From Monday, June 19, the period between two coronavirus vaccine doses has been shortened from 35 days to 25 days.
In the advice published by the Outbreak Management Team (OMT) on July 9, the Dutch government was told that, by bringing the second jab forward, more people could be vaccinated faster, further protecting the population of the Netherlands from COVID-19 and curbing the spread of the virus and the highly contagious Delta variant.
The change in policy means that anyone who books an appointment for a jab from July 19 onward will receive their second dose only 25 days after their first. Those who are still waiting for their second dose have been urged not to call the GGD yet to reschedule their appointment, as Health Minister Hugo de Jonge is unsure if there are enough slots available. It’s not yet known whether this policy could change in the future.
Since June 16, anyone who had already received one AstraZeneca jab has been able to contact the GGD and book an appointment for their second jab with the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine. Advice published by the Health Council of the Netherlands earlier this month suggested that mixing the two vaccines would provide more protection than two AstraZeneca jabs.