WHO does not recommend BCG vaccination for Covid-19

WHO does not recommend BCG vaccination for Covid-19

WHO on monday played down studies suggesting that the Bacille Calmette Guerin(BCG) vaccine may be effective in the prevention of the highly contagious corona virus infection.

BCG vaccination prevents severe forms of tuberculosis in children and diversion of local supplies may result in neonates not being vaccinated,resulting in an increase of disease and deaths from tuberculosis.

In its daily situation reort,the WHO said there is no evidence that the BCG vaccine protects people against Covid-19.

There is experimental evidence from both animal and human studies that the BCG vaccine has non specific effects on the immune system.These effects have not been well characterized and their clinical relevance is unknown,the report said.

On April 11,the WHO updated its ongoing evidence review of the major scientific databases and clinical trial repositories,using English,French and chinese search terms for Covid-19,corona virus,SARS Cov-2 and BCG.

confirmed cases of the novel corona virus around the world have surpassed 2 million,the US based Johns Hopkins University.According to its data 2,019,320 people have been diagnosed with the corona virus globally.Some 119,483 people have died of the disease caused by the virus.