People with Down's syndrome and people with morbid obesity (BMI >40) born in 1961 or later, who have not yet been vaccinated, will receive a vaccination invitation from their GP. Although the GPs will provide the invitation, they will be vaccinated at a vaccination site operated by the Municipal Public Health Services (GGDs). This involves people living at home who can come to a GGD site on their own (or with a companion). The invitation letter provides a special telephone number and a specific code to make the appointment, so it can be scheduled very soon. They will receive the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. This involves 17,600 people.
People in these two groups have a higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19. Many of them have already been vaccinated, but not all, due to the hold on AstraZeneca for people born in 1961 or later. They will now be invited by their GP to be vaccinated at a GGD vaccination site. The GP selects the patients and sends the invitation. The GGD is reserving extra time slots to ensure that people with Down's syndrome and people with morbid obesity can schedule an appointment very soon.
People with Down's or morbid obesity who are over 60 or cannot travel
People born in 1960 or before will still be vaccinated with AstraZeneca by their GP. This target group is currently being vaccinated in the provinces of Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Friesland and Groningen.
People under 60 with Down's syndrome or morbid obesity who cannot travel to a GGD vaccination site on their own or with a companion will be vaccinated at home. Starting this week, their GP can register them for vaccination by a mobile team, and they will receive their vaccination from week 17 on.
Other medical risk groups
The other groups at higher risk for medical reasons will be vaccinated via other routes. People with a medical risk who are invited every year for a seasonal flu shot will be eligible for vaccination from May on.
Schedule for the vaccination campaign
The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) determines the order in which groups are vaccinated. 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.