“CST is not a solution, mandatory vaccination is,” the Neutral Syndicate for the Self-Employed (NSZ) noted after the Consultation Committee on Tuesday. Trade federation Comeos even states that the government ‘does not take up its responsibility’ by not opting for a general vaccination obligation. Do they have a point?
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According to Comeos, a higher vaccination rate offers ‘much better protection’ for public health than wearing a mouth mask in the store. The federation is concerned about the employees, who will have to enforce the mouth mask obligation in the store. The trade union movement ACV Puls is also concerned about customer aggression because of that control, although it does support the mouth mask requirement.
‘Covid Safe Ticket is a symbolic measure’
The NSZ believes that only a step-by-step plan towards mandatory vaccination offers a way out of the crisis. During the press conference after the Consultation Committee on Tuesday, Federal Minister for Health Frank Vandenbroucke stated that a combination of measures – mouth masks, Covid Safe Ticket (CST), vaccinations and ventilation – was necessary to suppress the autumn peak, because none of them are a panacea. is. He is joined in this by experts such as Pierre Van Damme and Marc Van Ranst. Vandenbroucke did add that there are still gains to be made with further vaccination.
• The fourth wave does not spare the vaccinated either
The NSZ sees this differently and calls the introduction of the CST a symbolic measure that comes down to extra costs and work for the entrepreneur. In addition, the syndicate does not trust that the measures will expire after 3 months. ‘How long are we going to keep this up? Five years, ten years? In this way the consumer remains in crisis mode and this will hit our entrepreneurs again in the checkout’, argues the self-employed organisation.
‘Discrimination and stigmatization’
The NSZ is also not pleased that some sectors are already being targeted. ‘We cannot shake the impression that the companies – shops, catering and fitness centers in particular – are again the victims of the lack of a structured plan,’ said NSZ spokesperson Ann Van Doren.
• Corona blog | Follow all recent developments about the corona crisis here
Horeca Vlaanderen can live with the introduction of the CST – they had also proposed that themselves – but finds the mouth mask obligation for staff nonsensical if they can also present a valid CST. Eric Vandenabeele, director of Fitness.be, however, speaks of discrimination and stigmatization of the fitness clubs. He wonders why the obligation of the CST does not apply to other sports clubs and sports facilities such as dance schools, boxing clubs, climbing halls… According to Flemish Prime Minister Jan Jambon (N-VA), the measure should mainly focus on ‘fitness tourism’ from Brussels and Wallonia – where already longer a CST is needed – counteracting.
• Overview | This is decided on the Consultation Committee
The country’s various governments decided on Tuesday to extend the Covid Safe Ticket (CST) to catering establishments and fitness centers across the country. Teleworking is also strongly recommended ‘when possible’ and from Friday wearing a mouth mask will be mandatory in public places when they are inside.
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