Pharmacists and veterinarians should not be trained for the administering of coronavirus vaccines in Belgium, according to the General Union of Nurses of Belgium (UGIB).
The union argued that administration of this vaccine is indeed more than a simple "shot" and requires responsibility and vigilant supervision on the part of the person carrying it out.
“In Belgium, the administration of vaccines (in normal situations) is legally reserved to doctors and nurses under the law of 10 May 2015 on the exercise of the health care professions, as well as to students in these fields as part of their regular training," the statement continued.
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However, the Act of 6 November 2020, which was recently extended until 1 October 2021, allows nursing activities to be performed by people who are not legally authorised to do so, but whose profession comes closes to nursing training, in the context of the Covid-19 epidemic.
“This implementation is subject to particularly strict conditions. If these conditions are not met, persons who are not doctors or nurses and who administer vaccines are liable to prosecution and punishment,” the union pointed out.
In Brussels, pharmacists can, however, register patients for a shot via the Bru-VAX registration platform, according to Inge Neven of the Brussels Health Inspectorate.
“If they have a client or patient who wants to be vaccinated (and is due to receive a dose) then they can register the person using only the national registry number. They can also immediately request transport to the vaccination centre for these people,” she said.
The Brussels Times
