US President Joe Biden on Monday took a COVID-19 booster shot as he urged Americans to take the vaccine.

It was the US president's third Pfizer dose after the government approved booster doses for those over 65.

"I know it doesn't look like it, but I am over 65," Biden said while imploring others to complete their coronavirus vaccine shots.

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The US president had taken the first Pfizer vaccine shot in December last year and then again in January this year to complete his two doses.&nbsp;

The US president informed that at least 77 per cent of Americans had taken both the vaccine shots,&nbsp;however, a large number of people were still unvaccinated and were refusing to take shots. Biden announced that over 60 million Americans are set to take the Pfizer booster shots in the country.

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The US president informed that&nbsp;he didn't suffer from any side effects after the first or the second dose.

The president said the United States will continue to fund Covax and give away&nbsp;vaccines to the world so that "everyone in the world" gets it.

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"We play our part, the largest part in the world to get everyone vaccinated," Biden said after getting the booster dose.

However, Biden maintained that a "quarter of the country can't go unvaccinated" as America remains open and schools reopen.

"Let me be clear -&nbsp;boosters are important but the most important thing we need to do is get more people vaccinated," the president said.

(With inputs from Agencies)

US President Joe Biden on Monday took a COVID-19 booster shot as he urged Americans to take the vaccine. It was the US president's third Pfizer dose after the government approved booster doses for those over 65.

US President Joe Biden on Monday took a COVID-19 booster shot as he urged Americans to take the vaccine. It was the US president's third Pfizer dose after the government approved booster doses for those over 65. "I know it doesn't look like it, but I am over 65," Biden said while imploring others to complete their coronavirus vaccine shots. Also Read: New York hospitals face possible mass firings as workers spurn vaccines The US president had taken the first Pfizer vaccine shot in December last year and then again in January this year to complete his two doses. The US president informed that at least 77 per cent of Americans had taken both the vaccine shots, however, a large number of people were still unvaccinated and were refusing to take shots. Biden announced that over 60 million Americans are set to take the Pfizer booster shots in the country. Also Read: US FDA authorises third dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for older Americans The US president informed that he didn't suffer from any side effects after the first or the second dose. The president said the United States will continue to fund Covax and give away vaccines to the world so that "everyone in the world" gets it. Also Read: France to double COVID-19 vaccine doses for poorer countries "We play our part, the largest part in the world to get everyone vaccinated," Biden said after getting the booster dose. However, Biden maintained that a "quarter of the country can't go unvaccinated" as America remains open and schools reopen. "Let me be clear - boosters are important but the most important thing we need to do is get more people vaccinated," the president said. (With inputs from Agencies)

'Can't go unvaccinated': President Biden gets vaccine booster shot

Vaccine manufacturers in rich countries are already producing 1.5 billion doses every month, with 11 billion doses expected to be produced by the end of the year.

Even if they start administering boosters, the world's wealthiest countries could have 1.2 billion doses they don't need. A fifth of those doses - 241 million vaccinations - could go to waste if they are not donated quickly.

Poorer countries will very certainly be unable to absorb vaccines unless they have at least two months before they expire.&nbsp; 
 
According to Airfinity, a science analytics organisation that studies worldwide supplies, wealthy countries have been stockpiling vaccines. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-is-wasting-vaccine-doses-even-as-cases-rise-402282">Also read | US is wasting vaccine doses, even as cases rise</a> 
 
According to a new study, the level of vaccine nationalism, in which countries stockpile vaccines to prioritise access for their citizens over equitable vaccine sharing, may have a significant impact on global COVID-19 case numbers and the potential generation of novel variations.&nbsp; 
 
Watch | WION-USA Direct: UN Chief laments wastage of vaccines

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-usa-direct-un-chief-laments-wastage-of-vaccines-414874/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

US President Biden is urging world leaders to commit to vaccinating 70% of the world's population by September of next year.

But according to federal statistics received by media outlets, pharmacies and state governments in the United States have thrown away at least 15.1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccination since March 1, a considerably higher number than previously known and still likely an undercount.&nbsp;

However, research suggests that wealthy countries still have vaccination surpluses, with many of them set to be discarded soon.

The numbers are striking as a result of the vaccination supply imbalance.

Only a little more than half of the world has received even one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Human Rights Watch estimates that 75 per cent of COVID-19 vaccinations have been sent to ten countries.

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, half of all vaccinations produced to date have gone to 15% of the world's population, with the world's wealthiest countries providing 100 times as many doses as the poorest.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Vaccine manufacturers in rich countries are already producing 1.5 billion doses every month, with 11 billion doses expected to be produced by the end of the year.

