In autumn 2025, there will be another vaccination campaign against COVID-19. The State Secretary of Youth, Prevention and Sport from the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) announced this decision in a letter to the House of Representatives of the Netherlands. He is following the advisory opinion of the Health Council of the Netherlands regarding COVID-19 vaccination for 2025.
In 2025, the COVID-19 vaccination is advised for the following groups:
- people aged 60 years and older;
- people aged 50–59 years who are offered a flu vaccine every year;
- children and adults in the medical high-risk groups;
- care workers who have direct contact with vulnerable patients.
In some cases, the COVID-19 vaccination can also be offered to others, for example if they have a vulnerable family member.
In consultation with the treating physician, the vaccination can also be given at a different time, outside the context of the autumn round, if the doctor considers it necessary.
An important change compared to 2024 is that people aged 18–49 years who are offered a flu vaccine every year will no longer be offered a COVID-19 vaccination in 2025. People aged 50 years and older who are invited to get the seasonal flu vaccine every year are still eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination.
This is because the younger age group (flu vaccine group aged 18–49 years) has a lower risk of serious illness and death from COVID-19 compared to the older age group (flu vaccine group aged 50 years and older), and because the burden of disease has decreased over the past few years. A COVID-19 vaccination does not have enough added value for this younger group at this time.
The new COVID-19 vaccination round will be from 15 September to 5 December 2025.
More information will be provided as it becomes available.
The State Secretary’s letter to the House of Representatives is available online (in Dutch).