More wealthy countries are jumping on the booster bandwagon.
First, it was just Israel and Hungary announcing plans for third shots this summer, but now many of the largest nations in Europe, as well as the U.S., have indicated that they will be offering boosters in the fall or, in some cases, they’ve already begun rolling them out.
Wealthy countries are moving quickly — sometimes even faster than scientists’ recommendations — out of fear that the Delta variant will drive up infections, after mounting evidence showing that protection from the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine, the wealthy world’s vaccine of choice, decreases over time.
But doing so is controversial, considering the vast majority of the world has not received a single shot. The World Health Organization asked countries to hold off on boosters until at least the end of September, by which time it hopes at least 10 percent of every country’s population will be vaccinated.
The WHO’s Mike Ryan condemned countries offering boosters at a press conference on Wednesday. “Right now we’re planning to hand out extra life jackets to people who already have life jackets while we’re leaving other people to drown without a single life jacket, that is the reality,” he said.
But many countries are going full speed ahead anyway, although plans differ greatly by country. The U.S., starting in September, will let people get a third shot eight months after their second dose. Most EU countries, meanwhile, are offering them to vulnerable people, who are at risk because they are immunocompromised, have multiple medical conditions or are elderly. (The WHO only considers third doses for people who are immunocompromised as part of the official first round of vaccinations.)
POLITICO has a run-down of who is doing what in Europe and beyond.
Austria
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Austria said that a booster vaccine will be offered six to nine months after the first course of vaccination to residents of care homes; people aged 65 and over; those with certain illnesses that put them at increased risk of severe COVID-19; and anyone who received either a Johnson & Johnson or Oxford/AstraZeneca shot as their initial vaccine. Everyone else over 18 years old can receive a third vaccine nine to 12 months after their last dose.
When does the rollout start? People will be able to come forward from October 17, but Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein has said that for some groups, such as immunocompromised people, they could potentially get a third dose sooner after consultation with their doctor.
Which vaccines will be used? BioNTech/Pfizer or Moderna’s mRNA vaccines.
Belgium
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Belgium announced on August 18 that it would give boosters to the immunocompromised, a group that consists of between 300,000 and 400,000 people. These are people who, for example, are HIV-positive and have low CD4 counts; patients with blood cancer; and people who have had an organ transplant.
When does the rollout start? The fall, with those eligible being automatically invited based on their records from their insurance company and doctor.
Which vaccines will be used? BioNTech/Pfizer or Moderna’s mRNA vaccines.
Bulgaria
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Bulgaria hasn’t decided whether it will be offering third doses. Bogdan Kirilov, from the Bulgarian Drug Agency, indicated on August 16 that they were waiting for an official recommendation from the European Medicines Agency, which is expected within a few weeks.
Croatia
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? The head of the Croatian Institute of Public Health has said that it is likely a third dose will be needed, but the country has yet to announce formal plans for a booster program.
Cyprus
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Cyprus does not yet have plans to provide booster shots, although a member of the nation’s coronavirus advisory board said this week that boosters will likely be needed, especially for the elderly and vulnerable groups. The country is awaiting recommendations from international health groups.
Czech Republic
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? The Czech Republic will know whether to use third doses by the end of August, as there is not yet enough data to decide, according to Health Minister Adam Vojtěch. Experts say it is likely the elderly, chronically ill and immunocompromised people will need a third shot soon.
So far, the country only considers vaccination passports — currently required to go to the gym and restaurants — to be valid for nine months after a second dose. This means that after nine months, people who are vaccinated will have to show a negative test or proof that they had COVID-19 within the past six months. The ministry, however, is considering either giving third shots or extending the passport’s validity to a year and a half, according to local media.
Denmark
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Denmark has not yet decided whether to give booster shots, although infectious disease experts say the country will need to decide in the fall.
Estonia
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? So far, Estonian officials said there is not enough evidence to administer third shots. The head of the nation’s Scientific Advisory Council, Irja Lutsar, said the country will wait for clinical trial data before following in Israel and the U.S.’s footsteps.
Finland
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Finland will decide whether to offer a third vaccine at the end of August. Experts say third doses are likely but are unsure when — possibly later this year or early next year.
