As of this Wednesday, Dutchies who have a serious immune disorder will be invited to receive a third coronavirus shot. The process of booking a jab will be the same as it was for the first two. 💉
For the time being, booster shots will only be administered to Dutch people with serious immune disorders, such as people who’ve had a transplant. According to GGD GHOR Nederland, between 200,000-400,000 Dutchies are currently eligible for a third shot, Nu.nl reports.
These people will receive their invitation by email or through the post. They can also make an appointment over the phone or simply walk into a vaccination site with their invitation in hand.
Will healthy people need a third shot?
For the time being, the Health Council doesn’t consider it necessary for the rest of the population to receive a booster shot. However, this could change if it turns out that protection against Covid-19 offered by the vaccine declines significantly over time.
According to a spokesperson from the GGD GHOR, if the Health Council and politicians think that more residents should be given a booster, the Netherlands will be able to make this happen quickly. The spokesperson told Nu.nl that “Our vaccination locations will remain open. If necessary, we can expand quickly. The basis remains the same.”
An important note is that the vaccine still prevents nine out of ten hospitalisations and deaths in the first six months. A booster shot would primarily prevent new infections.
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