The Minister for Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) has decided that people aged 18 and older working in healthcare and social support who have direct contact with patients and/or clients will be offered a booster vaccination. This helps prevent people working in the healthcare sector from becoming ill due to COVID-19.
Accelerated access to booster vaccination
As of this week, all care organisations can send an invitation to their care workers who have not yet been invited but are eligible for the booster vaccination. These care workers receive an invitation from their employer with a unique code that they can use to sign up for a waiting list. This gives them accelerated access to a booster vaccination. As soon as time slots are available, they will receive an SMS/e-mail that they can make an appointment for vaccination by the Municipal Public Health Services (GGDs). It is possible that care workers may have also received an invitation via another route. In that case, they can discard the last one they received.
Timeline
The first appointments for care workers on the waiting list will take place from mid-December on. These agreements are parallel to the booster vaccinations for the oldest age groups. Scheduling is based on when they signed up for the waiting list, and on postcode and age. We expect that all care workers who sign up will have their turn to get the booster vaccination before mid-January.
Interval
Whenever possible, the booster dose is given at an interval of 6 months or longer after the first two vaccinations or previous COVID-19. Only in very exceptional cases, when logistically necessary in an institution, is it possible to use a shorter interval of at least 12 weeks. There is a booster effect after 12 weeks, but a longer interval of at least 6 months achieves a better booster response.
Accelerated invitation for care workers over 60
On 7 and 9 December, GGD GHOR Nederland sent an SMS to about 74,000 care workers aged 60 years and older, inviting them to make an appointment for the COVID-19 booster vaccination. The aim is to fill the available time slots at the vaccination sites as much as possible. The selection consists of care workers who were previously vaccinated by the GGD, aged 60 years or older, whose last regular vaccination was longer than 6 months ago.
For more information and answers to frequently asked questions (in Dutch), go to: Informatie voor zorgmedewerkers