People who received the Janssen coronavirus vaccine can book a third jab from Wednesday if they need it to travel to other European countries, the health ministry has confirmed.

The single-shot Janssen vaccine has caused problems for some travellers because countries such as Germany require people to have three doses before they qualify for a coronavirus access pass.

The government said in a press release that applying different rules in EU member states went against the principle of freedom of movement, but it needed to find a solution to allow Dutch citizens to travel to and access services in other countries.

‘The health council [Gezondheidsraad] says an extra jab after a booster is not necessary for most people, but neither does it object to it,’ the ministry said.

‘Therefore the cabinet has decided that people who have been vaccinated with Janssen and had a booster can receive an extra dose if they want one.’

The government has also agreed to make the Novovax vaccine available for people who are reluctant to have mRNA or vector-type vaccines, which include Pfizer, Moderna and Janssen.

Novovax became the first protein-based vaccine to be approved by the European Medicines Agency last December.

People who request Novovax will have to sign a declaration of informed consent first to state that they have considered the alternatives. The health ministry says mRNA vaccines remain the preferred option.