Belgium Plans To Soften COVID-19 Restrictions During Summer - Reports

The Belgian federal response committee will hold a meeting on Tuesday during which it is expected to approve a plan to gradually lift COVID-19 restrictions during the summer and consider the introduction of a national health pass, Belgian news website 7sur7 reported

BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th May, 2021) The Belgian Federal response committee will hold a meeting on Tuesday during which it is expected to approve a plan to gradually lift COVID-19 restrictions during the summer and consider the introduction of a national health pass, Belgian news website 7sur7 reported.

The authorities are said to be planning to reopen cafes and restaurants in early June and allow up to four clients to sit at the same table. The necessary conditions would be to achieve an 80% vaccination coverage of citizens with comorbidities and less than 500 patients in intensive care units. The limits on mass events could be set at 200 people indoors and 400 people outdoors.

Starting July, Belgium may reportedly scrap the mandatory quarantine for travelers and lift the public assembly limits to 2,000 inside and 2,500 outside, provided a 60% vaccination of adult citizens and the introduction of a European Union vaccination certificate were achieved.

If by August the share of Belgian adults who received at least one vaccine dose reaches 70%, the public assembly limit may be increased to 3,000 people inside and 5,000 outside, according to the report.

The committee will also discuss introducing a COVID-19 certificate, either as a document or an app, which will allow those vaccinated or tested negative to participate in mass events, festivals and concerts, as well as visit restaurants and cinema. The authorities, however, are concerned that it would violate the rights of citizens who are unable to get vaccinated, according to the report.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Belgium has confirmed more than 1 million COVID-19 cases, including 24,500 fatalities. The country has already vaccinated 30.7% of the population, or over 3.5 million people.