While Belgians living abroad are normally vaccinated in their country of residence, they can also choose to get vaccinated in Belgium as of June, the Interministerial Health Conference decided on Tuesday.
It concerns Belgian citizens living in one of the roughly 150 countries or territories that use vaccines that are not (yet) approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and are listed (in Dutch and French) on the Foreign Affairs website.
"This is a rather large group of people, especially those living in countries where non-European vaccines are administered had questions about whether they could be vaccinated in Belgium," Gudrun Briat of the Vaccination Taskforce told The Brussels Times.
"Additionally, this decision is also for Belgians living in countries where the vaccination campaigns are much slower, such as several African countries," she said, adding that among them are also diplomats who represent Belgium abroad.
The actual vaccination for Belgians residing in one of the countries on this list should be possible in Belgium from June, provided that the vaccination campaign continues as planned, according to the Taskforce.
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To be pre-registered to get vaccinated in Belgium in the coming months, Belgian citizens who live in one of the countries on the list have to be registered at the local Embassy or Consulate-General, according to Foreign Affairs.
Additionally, their spouse or partner (of another nationality), as well as their children aged 18 or older (of another nationality) living in the same household, will also have access to vaccination in Belgium.
Belgian citizens living in a country that offers the same types of vaccines as the ones used in Belgium's vaccination campaign are asked to get vaccinated in their country of residence, Foreign Affairs stressed.
However, if they have not had the opportunity to be vaccinated where they live or if practical considerations prevent them from being vaccinated there, they will also be able to apply for vaccination in Belgium.
In that case, they will be vaccinated in the established framework of Belgium's vaccination campaign, starting in August 2021.
More information will be provided once the competent authorities in Belgium have confirmed the procedure, according to Foreign Affairs.
