Plans to start Covid vaccinations at schools

Health service GGD in a number of regions are in talks with high schools about vaccinating kids against Covid-19 at school once the new academic year begins, or at least sending GGD employees to give information about the vaccine. So far only 43 percent of 12 to 18-year-olds have had their first shot and the GGDs are worried about outbreaks at schools if the vaccination rate does not increase, the Volkskrant reports after speaking to the GGD regions.

"We know that some GGDs are developing initiatives in their region in collaboration with schools for the vaccination of this age group," a spokesperson for umbrella organization GGD GHOR Nederland said to the newspaper. The spokesperson said that information will always be provided and stressed that vaccination is always voluntary. "It is very clear: GGDs will not exert pressure to get you vaccinated, nothing is mandatory."

GGD West Brabant has an agreement to vaccinate kids who want to in the international transition classes in Breda and Bergen op Zoom in September. GGD Hollands Noorden is in talks with secondary schools about whether they are open to vaccination at school. GGD Amsterdam is talking to schools about sending employees to inform kids about the Covid-19 vaccines. 

The GGDs in Drenthe and Utrecht told the newspaper that "teenagers are on the agenda", but they do not have concrete plans yet on how to increase the vaccination rate in this age group.

Teenagers are one of the groups the GGDs are focusing on due to the low vaccination rate among them. The GGDs are also working on ways to increase the vaccination rate in poorer neighborhoods and in the Bible Belt - a string of Dutch municipalities with majority Christian residents.