Let them choose which vaccine they get: Brussels wants to surprise doubters by openly allowing “vaccine shopping” (Brussels)
In an effort to boost vaccination coverage in the Brussels Region, Brussels will allow vaccine shopping more explicitly, writes the time. Studies that the newspaper could look into showed that 61 percent of unvaccinated Brussels residents would have had a chance of being vaccinated.
Source: BELGA
In the studies, 783 antivaxers were polled. It showed that more than six in ten (61 percent) would like to have a shot, so that they can freely choose the vaccine that happens. A signal that Inge Neven, the head of the Brussels health inspectorate, does not want to ignore it. “We are surprised by that high percentage. But if that is so important to the doubters, we will communicate from now on about which vaccine you can have where you can have it,” says Neven.
Pfizer’s corona vaccine in particular seems to be preferred by unvaccinated Brussels residents.
Until now, vaccine shopping was de facto already possible via the Brussels vaccination center, but now the choice will also be offered more explicitly with the help of flyers and various media channels.
That Brussels, in the context of Flanders and Wallonia, explicitly wants to allow vaccine shopping. “I understand this could spark a debate. But if it can help to boost vaccination coverage, we should invest in it,” says Neven.
Only 59 percent of Brussels residents are fully vaccinated. This figure is higher in Flanders (81 percent) and Wallonia (71 percent).