Germany and France will begin COVID-19 vaccine boosters in September, contradicting the World Health Organization's (WHO) advice to wait until more people have been vaccinated globally.
Despite the WHO's strongest statement so far, the decision to proceed with booster shots shows the difficulty of dealing with a global pandemic as governments strive to protect their own populations from the more contagious Delta strain.
According to French President Emmanuel Macron, France will begin administering third COVID-19 vaccine doses to the elderly and vulnerable in September.
"A third dosage will very certainly be required, not for everyone right soon, but in any case for the most vulnerable and elderly," Macron said.
Germany plans to start giving boosters to immunocompromised patients, the extremely elderly, and nursing home residents in September, according to the health ministry.
Recently, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for a halt to vaccination boosters until at least the end of September, saying it was unacceptable for privileged nations to use more of the global vaccine supply.
According to WHO, high-income nations provided approximately 50 doses per 100 people in May, and that number has now more than doubled. Due to a shortage of supplies, low-income nations have only been able to deliver 1.5 doses per 100 individuals.
Also Read: WHO asks for a halt on booster shots for Covid delta variant
"I appreciate all countries' desire to safeguard their citizens against the Delta variant. However, we cannot tolerate nations who have already exhausted the bulk of the world supply of vaccines using even more of them," Tedros stated.
Germany denied the allegations, saying it will also provide at least 30 million vaccine shots to impoverished countries.
"We aim to give a precautionary third vaccine to vulnerable groups in Germany while also supporting the vaccination of as many individuals as possible worldwide," the ministry stated.
Macron's administration is seeking to ramp up France's vaccination campaign as the country faces a fourth wave of the virus and mass protests over the government's COVID policies.
France and Germany have provided at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to 64.5 per cent and 62 per cent of their respective populations. Over 49 per cent of French and 53 per cent of Germans are completely vaccinated.