Corona and vaccination: talk about it!
On Saturday, December 18, we suffered another blow in the Netherlands. Just before the holidays we all go into a strict lockdown. Very difficult, the stretch is out, we all yearn for the "normal" time. Our thoughts go out to the entrepreneurs, the people in the cultural sector and everyone else for whom this lockdown is very intense.
It is increasingly difficult to continue to sympathize with others because it is often a distant memory. Yet we urge you to persevere! We can do this together! We also think of all the people in Health, education, police, etc.: they make sacrifices every day for our sake. And let's not forget the lonely in our society!
With vaccination, you protect yourself, but more importantly you protect those around you. So even if you are young and strong, vaccination is important. And without a booster, you are insufficiently protected against the Omikron variant. On social media, on TV, radio and in the newspaper, you are inundated with messages. There is a lot of fake news being spread. In this article, we put questions to Mayor Petra Dassen-Housen and Health Alderman Leo Jongen.
Q: Why should I get vaccinated or boosted?
Petra Dassen: "I am not going to sit in the chair of a scientist, I am mayor. But I see that in our town there is resistance to vaccinating. Currently, 75% of 18-plus people in Kerkrade have been fully vaccinated, compared to 86% nationally. That's quite a big difference. Perhaps it is fear or firm doubt. In that case, I advise you to contact a medical professional, such as your family doctor, to discuss this. In such a conversation, you can ask your questions and he or she can provide you with good information."
Q: Where can I go all the way?
Leo Jongen: "As the mayor points out, you can go to your family doctor, for example. But there are other places you can go if you have questions about vaccination or boosting. There is the Vaccination Doubt Phone: 088 - 755 57 77, the website About Vaccination and of course you can go to the website of Rijksoverheid Here you can always find the right information.
Pregnant women and women who want to become pregnant sometimes hesitate about vaccinating or boosting. The same applies to them: be well informed, there are the wildest stories going around. Ask your family doctor, your midwife or your gynecologist. More info can also be found on the Rijksoverheid website"
At the Kerkrade library you can get help with making a vaccination appointment and installing the corona check app (if it will be needed again soon after the measures are relaxed).
Q: Do you have another message for us?
Petra Dassen: "I can imagine that the press conference has caused us to see few bright spots: the work pressure in Health is immense, income of entrepreneurs is under pressure, understanding for each other is disappearing, positions are hardening and we cannot do what we are always used to do. I urge everyone to continue to support each other. Send a card, pay a visit, have an eye for the lonely in our beautiful city. And talk to experts about vaccinating and boosting. In any case, I look forward to my appointment at the Rodahal for the booster shot."
