WHO welcomes report on efficacy of longer gaps between AstraZeneca doses

A report from Oxford University saying that a longer gap between doses of AstraZeneca vaccines still provides protection is “very reassuring” for supply-strapped countries, World Health Organization chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said.

Joachim Hombach, head of the WHO’s expert panel, said it was “great news” on spaced dosing for the vaccine, which would add flexibility to dosing schedules. The Oxford study released this week found that the second dose can be delayed up to 45 weeks and still lead to an enhanced immune response.

On the other hand, the head of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the world is in “a very dangerous period” of the Covid-19 pandemic, noting the more contagious delta variant is identified in nearly 100 countries.

The fast-spreading delta variant is now dominating conversations about the virus, with vaccine efficacy measures, case counts and country lockdowns increasingly focused on it. South Korea’s case count reached the highest level in more than six months as the country begins to ease social distancing measures amid an accelerating vaccine rate.