On 9 April, the Health Council of the Netherlands advised priority COVID-19 vaccination for young people born in 2003, 2004 and 2005 who are in the medical high-risk group. The first young people in this group will be vaccinated soon. They will receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
These young people are included in the medical high-risk group that the Health Council has defined for adults. This applies to young people who have:
- a seriously impaired immune system (patients with haematological malignancies, transplants, kidney failure, very severe primary immunodeficiency);
- a neurological disorder accompanied by respiratory impairment;
- Down’s syndrome;
- morbid obesity (BMI >40).
Some of the young people in this target group live in a residential institution. They will be vaccinated by their institutional physician starting in week 18. In smaller residential facilities, mobile vaccination teams will start vaccinations in week 17. Young people living at home who have morbid obesity or Down’s syndrome will receive their invitation through their GP and will be vaccinated at a vaccination site operated by the Municipal Public Health Services (GGDs).
Young people with impaired immunity and young people with neurological disorders accompanied by respiratory impairment will be vaccinated in hospital. This group is expected to be vaccinated in three weeks, and will be invited by their medical specialist. People are requested not to contact hospitals themselves, but to wait for their invitation. The young people from this group who are unable to travel will be vaccinated at home by a mobile vaccination team.
Schedule for the vaccination campaign
The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) determines the order in which groups are vaccinated against the coronavirus. The advisory reports of the Health Council of the Netherlands are used as guidance. The start date for vaccination of the various target groups depends on vaccine availability. For the latest order of vaccination, please visit Government.nl.