Just over 2,000 persons were called up for coronavirus vaccinations although they were not yet eligible, the task force in charge of the vaccination campaign said Friday evening in a press release.
To ensure that care providers received vaccines as quickly as possible, vaccination centres in Brussels and Flanders called them up by SMS and e-mail whenever possible.
As a result, some 600 of the frontline workers received invitations in Flanders, and 1,550 in Brussels.
"At this stage, close to 27.500 care providers have already received an invitation by letter, SMS or e-mail, and a significant number of them have already responded positively,” the Vaccination Task Force said.
When a first limited group was invited, there were still openings for appointments, according to the Task Force, so invitations were sent out by SMS and e-mail to 2,000 care providers in Brussels and Flanders, before the others could receive theirs, sent by mail.
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These 2,000 persons would “normally not have been eligible for vaccination until Phase 2, in other words during the mass vaccinations,” the Task Force explained.
"We regret this confusion between vaccination groups,” Task Force Chairman Professor Dirk Ramaekers said.
“This type of problem occurs when digital systems of this nature, in which many stakeholders need to intervene, are being launched, but it has to be avoided and adjusted in every way possible.”
In the meantime, an alert has been added to the digital system to avoid a recurrence of such glitches. Vaccination centres will also receive additional information on how to use the system with due regard for vaccine priorities.
Where the people unduly called up for vaccination are concerned, “each region should hold internal discussions,” Task Force Spokeswoman Gudrun Briat said.
In Flanders, the regional healthcare agency has already indicated that people who have already received invitations can report for vaccination on the dates proposed.
The Brussels Times
