‘If I go to a cafe or restaurant and people don’t use the corona pass seriously, I’ll go outside again. I want to feel safe,” Vandenbroucke said on Radio 1 on Saturday in De Morgen.
‘Absolutely’, is the answer from Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit) to the question of whether people should boycott catering establishments that do not take the corona pass closely. ‘If I go to a cafe or restaurant and people don’t use the corona pass seriously, I’ll go outside again. I want to feel safe,” Vandenbroucke said on Radio 1 on Saturday in De Morgen.
Vandenbroucke was therefore asked whether he says that people should boycott those catering establishments that do not seriously check the corona pass. ‘Absolute. It’s about safety’, says the Vooruit minister. ‘Your health is my responsibility. Your well-being is also my responsibility. But my health is your responsibility.’
Vandenbroucke also believes that Minister of the Interior Annelies Verlinden (CD&V) should have compliance with the new corona rules ‘absolutely’ checked more. The Vooruit minister cannot rule out even stricter measures. That depends, for example, on the evolution of the corona figures and especially the strictness with which the measures are applied and monitored.
Vandenbroucke does hope that the current measures will be sufficient. But avoiding closures and a real lockdown ‘can be done if we not only apply the measures in full, but are also super careful in our private lives’. He cannot give a threshold for stricter measures, but hospital admissions will continue to rise before the new measures will take effect. We are currently at 17,000 to 18,000 additional infections per day, he warns on the radio. ‘I’m afraid that train won’t stop just like that, it’s still going on. Measures you take now do not have immediate effect.’
For example, the minister wants everyone to start telecommuting from Monday. Vandenbroucke also argued that the mandatory vaccination for healthcare staff will also be effective from April 1, now that the core cabinet knocked on an agreement on Friday evening.
MR chairman Georges-Louis Bouchez quickly cast doubt on Twitter, but the measure will absolutely come. ‘Oh well, there are always people who want to make it extra difficult.’
But Vandenbroucke is certain, the measure has been ‘ceremoniously tapped, it is on paper’ and has been signed. ‘Is there an agreement? I think it’s safer to wait at the PS party office Monday to be sure? You never know. So many discussions to keep the same system,” Bouchez tweeted. He thus referred to the resistance of the French-speaking socialists against a mandatory vaccination for healthcare workers. The PS broke a country several times for a general mandatory vaccination.
Prime Minister De Croo clarified his vision of a mandatory vaccination for the entire population in a few weekend newspapers. He wants to see a more scientific debate on this. Because scientific analyzes show that mandatory vaccination is a bad idea. “The whole debate about that is political laziness.”
Vandenbroucke: ‘Dancing without a mouth mask is possible, subject to conditions’
Dancing without a mouth mask in discotheques, subject to conditions, is possible from today, Minister of Health Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit) said on Saturday in De Morgen on Radio 1.
The Mediahuis newspapers wrote that the scheme whereby self-tests can replace mouth masks in nightlife is completely at risk. After all, the Royal Decree with the latest corona measures published on Friday states that a cooperation agreement between the various governments still needs to be adjusted for this. That would take days, it sounded.
But according to Minister Vandenbroucke, that is not the case. ‘We’re not going to wait for that. We are a complicated country and the legislation is always complicated, but the agreement is that we will not wait for it,’ he says. As of today, no mouth mask is needed in a disco, on a double condition: ‘You use the corona pass correctly, you check it seriously. The second condition is that you organize and check a self-test. You only let in those who, in addition to the corona pass, can also prove that the self-test is negative.’
However, the health minister insists on caution. “We are in an explosion of the virus.”
He therefore calls on people to be very careful, to avoid too many contacts, to meet outside or to wear a mouth mask, for example. Anyone who goes to an event with more than 50 attendees must ensure that the corona pass is used seriously.
In a nightclub it is therefore possible without a mask, but then a serious self-test must be carried out beforehand. “Otherwise you shouldn’t do that.”
