Germany to give COVID vaccine boosters to vulnerable groups in September

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany plans to give vulnerable people a COVID-19 vaccine booster in September, the Health Ministry said on Thursday, ignoring a World Health Organisation appeal to refrain from giving third doses while poor countries remain unvaccinated.

"The possibility of a booster vaccine in September is intended to ensure that those who are particularly at risk are adequately protected," the ministry said.

Risk groups include immunocompromised patients, the very elderly and nursing home residents, it added.

The World Health Organization's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called on Wednesday for a halt on COVID-19 vaccine boosters until at least the end of September, saying it was unacceptable for rich countries to use more of the global vaccine supply.

Germany rejected those accusations, saying it would also donate at least 30 million vaccine doses to countries where there have hardly been any vaccinations up till now.

"We want to provide the vulnerable groups in Germany with a precautionary third vaccination and at the same time support the vaccination of as many people in the world as possible," the ministry said.

Germany has so far given at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to 62% of its population, with almost 54% fully-vaccinated.

(Reporting by Alexander Ratz; Writing by Caroline Copley; Editing by Kirsti Knolle)