France’s Macron: third COVID-19 vaccine doses likely for elderly, vulnerable

 France’s President Emmanuel Macron wearing a protective face mask REUTERS FILE PHOTO

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron said on his Instagram account on Thursday that it was likely that the elderly and vulnerable would need a third COVID-19 vaccine shot, and that France was working on rolling these out from September onwards.

“A third dose will likely be necessary, not for everyone straightaway, but in any case for the most vulnerable and the most elderly,” said Macron.

Macron’s government is trying to step up France’s COVID vaccination program again, as the country faces a fourth wave of the virus and street demonstrations in protest against the government’s COVID policies.

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.