Geneva: There is no evidence that the Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine, which is primarily used against tuberculosis, protects people against infection with the novel coronavirus, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.
The WHO, therefore, didn't recommend BCG vaccination for the prevention of COVID-19 in the absence of evidence, according to its daily situation report on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported.
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"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 remains unknown," WHO stated.
Two clinical trials addressing the question are underway, and WHO will evaluate the evidence when it is available, it noted.
BCG vaccination prevents severe forms of tuberculosis in children and diversion of local supplies may result in an increase of disease and deaths from tuberculosis, it warned.
189 UN staffers infected with COVID-19
A United Nations spokesman said that as of Sunday evening, there were 189 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the entire UN system across the world, including three deaths.
"As of Sunday evening, there were 189 confirmed cases among the UN worldwide, and that included 3 deaths in the UN system that have happened since the start of the pandemic," Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said at a virtual briefing on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported.
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The UN chief on March 13 demanded all UN staff members telecommute and work remotely from March 16 to April 12, to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 at the UN headquarters in New York. On April 1, he extended his order for telecommuting till April 30.
(IANS)