France
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? France is set to offer a third dose to the elderly and those who are more vulnerable, but President Emmanuel Macron said on August 5 that a decision hadn’t been made to offer a booster to the general population.
When does the rollout start? It’s expected to begin in the first weeks of September.
Which vaccines will be used? It’s expected BioNTech/Pfizer or Moderna’s mRNA vaccines will be used regardless of what a person’s first dose was.
Germany
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Germany is set to offer a booster vaccine to facilities where vulnerable groups live; the elderly; and those who are immunosuppressed. All people vaccinated with Oxford/AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson vaccines will also be eligible for a third dose.
When does the rollout start? In September, but in Bavaria, booster appointments have already been made available.
Which vaccines will be used? BioNTech/Pfizer or Moderna’s mRNA vaccines.
Greece
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Greece hasn’t announced any plans for third doses, with President of the National Vaccination Committee Maria Theodoridou saying on August 16 that there isn’t yet enough data indicating the need for a booster in the general population. She also pointed to the WHO’s call for a moratorium on boosters. However, the committee is assessing the available data, with Theodoridou highlighting figures suggesting that a third dose may be needed for the immunocompromised.
Hungary
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Hungary is offering a third dose to anyone who wants one, so long as the booster is at least four months after their last dose. But the country’s chief medical officer is particularly encouraging the elderly, those with a chronic illness or those who are immunocompromised to come forward.
When does the rollout start? Booster vaccines have been available since the beginning of August.
Which vaccines will be used? The decision on what vaccine to give will be made by the doctor administering the shot but the government has issued official guidance calling for a mix-and-match approach. That means that if someone received a viral-vector vaccine made by Oxford/AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson or Sputnik V, they now receive either an mRNA vaccine or an inactivated vaccine, like Sinopharm’s. If they received an mRNA vaccine such as BioNTech/Pfizer, the official advice recommends either a viral-vector or inactivated vaccine for the booster shot.
Ireland
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Ireland is planning on offering third doses to over-80s; residents of care facilities aged 65 and over; health care workers; and people with certain medical conditions. Those aged 60 to 79 are next on the list, but the government has said decisions are still being made on who should be offered a booster after the first group.
When does the rollout start? Ireland hasn’t officially announced the date when the campaign would start, with the government indicating that the booster vaccines could be offered alongside a flu jab starting in September or October.
Which vaccines will be used? The government hasn’t formally set out which vaccines will be used, but the head of the health service has said that the government is halting further deliveries of the Oxford/AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, according to the Belfast Telegraph.
Italy
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Italy hasn’t set out its plan for booster doses yet. In an article published by Corriere Della Sera on August 19, Giovanni Rezza, an epidemiologist at the health ministry, wrote that they need to look at the information on a granular basis and that they can’t make blanket recommendations. The final decision will depend on individual risk groups.
Latvia
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Latvia has said that it isn’t possible to determine whether booster doses will be needed, but the government is purchasing vaccines to ensure that boosters could be given over the next two years.
Lithuania
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Lithuania has authorized a third dose for immunocompromised patients, with this group able to get a booster 180 days after their second dose. The health ministry has said that it is likely that other people who want a third dose would be eligible in the fourth quarter.
When does the rollout start? It started earlier in August.
Which vaccines will be used? Only BioNTech/Pfizer is being used as a booster at the moment.
Luxembourg
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Immunocompromised people are the only group given the chance to have a booster vaccine in Luxembourg, and there isn’t a plan to open up the offer to the wider population yet. But the government has said that it is considering a vaccine for people over a certain age or for people living in care homes.
When does the rollout start? The rollout for immunocompromised people has already begun.
Which vaccines will be used? The Superior Council of Infectious Diseases has recommended mRNA vaccines.
Malta
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Malta plans to give a third dose to immunocompromised people and the elderly living in care homes.
When does the rollout start? The booster rollout will happen in mid-September.
Which vaccines will be used? The government has yet to set out which vaccines will be used.
Netherlands
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? The Dutch government asked its health council to advise on whether it should provide a third dose of BioNTech/Pfizer’s vaccine, and expects to have an answer by mid-September. When the council was asked in June, it said it was “plausible” that a booster would eventually be offered. A majority of the Dutch public also supports giving a third shot, but 47 percent said they would rather see those shots go to other countries in need first.
