The next meeting of Belgium’s Consultative Committee will take place on Friday 20 August at 2:00 PM, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo’s cabinet has confirmed.
The ministers will be meeting at the Egmont Palace on Friday afternoon, and the meeting will be followed by a press conference, De Croo's spokesperson told The Brussels Times.
The focus is expected to be on the current epidemiological situation in Belgium - with levels stabilising at a relatively high number of new infections - and the relaxation of measures on 1 September.
As stated when the summer plan was announced, measures will be relaxed provided that seven out of 10 adults have had their first vaccine, which is the case.
The number of people being treated for the coronavirus in intensive care is well below 500, another requirement for relaxations to go ahead, although hospital admissions are increasing.
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If the final step of the “summer plan” takes effect at the start of September, this could see all restrictions for worship ceremonies, weddings, and funerals, as well as for youth activities and camps, being lifted.
"The idea is to lift the restrictions as much as possible from then on," De Croo said when he first announced the summer plan.
The number of people that can attend cultural performances, shows, or sports competitions both inside and outdoors has yet to be determined.
Furthermore, local media reports that the Covid Safe Ticket - currently used as proof of vaccination, recovery from the virus, or a recent negative PCR test result - might be used more widely, as well as for entering larger indoor events and travelling.
From 1 September, the Covid Safe Ticket can also be used for indoor events, and whilst some government parties, including CD&V and Vooruit, are calling for it to be used at weddings, staff parties, and other private events before September, Flemish Minister-President Jan Jambon has said this would be going too far.
