Third jab likely for elderly in France

French President Emmanuel Macron says it is likely that the elderly and vulnerable will need a third COVID-19 vaccine shot, and that France is 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," Macron said on his Instagram account on Thursday.

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 Organisation's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called on Wednesday for a halt on COVID-19 vaccine boosters until at least the end of September.