THE HAGUE - In the Caribbean parts of the Dutch Kingdom, vaccinations are expected to start in mid-February, Minister De Jonge of Public Health writes in his letter to the Dutch parliament about the vaccination strategy. These are Aruba, Sint Maarten, Curaçao, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba.

Just like in the Netherlands, the vaccination of healthcare personnel and people over 60 is started on most islands. On Saba and St. Eustatius, the entire population will probably be vaccinated at once, "given the limited care facilities, the small number of residents and the prevention of waste". About 5000 people live on both islands.

Which vaccine the residents will be given will be announced in mid-January. Then, according to the minister, there will be more clarity about the availability of the vaccines from AstraZeneca and Moderna.

Minister De Jonge admits that the Netherlands could have started vaccinating earlier. In November it became clear that it was not the AstraZeneca vaccine, but the Pfizer / BioNTech drug that would be the first to hit the market.

De Jonge believes that he should have intervened and asked the Public Health Department earlier to prepare for the Pfizer vaccine, which should be stored at much lower temperatures. "We have proved insufficiently maneuverable," says the minister.

He hopes that the vaccinations in the Netherlands will be completed in the third quarter of 2021. But much depends on the supplies, says the minister. "These determine the speed at which you can vaccinate. Not only in the Netherlands, but also in the rest of Europe."

The first person to be vaccinated in the Netherlands on Wednesday is an employee of a nursing home. That happens in Veghel.