Following the decision by Belgium's various health ministers to organise a new vaccination campaign soon, the Flemish Government announced on Friday that it will start administering second booster shots from 12 September 2022.
The autumn booster campaign will increase the total Flemish maximum vaccination capacity from 25,000 shots per week currently to 800,000 shots per week after the summer.
"The vaccination centres with their many employees and volunteers have made our Flemish vaccination campaign a success. For the autumn campaign, we will again call on their professionalism and kindness," said Flemish Welfare Minister Hilde Crevits.
"Vaccination remains important as protection against the coronavirus. Of course, we remain vigilant to the evolution of the virus itself, but organisationally, we are ready and the necessary funding has been provided," she added.
Flexible scaling up and down
During the previous campaign, 85 vaccination centres were opened, which Flemish Home Affairs Minister Bart Somers called "an ideal mix" between proximity and logistical feasibility. "Currently, some of these vaccination centres have closed or become smaller, but soon more shots will have to be administered."
Previously, the Flemish Government had already decided to keep the vaccination centres on standby throughout the year and to allow flexible scaling up or down depending on the number of people who need to be vaccinated.
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During the additional booster campaign in autumn, people with a higher risk and underlying disorders will be strongly advised to get vaccinated: people older than 65, immunocompromised people, the residents of residential care centres and anyone working in the care sector. In Flanders, an invitation will also be sent to everyone aged between 18 and 65.
In total, this applies to roughly 4.5 million Flanders residents who are best vaccinated before the beginning of November, according to Crevits.
In order to guarantee that the most vulnerable target groups can certainly receive a vaccine before the end of September, vaccination will start on Monday 12 September 2022, and a new information and awareness campaign will also be launched.
