Approximately 300 people staged a protest at Brussels Central Station on Saturday afternoon to highlight the lack of care for long COVID patients.
The associations ‘Not Recovered Belgium’ and ‘Long Covid Belgium’ are calling for more research into the condition. They also demand better training for caregivers to treat the disease effectively.
Protesters laid down with blankets and pillows at the Europakruispunt, the square in front of the main entrance of Brussels Central Station. This “lie-in protest” criticises the lack of attention to people struggling with long-term effects of Covid-19, five years after the pandemic began.
“There are hundreds of thousands of long Covid patients in Belgium,” the organisers said. “Some can no longer work or study, while others find it challenging to care for their children and loved ones. These sick individuals are left to fend for themselves, without adequate care, recognition, or support.”
“Meanwhile, the new federal government talks about getting long-term sick people back to work,” the organisers added. “We are inclined to forget these people, just as we might wish to forget the entire pandemic.”
