The Flemish government wants to offer all residents an extra chance against the coronavirus. For people who got Moderna or Pfizer, this would be the third shot; Anyone who has been vaccinated with Janssen will soon have a second vaccine.
It was previously decided that everyone in poor health and all people over 65 years old can get an extra dose. This should now be possible for all Flemish people aged 12 or over.
Welfare Minister Becky told Flemish broadcaster VRT it was an important step due to the high pollution figures. “We are seeing mounting evidence that a third dose can help us keep people away from hospitals.”
healthcare staff
According to the minister, there is a huge demand for an additional syringe, for example among health care workers. “They need this to continue doing their work. We also see that other countries are starting to give the third chance and there are enough arguments to do that here as well.”
Before making a final decision, the government is still awaiting advice on this from the Supreme Health Council, the government’s scientific advisory body.
According to the Dutch government, an additional dose for the whole population, to boost previous vaccinations, is not yet necessary, not even for the elderly. A booster dose is given to people in poor health.
