Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination and COVID-19

Scientific brief

Overview

There is no evidence that the Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine (BCG) protects people against infection with COVID-19 virus. Two clinical trials addressing this question are underway, and WHO will evaluate the evidence when it is available. In the absence of evidence, WHO does not recommend BCG vaccination for the prevention of COVID-19. WHO continues to recommend neonatal BCG vaccination in countries or settings with a high incidence of tuberculosis.

 

WHO Team
WHO Headquarters (HQ), WHO Worldwide
Reference numbers
WHO Reference Number: WHO/2019-nCoV/Sci_Brief/BCGvaccination/2020.1
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