BERLIN, Aug 5 - Germany plans to give vulnerable people a COVID injection in September, the Health Ministry said on Thursday, ignoring an appeal by World Health Organisation to refuse giving first doses while poor countries remain unvaccinated.
The possibility of a 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 WHO's Chairman was urging Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to halt COVID - 19 vaccine boosters until at least the end of September, saying it was unacceptable for rich countries to use more global vaccine supplies.
Germany rejected those accusations, saying it would also donate at least 30 million vaccination doses to countries where there have hardly been any vaccinations up until now.
We want to provide the vulnerable groups in Germany with a third precautionary vaccination and at the same time support the vaccination of as many people in the world as possible, the ministry said.
Germany has given at least one COVID 19 vaccination dose to 62% of its population, with almost 54% fully vaccinated.