The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends using the AstraZeneca vaccine against Covid-19 despite recent reports that raised questions about its effectiveness.
The UN health agency issued its guidance on Wednesday, days after the publication of a study showing that the vaccine offers less protection against the 501Y.V2 variant of the novel coronavirus that was first detected in South Africa.
The WHO noted that the results of the study only showed limited effectiveness against mild forms of Covid-19, but that there was no evidence that the vaccine does not protect against severe disease.
The WHO, therefore, recommended the use of the product “even if variants are present in a country.”
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The UN health agency added, however, that there is an “urgent need for a coordinated approach for surveillance and evaluation of variants and their potential impact on vaccine effectiveness.”
(DPA)
