Nearly 170,000 Limburgers have already received a new corona shot (Hasselt)

Nearly 170,000 Limburgers have been vaccinated again against the coronavirus in recent weeks. Of all people over 65 in Limburg, 58 percent received a new injection. The autumn vaccination campaign is therefore running slightly slower in Limburg than in the rest of Flanders.

Since September, all Flemish people have had the opportunity to be vaccinated against the coronavirus again. The new vaccine is recommended for all people over 65, people with an underlying condition, pregnant women and healthcare staff. In two months, a total of 169,605 Limburgers opted for a new injection. Of all those vaccines, 113,875 were placed in the upper arm of a person over 65. This means that 58 percent of all people over 65 in Limburg have now been vaccinated again. Our province is therefore slightly behind the rest of Flanders. In Antwerp, 63 percent of people over 65 have already received a new injection, in East and West Flanders 62 percent, and in West Flanders 60 percent. It is not clear why the autumn vaccination campaign in Limburg is proceeding slightly slower. Fewer people over 65 may also opt for a new autumn vaccination in Limburg. Of all Limburgers under 65, 55,730 – or 8 percent – opted for a new injection. For the whole of Flanders, that percentage is 10 percent.

2.8 million vaccines

The new autumn vaccination campaign started in September in residential care centers. 91.2 percent of residents there have now been vaccinated. The rest of the population can go to the doctor or pharmacy for their injection. “GPs have administered 62 percent of the vaccines, pharmacists 25 percent,” says Flemish Minister of Health Hilde Crevits (CD&V). “Anyone who wants to can still get vaccinated.” There are a total of more than 2.8 million corona vaccines available for the whole of Flanders. Nearly 1.4 million of these, or about half, have already been injected.