Vaccinate poorest first, not tourists: WHO
The most disadvantaged members of society need to be among the first to receive the vaccine against COVID-19 while travellers should not be immunised at this stage, the World Health Organisation says.
"In the current period of very limited vaccine supply, preferential vaccination of international travellers would counter the principle of equity," the WHO said on Tuesday in a guidance document.
The UN health agency said it also does not recommend the immunisation of travellers at this time because there is no proof yet that vaccinations against COVID-19 also reduce the risk of passing on the coronavirus.
The WHO said it might revise its recommendation as more vaccines become available.
The guidance was published as some European countries that depend on tourism call for a "vaccine passport" to allow travel restrictions to be lifted for those who have received a jab.
Israel is setting up a similar scheme.
The WHO said that health workers in high-risk settings and very old people should be vaccinated first followed by disadvantaged people who live in crowded conditions, other health workers, the elderly and teachers.
This second group includes people living in refugee camps, prisons, slums and other places where physical distancing is not possible.
The WHO also recommended that the two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the US company Moderna should be administered 28 days apart.
However, as supplies are short, the interval may be extended to 42 days, the WHO said.
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