Over 800,000 Covid vaccines donated by the Netherlands will be destroyed

After unsuccessful attempts to find a destination for more than 800,000 Covid-19 vaccinations donated by the Netherlands, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations (GAVI) has confirmed that they will be destroyed. This was outlined in a letter from Health Minister Ernst Kuipers sent to the Tweede Kamer earlier this week.

Shifts in thee supply and demand for Covid-19 vaccine doses in recent months meant a more limited need for the Dutch donation. Unlike at the height of the pandemic, many countries are now indicating that they have enough Covid-19 vaccines in stock to meet demand in the coming period. Therefore, vaccines with a shorter shelf life are especially going to waste. 

To prevent the spoilage of the large batch of vaccines donated by the Netherlands, the Dutch government is still searching for other donation opportunities. However, there is a chance that more and more vaccines will be destroyed in the coming period, Kuipers said.

One option for putting unused vaccines to use is to offer them to Ukrainian refugees. Ukraine has a relatively low vaccination rate of 35 percent who received a full initial course of vaccination, and just 1.7 percent have had a booster shot. 

The branches of the GGD municipal health service are currently in touch with emergency shelters to mobilize this plan by offering more information about Covid-19 jabs to Ukrainian refugees. Asylum seekers are already given the opportunity to be vaccinated at multiple points during the Dutch asylum procedure.