They recommend a booster dose for people with a weak immune system

The advisory panel of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended today that people who have a weakened immune system or have received an inactivated vaccine should receive a booster dose of the vaccine against the coronavirus.

Many states are introducing booster immunizations targeting the elderly and people with underlying health conditions, but concerns about the new micron strain of the virus have led some states to expand their list to include more of the population.

With alarmingly low vaccination rates in much of the developing world, the WHO has warned that administering primary doses of vaccines, rather than the third dose, should be a priority, Reuters reports.

The WHO recommendation came after the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization held a meeting on Tuesday to assess the need for a booster dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

The chairman of SAGE, Alejandro Kravioto, at a press conference, said that new data show that the effectiveness of vaccines is decreasing, with a significant decrease observed in older people.

Cravioto stated that one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is still effective in protection, but data from the company's clinical trials, using two doses, clearly show the benefit of further vaccination.

Director of WHO's immunization department, Kate O'Brien, said that coronavirus vaccines protect very well six months after receiving the last dose, with some minor, modest reduction in protection.