Beginning in February, the Netherlands will mandate COVID-19 booster shots.

As more individuals globally receive COVID-19 boosters, one nation is making it compulsory for travel.

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The Netherlands has announced that only vaccine certificates indicating receipt of a COVID-19 booster will be accepted, according to reports from SchengenVisaInfo.com. The site notes that travelers who haven't received a booster can still travel within the European Union if they present proof of a negative COVID-19 test. This policy is set to take effect in February 2022.

U.S. travelers can enter the Netherlands if they are fully vaccinated or meet one of the EU Entry Ban Exemption Categories. Those eligible under an exemption who cannot provide vaccination proof must show a negative COVID-19 test result. This rule applies to all travelers aged 12 and older.

The Netherlands joins several countries that have already implemented restrictions for individuals who have not received a COVID-19 booster. In France, individuals aged 65 and older must have a booster to enter indoor venues starting December 15. The United Kingdom recently announced that eligible individuals who decline a booster may face quarantine and additional testing, according to The Guardian.

As I have mentioned before, the practice of governments setting expiration dates on vaccination credentials is not a new trend. New York state's Excelsior Pass vaccine passport is currently valid for 365 days, but the state has noted that this validity may change based on health expert recommendations. The "Excelsior Pass Plus"—another version of New York State's vaccine passport—also includes details about booster doses.

Currently, it's unclear how many individuals worldwide have received a COVID-19 booster. Globally, nearly 60% of the population has received at least one vaccine dose, according to data from the New York Times. Countries where at least 40% of residents have received a booster include Uruguay, Iceland, Israel, Chile, and Gibraltar, as reported by Bloomberg. In the U.S., there has been encouragement for eligible individuals to get a booster shot.