and is now above 10 percent, according to WHO data from 84 countries. In Europe, the rate is over 20 percent. Wastewater analyses suggest that the virus is much more prevalent than infection statistics indicate, said Van Kerkhove. She also noted that more than 40 athletes tested positive at the Olympic Games in Paris.
However, the epidemiologist emphasized that the current situation is not comparable to the pandemic phase, as more people are now protected from severe illness due to vaccinations and previous infections.
The WHO advocates expanding vaccination efforts to include additional risk groups, recognizing their vulnerability in the rising COVID-19 case count. The decreasing vaccination rates in elderly populations and healthcare workers, dealing with a critically low level, necessitate immediate attention and action.
