Authorized vaccines effective against all known COVID-19 variants, says WHO Europe chief

The Europe director for the World Health Organization (WHO) has said that the authorized COVID-19 vaccines are effective against all variants, including the one that is running rampant in India.

He made these remarks during a press briefing about the situation in Europe earlier in the day.

Addressing the media, Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, said that all COVID-19 virus variants that have emerged so far do respond to the available, approved vaccines.

He added that all variants can be controlled with the same public health and social measures used until now.

Dissatisfied with progress against the coronavirus pandemic, Kluge advised against international travel.

“Right now, in the face of a continued threat and new uncertainty, we need to continue to exercise caution, and rethink or avoid international travel,” Hans said, adding that increasing transmission on the continent could quickly spread.

So far, the United Nations’ health agency has approved six coronavirus vaccines, with China’s Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine being the latest to get the node.

The other five emergency use vaccines to get WHO listings are made by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson, and Johnson, and the AstraZeneca being produced at separate sites in India and in South Korea.