The first shipment of the AstraZeneca vaccine should be given to people in the 60 to 65 age group, and people with existing medical conditions which put them at risk, according to the national health council.

Health minister Hugo de Jonge is currently finalising an update of his vaccination strategy and the health council’s recommendation makes it likely that people in their early 60s will be called up for a jab from as early as next week.

The Netherlands has been allocated 1.3 million doses of the vaccine, rather than the 4.5 million doses on order, because of production problems.

Meanwhile, Janssen Biotech in Leiden has asked the American Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorisation for its single dose vaccine.

Parent company Johnson & Johnson said an application will also be lodged with the European Medicines Agency in the coming weeks.