GGD ready for Covid booster shots once cabinet gives go ahead

Health service GGD is ready to start administering a third dose of Covid-19 vaccine, if the government decides such a booster shot is necessary, umbrella organization GGD GHOR Nederland said to NU.nl.

Employees of closed vaccination sites were mostly deployed to areas where the vaccination rate is still low, so they remain available. "Those people are not gone and neither is their knowledge," a spokesperson said. 

 The Health Council is expected to present advice this month on whether a booster shot is needed to better protect people against Covid-19. Various other countries have started administering booster shots, some only to vulnerable groups like the elderly. The cabinet will make its decision based on the Health Council advice.

GGD GHOR does not want to anticipate any further developments in the Netherlands' vaccination program. The cabinet makes the decisions, the GGD implements them, a spokesperson said. "Our focus is now completely on the injections." But the GGD did prepare various scenarios, so that it is ready to respond.