FRANCE began a campaign of booster vaccinations for the elderly today to shore up immunity as the delta variant of Covid continues to spread.

Over-65s are eligible if it has been six months or more since they were fully vaccinated with Pfizer or Moderna jabs, or four weeks since receipt of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson jab.

The Health Ministry said that 18 million people are eligible for the booster shots, and that a nationwide booster campaign will begin in nursing homes on September 12.

French health authorities say studies show a decline in the vaccine’s effectiveness over time, especially against the delta variant. The European Medicines Agency is reviewing data to decide if booster shots are required.

Though the World Health Organisation has criticised rich countries for stockpiling vaccines for booster shots when most people in the Third World remain unvaccinated, the head of its European branch Dr Hans Kluge said this week that a third dose would help protect the most vulnerable and was not a “luxury.”