ISLAMABAD: The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday reiterated the critical public health role of vaccination against COVID-19, stressing the need for updated vaccine formulations to counter evolving variants of the deadly virus.
Retention of the monovalent lineage variant JN.1 in future COVID-19 vaccines is recommended to enhance immune responses against circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants, according to a recent statement by the WHO Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Formulation ( TAG-CO-VAC).
The United Nations health agency said that despite advances in vaccination efforts, SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate globally, with significant genetic evolution of its spike protein, The News was mentioned.
He also said that this continuous evolution has led to the emergence of new variants that pose constant challenges to public health systems worldwide.
The WHO recommendation is in line with its goal of improving vaccine-induced immunity against prevalent variants.
Studies have shown that monovalent JN.1 lineage vaccines are effective in eliciting strong neutralizing antibody responses to JN.1 and its descendant lineages such as KP.3.1.1 and XEC. These variants currently dominate worldwide circulation.
TAG-CO-VAC has advised Member States to continue their vaccination programs against COVID-19 without delay, using any vaccine listed on the WHO emergency list or default vaccine.
The team has also encouraged vaccine makers to focus on formulations that maintain strong immune responses against emerging variants.
In a comprehensive review conducted from 10 to 12 December 2024, TAG-CO-VAC analyzed global data on the evolution of SARS-CoV-2, immune responses from vaccination and vaccine performance.
The data showed that vaccination with monovalent JN.1 or KP.2 antigens significantly increased antibody titers against the circulating variants.
In addition, these vaccines have shown protection against serious illness and death, particularly in high-risk populations such as those 65 years of age or older or those with underlying medical conditions.
WHO has also highlighted ongoing gaps in reporting and genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 by member states, which complicates efforts to monitor epidemiological trends and assess the impact of emerging variants.
Strengthening these systems remains a priority to effectively combat the evolution of the virus.
While vaccination programs should continue to use existing formulations, TAG-CO-VAC encourages research into new vaccine antigens derived from recent variants to further improve protection and reduce transmission. The advisory group stressed that future vaccines must balance broad immune responses with practical issues for global distribution.
WHO’s standing recommendations for COVID-19 underscore the urgency of vaccination, especially in the face of persistent gaps in epidemiological reporting.
By maintaining a proactive approach to vaccine development and deployment, Member States can ensure better health outcomes for their populations.
As part of its ongoing efforts, TAG-CO-VAC will reconvene every six months to review new data and issue recommendations on whether to maintain current vaccine formulations or adopt updates to address emerging challenges .
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