BERLIN: The head of Germany's independent vaccine advisory panel says it's likely that everyone will have to get vaccinated again next year against COVID-19.
Thomas Mertens told the Funke newspaper group in comments published Sunday that there isn't yet enough data to say when exactly booster shots will be needed, and officials will have to wait a few months to see whether protection against the coronavirus weakens in some groups.
But he stressed that "the virus won't leave us again" and so the vaccinations currently under way won't be the last.
He added: "In principle, we have to prepare for everyone possibly having to refresh their vaccine protection next year."
Nearly 30.4 million people in Germany, or 36.5 per cent of the population, had received at least one vaccine shot by Friday.
More than 9 million, or 10.9 per cent of the population, had been fully vaccinate.