“Quarantine no longer mandatory in Belgium for Covid-19 positive asymptomatic individuals”

Quarantine is no longer mandatory for people who have tested positive for Covid-19 and are not showing any symptoms. Photo: Shutterstock

As a result of the positive development of the pandemic, the Interministerial Conference of Belgian Health Ministers (IMK Gesundheit) has lifted the obligation to quarantine for 7 days after a positive corona test.

This decision will come into force in Belgium after the legal basis has been adjusted.

Quarantine is no longer mandatory for people who have tested positive for Covid-19 and are not showing any symptoms. Wearing a face mask is still strongly recommended, especially in contact with older or vulnerable people.

People with symptoms of respiratory infection who have tested positive for Covid-19 are advised to stay at home and, if necessary, to contact their doctor, who will determine the duration of the quarantine with a medical certificate.

Other hygiene measures to prevent the transmission of respiratory infections, such as washing hands and good ventilation, are also recommended.

The incumbent chairman of the conference of health ministers, Antonios Antoniadis (SP), welcomed the lifting of the quarantine obligation in an initial reaction. “We have decided to take personal responsibility. It is therefore up to each individual to protect themselves and others from infection. In view of the favorable epidemiological situation, this is justifiable and, in my opinion, a matter of course!” explains the DG Health Minister.

However, the end of the quarantine obligation does not apply to two facilities due to the vulnerable audience present there. In the case of residents of residential and care centers, it is the task of the attending family doctor, after consultation with the coordinating doctor, to assess the patient’s situation and, if necessary, to order quarantine. The conditions to be met in the facility are determined by the coordinating doctor, assisted by the facility’s nursing management team.

For the hospitals, it is up to the Hospital Hygiene Committee (CHH) to set the rules for a possible quarantine.