Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Flanders starts COVID-19 vaccines on September 30, 2025, and flu vaccines in mid-October 2025. Authorities urge 65+, chronically ill, pregnant, or immunocompromised individuals. Marleen Hams highlights new pharmacy access, high-dose vaccines for 65+ and 75+.
As VRT News reported, on September 30, 2025, the COVID-19 vaccination campaign will begin in Flanders, while the flu vaccine campaign will start in mid-October 2025. Authorities are appealing to the general population over 65, those with chronic conditions, and those with weakened immune status to get both vaccines.
Marleen Hams of the Flemish Pharmacists Network indicates that this group also consists of people who have problems with their hearts, lungs, or kidneys, and those who have diabetes. We can also encourage pregnant women to receive both vaccines.
What steps have simplified flu vaccination in Flanders?
Health officials indicate, people can now receive the vaccines at pharmacies; however, they must first see their GP to get a prescription. This step is needed to ensure that the vaccine can be reimbursed by their health insurance. The Flemish Pharmacists Network says this is not convenient.
“This year, there’s a high-dose vaccine for those aged 75 and older, and an adjuvanted flu vaccine (to which certain substances have been added, ed.) for those aged 65 and older,”
says Haems.
Marleen Hams explains that the extra step is “quite cumbersome and can affect the vaccination rate.” She warns that some people may decide it is too much trouble to get vaccinated because of this requirement.
“The stronger ones are made from the same strains,”
Hams explains.
“They’re simply manufactured differently technically, and substances have been added.”
Hams is concerned that this could make it harder to reach the goal of 80% of people over 65 getting a flu vaccination, a target that has not yet been achieved. She also emphasises that classic flu vaccines are still effective. Hams encourages people aged 65 and older, including those over 75, not to be discouraged by the prescription process.
Flanders has been running flu vaccination campaigns for many years. The campaigns focus on people over 65, those with chronic illnesses, and pregnant women. Until 2018, patients had to get a prescription from their GP, collect the vaccine at a pharmacy, and then return to the doctor for the injection. This process was long and sometimes made vaccination harder.
Since 2018, pharmacists have been allowed to give vaccines directly without a prescription. However, a GP prescription is still needed for high-dose flu vaccines, which give extra protection to older adults. Every year, the campaigns start in September for COVID-19 vaccines and in mid-October for flu vaccines.
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