Only 7 percent of foreign travelers returning from the red zone can still be tested | Inland

The number of travelers who completed a digital form has fallen sharply in recent months. The numbers for the paper form are not kept. In August, 187,527 travelers from orange zones and 29,421 travelers from red zones completed the digital form. In October, 53,642 travelers from orange zones and 45,356 travelers from red zones were still involved.

In August, 72 percent of travelers from the red zones were tested, resulting in 5 percent positive tests. In October it was still 7 percent, with 4.3 percent positive tests. In that month, however, the testing policy for travelers was changed, with the introduction of the ‘self assessment tool’. Only travelers with a certain score on that tool still had to be tested. After October 21, travelers without symptoms were no longer required to be tested.

Returning travelers who, on the basis of the completed tool, are equated with high-risk contacts, will receive an SMS from the contact follow-up centers with the message that they must respect a quarantine of 10 days. If it is established at the local level that someone is not complying with the requested isolation or quarantine and thus poses a danger to others, a Flemish medical officer can issue a warrant. This has not yet happened for returning travelers.

“The figures prove what Vlaams Belang had predicted from the start: that with a lax travel policy without sanctions, the support for quarantine and testing would disappear like snow in the sun”, says Janssens. “One can even speak of absolute impunity.”

–