AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – The Netherlands will stick to its plan to start COVID-19 vaccinations by Jan. 8 even though other European Union countries began inoculations this week, Health minister Hugo de Jonge said on Wednesday.
“Most countries have opted for symbolic first injections, I made a clear choice not do so”, De Jonge told reporters.
“Of course I would have wanted to be among the first, but we have made responsible choices.”
De Jonge has drawn criticism for his stance that it was impossible to start vaccinations earlier than next month, but he said local health authorities were not ready for an earlier start as the necessary IT systems were not yet in place.
Coronavirus infections in the Netherlands have remained high in recent weeks, despite a tough lockdown in which all schools and many stores were closed earlier this month.
Bars and restaurants in the Netherlands have remained shut since mid-October.
Dozens of hospitals cautioned on Wednesday that they would have to postpone critical operations and treatments to deal with a rising number of COVID-19 patients.
The Dutch national association for intensive care units said this could lead to choices between life and death by next month.
The number of hospitalised coronavirus patients has increased by more than 60% this month, and reached 2,714 on Wednesday.
Over 9,500 new coronavirus cases were reported on Wednesday, taking the total since the start of the pandemic to 787,300, and 11,323 people in the Netherlands are known to have died of the disease.
(This story refiles to remove extraneous word form headline)
(Reporting by Bart Meijer, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
