BRUSSELS – A fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will soon be administered in Belgium, the country’s ministers announced Wednesday at an inter-ministerial conference.
“Since vaccination is and remains the most productive protection, we will establish in the autumn a new vaccination crusade for all those over 50 and all adults who have health problems or are under treatment,” Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke announced on Wednesday.
The fourth or fifth dose for other immunocompromised people will be given at least 3 months after the last vaccination.
People over the age of 50, other people over the age of 65 to 80, and other immunocompromised people will get priority invitations to get vaccinated starting in September.
For frontline staff in hospitals and other sports facilities, on-demand vaccination will be imaginable starting this summer.
In Belgium, the average number of new infections per day is 5518, a 44% increase in a week, according to figures released Tuesday by the Belgian public fitness institute Sciensano.
Faced with an increase in new infections, the BA5 variant accounts for almost 80% of cases, Frank Vandenbroucke advised: “If it has not already been done, schedule an appointment for the first reminder. Get screened if you have any symptoms. Gestures towards vulnerable other people and hide in confined spaces if you yourself are vulnerable. Ventilate your interior spaces.