Authorities in Belgium have announced who will be considered a patient of high risk, which would then be used to determine who is granted priority to get vaccinated. The list –produced by the Superior Health Council, health insurance funds (mutuelles), and general practitioners– includes those who are at greater risk of ending up in intensive care, if they were to get infected with Covid-19:
1. Patients aged 45 to 64 years
- A chronic respiratory disorder
- A chronic cardiovascular disease
- Obesity
- Diabetes type 1 and 2
- A chronic neurological disorder
- Dementia
- A malignant cancerous tumor
- An officially diagnosed high blood pressure.
2. Patients aged 18 to 64 years
- Blood cancer
- Chronic kidney disease
- Chronic renal insufficiency
- Chronic liver disease
- Down syndrome
- A weakened immune system
- AIDS or HIV
- Organ transplant recipients, or people on the waiting list
Individuals can check here if they are considered a high-risk patient by logging in with their e-ID.
According to the Brussels Times, more than 250,000 people have signed up to get vaccinated with the vaccination centers’ leftover doses. Authorities have noted that it is not allowed to go earlier than indicated. People on the reserve list will be called starting with the elderly and continuing downwards in age. As for the time frame, the goal is to have high-risk patients vaccinated in the second half of April.
Individuals with underlying medical conditions who do not find themselves on the list by the 15th of April should contact their doctor or health insurance fund for more information. According to the national health institute Sciensano, an estimated 1.5 million people between 18 and 64 years old are considered at increased risk because of underlying medical conditions.
Residents of Flanders, Wallonia and the German-speaking community can register themselves on the new Qvax platform. The tool has been developed in order to use every available dose of vaccine because on a daily basis, in each vaccination center, some injections are not used due to last minute cancellations.
In concrete terms, individuals over 18 years of age can register on the website. Several pieces of information are required, including the national registry number and the availability of candidates for vaccinations. As a reminder, these people will be called not on the basis of the time of their registration, but according to priority criteria such as age and underlying conditions.
On the other hand, people living in Brussels must the Region’s own system, and most register to get on the reserve list for vaccination by calling 02 214 19 19.