Moderna vaccine will be distributed in The Netherlands starting Monday

Starting Monday, the coronavirus vaccine, developed by American company Moderna, will be distributed in the Netherlands. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved the Moderna vaccine last Wednesday. After the BioNTech / Pfizer vaccine, this is the second coronavirus vaccine authorized in the EU. It is still unclear when the first dose will be administered.

Unlike the Pfizer vaccine, the Moderna vaccine can be stored in a regular refrigerator for 30 days, which means that general practitioners can play a larger role in the inoculation process of the elderly. The vaccine can be distributed to and stored at nursing home facilities and institutions for people with mental and physical disabilities.

The Netherlands has ordered more than 6 million doses of the Moderna vaccine. The first 400,000 doses are expected to be delivered this quarter, said Health Minister Hugo de Jong on Wednesday. The offer to purchase an additional supply of the Moderna vaccine was declined.