New round of Covid vaccinations starting in September

A new round of Covid-19 vaccination shots will start in September, Health Minister Ernst Kuipers announced. Everyone age 12 and older will be invited to get a booster shot, he said in a statement issued by the ministry.

Kuipers expects that the first invitations - to vulnerable people with other medical issues and healthcare workers with patient contact - will go out in mid-September. After that, everyone else can make an appointment.

Jabs which are better able to protect against newer variants of the virus will be acquired by the ministry if possible. “Updated vaccines will be used if they offer better protection than current vaccines. These vaccines must first be registered by the European Medicines Agency (EMA),” the ministry said.

“The repeat shot against the coronavirus is necessary to maintain protection against serious illness and against death,” Kuipers stated in a letter to parliament. “The peak of the coronavirus crisis seems to be behind us, and vaccination has made an important contribution to that.”

The Cabinet expects a new wave of coronavirus infections in the autumn. The new round of vaccinations is meant to maintain the same level of protection against severe illness and death from Covid-19.

A person can first get a booster shot three months following their most recent Covid jab. “Even people who have not yet received a basic series vaccination against coronavirus can still make an appointment with the GGD.”