The World Health Organization (WHO) approved a second malaria vaccine last week. The decision could offer a less costly and readily available shot to help fight the disease. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the U.N. health agency approved the new malaria vaccine based on advice from two expert groups. They suggested the shot could be given to children at risk of the disease. “As a malaria researcher, I used to dream of the day we would have a safe and effective vaccine against malaria. Now we have two,” Tedros said. Britain’s Oxford University developed the new three-shot vaccine along with the Serum Institute of India. Research suggests it is more than 75 percent effective. The vaccine can protect people for another year with an additional shot called a booster. Tedros said the shot would cost about $2 to $4 and could be available in some countries next year. Earlier this year, health officials in the African countries of Ghana and Burkina Faso also approved the vaccine. Infected mosquitos spread the parasitic disease when they bite people.