Poland
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Poland hasn’t made up its mind. Earlier in August, the country’s medical council said it was looking into giving a third shot to vulnerable people, but the country’s health minister, Adam Niedzielski, said research still didn’t support doing so. “I am trying to weigh how much there is added value for public health and how much is in the interest of pharmaceutical companies willing to sell more,” Niedzielski said.
Portugal
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Portuguese Health Minister Marta Temido said on Thursday that the country is waiting for the EMA’s recommendation on third vaccine doses before it makes a decision.
Romania
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Romania will decide in September whether to offer third shots to at-risk people, including medical staff and social care workers; people with chronic diseases; and the elderly over the age of 65. Valeriu Gheorghiță, the country’s vaccination campaign coordinator, said it is “very likely” the country will do so, as the Delta variant drives up infections.
Slovakia
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Slovakia is preparing to get a third shot ready, but it was deemed “premature” this summer by Martin Pavelka, the health ministry’s epidemiologist.
Slovenia
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Slovenia is giving third doses to vulnerable people, a group that includes organ-transplant recipients, immunocompromised people and patients with chronic conditions.
When does the rollout start? The rollout began this summer. People have to wait at least four weeks between receiving their second vaccine and their third.
Which vaccines will be used? Only mRNA vaccines.
Spain
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Spain this week said it was awaiting a recommendation from the EMA about whether to offer third shots. “Regarding the issue of the third doses, we must avoid introducing new controversies and let the technicians of the presentation work with the existing evidence,” the regional health minister of Asturias, Pablo Ignacio Fernández Muñiz, told El Mundo.
Sweden
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Sweden has announced a booster program for people who are at risk of severe illness from the virus, such as the elderly.
When does the rollout start? The rollout for vulnerable people will begin this fall. However, the Swedish Public Health Agency has said that it expects a third dose to be given to the majority of adults only next year.
Which vaccines will be used? The Swedish Public Health Agency has said that over the next few years vaccinations will probably be carried out using mRNA jabs or “possibly” an adjuvanted protein-based vaccine (such as Novavax and Sanofi’s vaccines, both of which are still in development).
United Kingdom
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? The U.K. has said it hopes to roll out boosters for the most vulnerable. The first stage would include the immunocompromised; those living in care homes; adults 70 and over; and people considered clinical extremely vulnerable, as well as front-line health and social care workers. The second stage would cover adults aged 50 and over; the household contacts of immunocompromised people; and adults aged 16 to 49 years old who are in a coronavirus at-risk group. However, the final green light for the program needs to come from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, a group of independent experts who advise the government on vaccinations.
When does the rollout start? It will take place from September.
Which vaccines will be used? The government hasn’t said yet.
United States
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? President Joe Biden’s administration has recommended a booster dose eight months after completing the first round of vaccination. This currently only applies to people who have received Moderna or BioNTech/Pfizer vaccines, but they are expected to also offer boosters to people who have received the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The decision is contingent on authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and a review by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine advisory committee.
When does the rollout start? It begins the week of September 20.
Which vaccines will be used? Currently, only mRNA vaccines are set to be used.
Israel
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? Israel was the first country to recommend boosters and is currently offering them to anyone who’s at least 50 years old and people at risk of severe illness from coronavirus, as well as prisoners and wardens.
When does the rollout start? Israel started offering boosters to immunocompromised people in July.
Which vaccines will be used? Israel has relied on BioNTech/Pfizer vaccines for its rollout, but it’s expected to start using Moderna for first and second doses, which could translate into Moderna also being used as a booster.
Serbia
Has it announced boosters yet and if so, who’s eligible? The country specifically recommends a third shot to immunocompromised people and the elderly, but anyone who was vaccinated at least six months ago can get a third shot, according to the AFP.
When does the rollout start? Booster jabs began in mid-August.
Which vaccines will be used? Serbians can choose which vaccine they want, regardless of their previous shots. The country offers a wide variety of jabs from Russia, China and Western companies.
Additional reporting by Siegfried Mortkowitz, Hanne Cokelaere, Melissa Heikkilä and Carmen Paun.
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