Minister of Health Hugo de Jonge: the fast vaccination of GPs is caused by the increasing Coronavirus cases with the British variant, and because of their important role in the vaccination strategy
Translated by Adriana Dancu
In the following two weeks, GPs will be vaccinated using the Moderna vaccine, reports the National General Practitioners Association (LHV) and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. This is faster than expected, and is because of the rise of positive Coronavirus cases due to the British variant of the virus. Other health care practitioners working with GPs are likely to be vaccinated using the AstraZeneca vaccine in the second week of February.
There has been a lot of discussion in recent weeks about when GPs will be vaccinated. Many GPs opposed the fact that they will not be vaccinated until February, arguing that they run an increased risk because they often come into contact with Coronavirus patients. Last week, the LHV demanded that the Health Minister De Jonge to make the 15,000 Pfizer vaccines available to GPs and employees in the emergency care department, however, De Jonge refused to do this at the time.
However, because the British variant of the virus is on the rise, De Jonge’s refusal is not important, says a spokesperson for VWS. Due to the rapid emergence of the British variant of the Coronavirus, it was decided to vaccinate all GPs quickly. The LHV has, therefore, come together with the Ministry of Health to make the Moderna vaccine available to GPs on January 25, since they have an important role in the Cabinet’s vaccination strategy, and must therefore themselves be protected when the vaccine is administered.
“Important role”
“With these forecasts and the pressure that this puts on direct COVID-19 emergency care, it is very important that we can keep GP care going. Especially because of their important role in our vaccination strategy,” said De Jonge, in a press release by the LHV.
In the following two weeks, 15,000 GPs and emergency care workers will receive the Moderna vaccine, and a second injection will follow after 28 days. For the remaining 23,000 care-providing employees, however, the previous appointment for the injection with the AstraZeneca vaccine will not change.
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