New Delhi
On International Day of Older Persons, the World Health Organisation on Friday called for greater efforts in the South-East Asian region to expand Covid vaccination coverage among the older population, saying they remain vulnerable to the virus and at highest risk of severe diseases.
"The older population continues to be highly vulnerable in the ongoing pandemic. Protecting them against the deadly Covid virus should be our priority.
"By vaccinating the elderly population as part of high-risk groups, countries can effectively reduce deaths and hospitalisation," Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia Region said in a statement.
Noting that a few countries are progressing towards a reasonably good coverage of their elderly population, she stressed that concerted and focused efforts to improve coverage of the elderly will be required in all countries of the region to protect these vulnerable populations.