Belgium's Covid measures have been officially extended until 1 April, according to the latest information from Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.
While the extension - announced on Friday - means rules could last until then, it does not mean they necessarily will. "This is done in order to have the necessary legal certainty also after 1 March 2021. This does not mean that no interim decisions or revisions are possible," the announcement reads.
“Some kind of measures have been in force for almost a year now,” De Croo said. “Let me be clear: we do not want to keep these measures in place one day longer than necessary. We asked the experts to lay out a clear path, taking into account not only the number of infections, hospitalisations and deaths, but also the state of the vaccinations, in particular of vulnerable groups.”
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The next Consultative Committee meeting will take place on 26 February.
By 1 April at the latest, Belgium also intends to have a penalty system in place for people who do not get tested even though they have to, such as returning travellers.
“Their details will be given to the police so that they can be penalised,” Vandenbroucke said. “We have made good arrangements about this with the different Regional governments.”
Jules Johnston
The Brussels Times
