EU agency says to focus on vaccines first not booster shots

By LORNE COOK
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control is urging countries to ramp up their primary coronavirus vaccine programs and playing down the need for booster shots among the general public. The EU’s infectious diseases agency says approved vaccines are “currently highly effective” in limiting the impact of COVID-19. But the agency says extra doses should be considered for people with weak immune systems. On Wednesday, France became the first big EU country to give booster shots to people over 65 and those with underlying health conditions as the delta variant spreads. Spanish health authorities are considering similar action. The European Commission said Thursday that the bloc has enough shots on order should boosters be broadly required.