Vandenbroucke also asks for caution for private parties. The mouth mask is mandatory at private parties from 50 people. ‘If I were to organize a private party, I would also agree to do a self-test, even if it is not an obligation.’
‘Absolutely’, is the answer from Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit) to the question of whether people should boycott catering establishments that do not take the corona pass closely. ‘If I go to a cafe or restaurant and people don’t use the corona pass seriously, I’ll go outside again. I want to feel safe,” Vandenbroucke said Saturday in De Morgen on Radio 1. Vandenbroucke was therefore asked whether he says that people should boycott those catering establishments that do not seriously check the corona pass. ‘Absolute. It’s about safety’, says the Vooruit minister. ‘Your health is my responsibility. Your well-being is also my responsibility. But my health is your responsibility.’ Vandenbroucke also believes that Minister of the Interior Annelies Verlinden (CD&V) should have compliance with the new corona rules ‘absolutely’ checked more. The Vooruit minister cannot rule out even stricter measures. That depends, for example, on the evolution of the corona figures and especially the strictness with which the measures are applied and monitored. Vandenbroucke does hope that the current measures will be sufficient. But avoiding closures and a real lockdown ‘can be done if we not only apply the measures in full, but are also super careful in our private lives’. He cannot give a threshold for stricter measures, but hospital admissions will continue to rise before the new measures will take effect. We are currently at 17,000 to 18,000 additional infections per day, he warns on the radio. ‘I’m afraid that train won’t stop just like that, it’s still going on. Measures you take now do not have immediate effect.’ For example, the minister wants everyone to start telecommuting from Monday. Vandenbroucke also argued that the mandatory vaccination for healthcare staff will also be effective from April 1, now that the core cabinet knocked on an agreement on Friday evening. MR chairman Georges-Louis Bouchez quickly cast doubt on Twitter, but the measure will absolutely come. ‘Oh well, there are always people who want to make it extra difficult.’ But Vandenbroucke is certain, the measure has been ‘ceremoniously tapped, it is on paper’ and has been signed. ‘Is there an agreement? I think it’s safer to wait at the PS party office Monday to be sure? You never know. So many discussions to keep the same system,” Bouchez tweeted. He thus referred to the resistance of the French-speaking socialists against a mandatory vaccination for healthcare workers. The PS broke a country several times for a general mandatory vaccination. Prime Minister De Croo clarified his vision of a mandatory vaccination for the entire population in a few weekend newspapers. He wants to see a more scientific debate on this. Because scientific analyzes show that mandatory vaccination is a bad idea. “The entire debate about this is political laziness.” Dancing without a mouth mask in discotheques, subject to conditions, is possible from today, Minister of Health Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit) said on Saturday in De Morgen on Radio 1. The Mediahuis newspapers wrote that the arrangement whereby self-tests can replace mouth masks in nightlife, is completely on the slope. After all, the Royal Decree with the latest corona measures published on Friday states that a cooperation agreement between the various governments still needs to be adjusted for this. That would take days, it sounded. But according to Minister Vandenbroucke, that is not the case. ‘We’re not going to wait for that. We are a complicated country and the legislation is always complicated, but the agreement is that we will not wait for it,’ he says. As of today, no mouth mask is needed in a disco, on a double condition: ‘You use the corona pass correctly, you check it seriously. The second condition is that you organize and check a self-test. You only let in those who, in addition to the corona pass, can also prove that the self-test is negative.’ However, the health minister insists on caution. “We are in an explosion of the virus.” He therefore calls on people to be very careful, to avoid too many contacts, to meet outside or to wear a mouth mask, for example. Anyone who goes to an event with more than 50 attendees must ensure that the corona pass is used seriously. In a nightclub it is therefore possible without a mask, but then a serious self-test must be carried out beforehand. “Otherwise you shouldn’t do that.” Vandenbroucke also asks for caution for private parties. The mouth mask is mandatory at private parties from 50 people. ‘If I were to organize a private party, I would also agree to do a self-test, even if it is not an obligation.’
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