People turning 60 will be invited for a shingles vaccination from next year, but those who have already passed the milestone will have to pay for the jabs themselves, caretaker health minister Judith Tielen has decided.

The junior minister says extending vaccinations to the over-60s would be too expensive. The decision to focus on 60-year-olds, the minister says, is in line with recommendations from public health institute RIVM on making the most effective use of the budget.

From 2027, the ministry of health will allocate €47 million a year to the vaccination programme, rising to €53 million a year from 2030. In practice, that means at least 150,000 people can be vaccinated each year.

The shingles vaccine is relatively expensive and more than five million people in the Netherlands are aged 60 or over. Two doses are required per person, costing around €400 in total.

People who are not eligible can still opt for vaccination privately, but will have to pay for it themselves.

Shingles is caused by the same virus as chickenpox, which can become active again years later. The condition causes itchy blisters on the skin and is extremely painful.