If someone's planned holiday is scheduled to happen at the same time as their coronavirus vaccination this summer, people are urged to get vaccinated first, and adjust their travel plans accordingly.
The Flemish Agency for Care and Health is calling for caution when planning summer holidays, as many people will receive an invitation to get vaccinated in June and July.
"Our travel plans should be in function of the vaccination, and not the other way around," the agency's spokesperson Joris Moonens told VRT.
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"If we want to vaccinate six million people in Flanders in a couple of weeks, we will have to ask everyone to organise themselves as much as possible and give the vaccination priority," he said, adding that vaccination centres "cannot offer a tailor-made deal for everyone."
Generally, the invitations for vaccination are sent out about two weeks in advance, making it possible to plan ahead. Additionally, the date for the necessary second dose for most vaccines (except Johnson & Johnson) is also communicated in advance.
Flanders' aim is to give all adults who want to get vaccinated their first dose before 11 July, a goal that is still feasible, Flemish Welfare Minister Wouter Beke said last week.
On the website laatjevaccineren.be, people living in Flanders can check around which time they will be eligible for vaccination, roughly speaking.
Additionally, while Belgium has lifted its ban on non-essential travel to and from the country, travelling remains "strictly discouraged" as most of Europe is still a red zone.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
