1. Who gets a booster shot when?
All people aged 60 years and older can receive a booster vaccination. First up are the mobile over-80s.
It is advised to come to a GGD location yourself as much as possible. Then it’s your turn faster. People who have their turn may also bring their partner (60 years or older only) to receive a shot at the same time.
Are you unable to come to a GGD location yourself or with the help of someone else? From January 2022 you can also receive a vaccination at home.
Residents of healthcare institutions
Healthcare institutions with their own doctor can order the booster vaccines themselves from next Monday. From Tuesday 23 November, residents of these institutions can be tested. Healthcare institutions without their own doctor can register with the GGD from today. They will visit this institution from 1 January to vaccinate residents.
Healthcare staff with close patient contact
At the same time as the oldest elderly, it is also the turn of the care workers. Hospitals will start vaccinating their own staff from tomorrow, as well as ambulance staff and general practitioners. Employees in other healthcare sectors can go to one of the GGD injection locations.
Over 60s and the rest
The group of people over 60 is expected to receive their invitation from the end of December. Only after these groups have had their turn can anyone under the age of 60 receive a booster vaccination. This is expected to be after mid-February 2022.
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2. Why is a booster shot necessary?
The Health Council advises giving a booster shot to people aged 60 and older and to residents of care institutions. Why exactly we explain in this video:
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According to the Health Council, there is currently no medical need to also offer other groups a booster vaccine. The protection provided by current COVID-19 vaccines is not lacking. Nevertheless, the government has decided to give people under the age of 60 who would like a booster shot the opportunity to get it.
The exception is people who have a serious problem with their immune system. This group has already been offered a third shot.
3. Which vaccine are you getting?
There are two vaccines available as booster shots: BioNTech/Pfizer and Moderna. You cannot choose which vaccine you receive. That depends on the availability at the injection locations. It does not matter which vaccine you were shot with before.
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4. I am younger than 60 and had the injection with Janssen or AstraZeneca, what now?
The Belgian Superior Health Council previously recommended that Belgians who have been vaccinated with the Janssen vaccine be offered a booster shot. According to them, the protection is rapidly decreasing and over time it no longer offers sufficient protection against the corona virus. There are also countries that have announced that they will no longer recognize a single shot of the Janssen vaccine as a full vaccination.
That is why the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport has asked the Health Council for urgent advice about a booster shot for people who have been vaccinated with the Janssen vaccine. The same advice has been sought for people who have had AstraZeneca’s vaccines.
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5. Do you have to take the booster shot to keep a valid corona certificate?
Whether or not you take a booster shot, the vaccination certificate remains valid. You can therefore continue to use your current QR code for travel within the European Union or as a corona ticket for access to activities in the Netherlands. If you decide to take a booster vaccination, your current corona proofs will be supplemented with this extra information. So you don’t have to wait another two weeks to get a valid QR code.
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