As Europe seeks to counter surging infection numbers, all adults in the EU should have access to COVID-19 vaccine boosters, the bloc's chief Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday. 

"Boosters should be available for adults, with priority for people over 40 and vulnerable people," von der Leyen tweeted.

Earlier, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the EU public health agency, also recommended vaccine boosters for all adults, prioritizing those over 40.

"Available evidence emerging from Israel and the UK shows a significant increase in protection against infection and severe disease following a booster dose in all age groups in the short term," the ECDC said in a report published on Wednesday.

(With input from Reuters and AFP)