The Brussels Capital Region has set up a Covid-19 vaccination plan, aiming to ensure that all inhabitants can get the shots. European authorities are supposed to approve the vaccine at the beginning of 2021. The first 45,000 doses will be reserved for two priority groups: care workers and care home residents. Both groups will receive the vaccine in care homes.
The next people to be vaccinated will be patients at high risk and people above 65 years old. Then, the next in line will be essential professions, including chemists, the police, fire-fighters, etc.
According to Inge Neven, head of the Brussels health inspection, vaccination will be administered to patients in what are now used as test centers. “They will have to attend one of our vaccination centers. We’ll be transforming existing test centers into vaccination centers. We are toying with the idea of using a palace at the Heizel too, albeit temporarily. If everything goes according to plan, everybody in Brussels will be immunized by the end of next year,” said Neven.
Neven expressed her concerns about the Christmas festive period, which can possibly result in a third wave. If that happened, the vaccination plan could be compromised.
“At present Brussels is recording the lowest number of new infections, but we must remain vigilant for local outbreaks. We’re worried by the imminent festive season too. If that results in a third wave, we won’t be able to oversee the damage. A new wave could also disrupt our vaccination programme,” she added.
