Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced that anyone in the Netherlands who had received the Janssen vaccine against COVID-19 would be considered fully vaccinated after four weeks instead of two.
For many, the initial appeal of the Janssen coronavirus vaccine was that, immediately after only one jab, they would be granted access to nightclubs and events across the Netherlands, and would be able to travel internationally using the CoronaCheck app. However, in July, pressure from medical experts meant the Dutch government decided to adjust its vaccination policy: as of July 10, anyone who had had their jab(s) would have to wait two weeks before being considered fully vaccinated and having access to a vaccination certificate.
Now, Rutte is saying “a little more processing time” is needed for the Janssen vaccine. This means that, from August 14, anyone who is vaccinated with Janssen will have to wait four weeks before receiving the all-important green tick in the CoronaCheck app.
The Prime Minister emphasised that everyone who receives either the Janssen jab or both Pfizer / BioNTech, Moderna, or AstraZeneca jabs must continue to “act as if the vaccine is not yet fully effective” for the recommended four or two week period. He also explained that it takes a little bit of time before the new Janssen policy can be enforced, as technical and legal changes have to happen behind the scenes.