Germany has recommended a fourth coronavirus vaccine for at-risk groups, following in the footsteps of Israel and several European countries, AFP reports.

Germany's STIKO vaccine commission said a top-up shot for the most vulnerable was necessary after recent data showed “that protection against the currently circulating Omicron variant wanes within a few months of the first booster vaccination”.

The fourth jab should be given to people over 70 and anyone over the age of five with a weakened immune system, STIKO said, as well as to those working in medical and care facilities to limit the impact of quarantine and illness on staffing.

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