Omicron threat: People with health issues or inactivated vaccine should get booster dose, says WHO

Many countries have been rolling out booster shots, targeting the elderly and people with underlying health issues.

The World Health Organization's (WHO) vaccine advisory panel recommends that people who are immunocompromised or received an inactivated vaccine should receive a booster dose of a COVID-19 shot, it said on Thursday.

Many countries have been rolling out booster shots, targeting the elderly and people with underlying health issues, but worries about the new Omicron variant have prompted some to expand their use to larger portions of their populations.

With vaccination rates worryingly low in much of the developing world, the WHO has said in recent months that administering primary doses - rather than boosters - should be a priority.