Vaccine manufacturers in rich countries are already producing 1.5 billion doses every month, with 11 billion doses expected to be produced by the end of the year. Even if they start administering boosters, the world's wealthiest countries could have 1.2 billion doses they don't need. A fifth of those doses - 241 million vaccinations - could go to waste if they are not donated quickly. Poorer countries will very certainly be unable to absorb vaccines unless they have at least two months before they expire. According to Airfinity, a science analytics organisation that studies worldwide supplies, wealthy countries have been stockpiling vaccines. Also read | US is wasting vaccine doses, even as cases rise According to a new study, the level of vaccine nationalism, in which countries stockpile vaccines to prioritise access for their citizens over equitable vaccine sharing, may have a significant impact on global COVID-19 case numbers and the potential generation of novel variations. Watch | WION-USA Direct: UN Chief laments wastage of vaccines US President Biden is urging world leaders to commit to vaccinating 70% of the world's population by September of next year. But according to federal statistics received by media outlets, pharmacies and state governments in the United States have thrown away at least 15.1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccination since March 1, a considerably higher number than previously known and still likely an undercount. However, research suggests that wealthy countries still have vaccination surpluses, with many of them set to be discarded soon. The numbers are striking as a result of the vaccination supply imbalance. Only a little more than half of the world has received even one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Human Rights Watch estimates that 75 per cent of COVID-19 vaccinations have been sent to ten countries. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, half of all vaccinations produced to date have gone to 15% of the world's population, with the world's wealthiest countries providing 100 times as many doses as the poorest. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19 vaccine wastage: Stockpiling by rich nations may waste 241 million doses

Calling for a halt on COVID-19 vaccine boosters until at least the end of September, WHO chief&nbsp;Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that ''we&nbsp;cannot accept countries that have already used most of the global supply of vaccines using even more of it.''

The call for a moratorium comes&nbsp;as the gap between vaccinations in wealthy and poor countries widens.

It is the strongest statement yet from the UN agency at a time when countries deliberate the need for boosters to combat the fast-spreading Delta variant of the coronavirus.

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High-income countries administered around 50 doses for every 100 people in May, and that number has since doubled, according to WHO. Low-income countries have only been able to administer 1.5 doses for every 100 people, due to lack of supply.

"We need an urgent reversal from the majority of vaccines going to high-income countries to the majority going to low-income countries," Tedros said.

To counter the spread of the Delta variant, some countries have begun to use or started weighing on the need for booster doses even as scientists debate over whether or not extra shots are needed.

"The fact that we are vaccinating healthy adults with a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines is a short-sighted way of thinking," said Elin Hoffmann Dahl, infectious diseases medical adviser to Medecins Sans Frontieres' access campaign.

"With the emergence of new variants, if we continue to leave the majority of the world unvaccinated, we will most definitely need adjusted vaccines in the future," Dahl told Reuters.

Last week, Israeli President Isaac Herzog received the third shot of the coronavirus vaccine, kicking off a campaign to give booster doses to people aged over 60 in the country.

Meanwhile, the&nbsp;United States signed a&nbsp;deal with Pfizer Inc and German partner BioNTech in July&nbsp;to buy 200 million additional doses of their COVID-19 vaccine to help with pediatric vaccination as well as possible booster shots.

(With inputs from agencies)

Calling for a halt on COVID-19 vaccine boosters until at least the end of September, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that ''we cannot accept countries that have already used most of the global supply of vaccines using even more of it.

Calling for a halt on COVID-19 vaccine boosters until at least the end of September, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that ''we cannot accept countries that have already used most of the global supply of vaccines using even more of it.'' The call for a moratorium comes as the gap between vaccinations in wealthy and poor countries widens. It is the strongest statement yet from the UN agency at a time when countries deliberate the need for boosters to combat the fast-spreading Delta variant of the coronavirus. High-income countries administered around 50 doses for every 100 people in May, and that number has since doubled, according to WHO. Low-income countries have only been able to administer 1.5 doses for every 100 people, due to lack of supply. "We need an urgent reversal from the majority of vaccines going to high-income countries to the majority going to low-income countries," Tedros said. To counter the spread of the Delta variant, some countries have begun to use or started weighing on the need for booster doses even as scientists debate over whether or not extra shots are needed. "The fact that we are vaccinating healthy adults with a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines is a short-sighted way of thinking," said Elin Hoffmann Dahl, infectious diseases medical adviser to Medecins Sans Frontieres' access campaign. "With the emergence of new variants, if we continue to leave the majority of the world unvaccinated, we will most definitely need adjusted vaccines in the future," Dahl told Reuters. Last week, Israeli President Isaac Herzog received the third shot of the coronavirus vaccine, kicking off a campaign to give booster doses to people aged over 60 in the country. Meanwhile, the United States signed a deal with Pfizer Inc and German partner BioNTech in July to buy 200 million additional doses of their COVID-19 vaccine to help with pediatric vaccination as well as possible booster shots. (With inputs from agencies)

Halt the boosters: WHO says it is 'unacceptable' that some countries are using most of vaccine's global supply