COVID-19 jabs prevent hospitalizations, severe illness: WHO to skeptics

GENEVA

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday called on people to get COVID-19 vaccine jabs, saying 99% of COVID-19 deaths are among unvaccinated people.

WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris was asked at a UN press conference by Anadolu Agency about hesitancy to take vaccines in many parts of the world and if vaccines do their job.

"Yes, they work, and they work very, very well," said Harris.

"And remember what they were designed to do. They were designed to prevent hospitalizations, severe illness, and death. And they are doing that very well," she added.

She said that looking at the "people who sadly are in hospital" and those who "even more sadly, are dying, the vast majority, 99% of them, are unvaccinated even in countries with very high vaccination coverage."

Harris said it is "a great tragedy" if some countries have access to anti-COVID vaccines as there are many countries that do not have access to doses.

"If you have access to a vaccine, understand this is a great gift. This is a great privilege," said the WHO spokesperson.

She acknowledged that many people have concerns, and said if they want information, they can go to the trusted sources, and learn accurate information about vaccines.

‘Use trusted information sources’

"There's an enormous amount of information on the World Health Organization sites, and on your local country ministry of health sites, you will find great information.

"Don't listen to stuff on social media. Go to the trusted sources … Sure ask your questions," Harris said.

According to the WHO, almost 5.78 billion vaccine doses had been administered across the world.

Still, there is a massive discrepancy between the number of jabs given in the developed and the developing world.

WHO says that only 2% of vaccines have been administered in Africa.

"WHO's global targets are to support every country to vaccinate at least 10% of its population by the end of this month, 40% by the end of the year, and 70% of the world's population by the middle of next year," WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said on Monday.