The Netherlands reveal plans for 6 vaccine doses through to 2023

The Netherlands health minister Hugo de Jonge has proposed a vaccination plan which will see a total of six vaccine doses rolled out across the population through to 2023.

In a letter written to the Parliament on Wednesday, de Jonge has strongly recommended that the Netherlands government consider additional booster shots. Three doses have already been rolled out across the country, which now has an adult vaccination rate of almost 86%. He recommends that two doses be administered in 2022, as well as one does for 2023.

De Jonge has also mentioned in his letter that the Netherlands is on track to meet its current targets with its current vaccine supply. De Jonge stated that:

“Only half of a regular vaccine is needed for a booster dose of Moderna, we now have sufficient vaccines for the current booster campaign and there is ample basis for possible extra booster rounds in the second quarter and the autumn of 2022 and in 2023.”

The Netherlands have extended their agreement with pharmaceutical company Pfizer, which will see them purchase an extra 17.5 million vaccines during 2022. Despite the vaccination rates being quite high, cases are continuing to rise, with the Netherlands’ daily average cases numbers sitting at approximately 12,000 new cases. However, contracting the virus whilst vaccinated has proven that symptoms are less severe than for those who aren’t vaccinated.

Pfizer is working around the clock to create a vaccine for the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus; it’s more easily transmissible but it’s not anywhere near as deadly as what the Delta variant was. Pfizer is on track to have their new vaccine ready come April, at the very earliest. 

This is promising news for the Netherlands, who are set to come out of their three-week lockdown from next week; we remain hopeful that live events can resume in due time for the Netherlands.

Image Credit: Peter Dejong/AP Photo/picture alliance