Municipal Public Health Services (GGDs) and general practitioners work together to accelerate booster campaign 

In relation to the advancing Omicron variant, it is important for all people over 18 to be offered a booster vaccination by the second half of January 2022. The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS), GGD GHOR Nederland, RIVM and the Association of Dutch General Practitioners (LHV) have made agreements about their partnership in the national booster campaign. 

As of 23 December, people born in 1966 and 1967 can make an online appointment for the COVID-19 booster vaccination.

Novavax COVID-19 vaccine approved for conditional use for over-18s

Nuvaxovid, the COVID-19 vaccine made by Novavax, is the fifth vaccine against the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 to be approved for conditional use. The EMA Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) issued a positive scientific recommendation on 20 December 2021.

Frequently asked questionsCounselling regarding COVID-19 vaccination

Although more and more people have already been vaccinated against the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, there are also people who have doubts, concerns, fears or questions about COVID-19 vaccination. It is important that they also receive proper assistance in making their choice. The RIVM website now offers an overview of resources for care professionals (in Dutch), including information, toolkits, guidance, and FAQs to support them in this process.

See also Questions and background information about COVID-19 vaccination.

The implementation guidelines for COVID-19 vaccination 2021 have been updated. The latest version of the implementation guidelines is always available online (in Dutch). Section 1.3 outlines all major changes compared to the previous version; more minor interim changes are listed under Version Management (at the end of the document).

The major changes covered:
•    Updated tables for age groups/birth cohorts.
•    Explanation of how to use the booster dose of Spikevax (Moderna).
•    Updated route for third vaccination.
•    Information on registering the booster vaccination.
•    An 11-year-old child who started on the child dose completes the primary course of COVID-19 vaccinations with a child dose, even if the child is 12 years old when the second dose is administered.
•    Information about myocarditis in children aged 5-11 years.
•    Information on preparing the vaccine and the required conditions for withdrawing an extra dose.
•    Instructions on needles with a safety needle system and other syringes.
•    More generalised text about issuing a vaccination certificate.

Pharmacovigilance Centre Lareb has posted a new update about reports of possible adverse events following immunisation with COVID-19 vaccines which were reviewed by experts up to and including 19 December 2021.

In the next few weeks, advertisements and a radio commercial will be used to support the booster vaccination campaign. The advertisements will be placed in daily newspapers and regional circulars. The aim is to underline the importance of the booster vaccination and to encourage people to make an appointment, along with an explanation of how to do so. In addition, we will continue to communicate through news items and on social media.