The vaccination approach in Belgium and in many other countries, but also the probability of a third wave, are the main themes of recent weeks about the new coronavirus.
To answer his questions, the European director of the World Health Organization (WHO) is at the microphone of Thomas Gadisseux in Matin Première this Thursday.
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Hans Kluge is a Belgian doctor, and finds himself at the heart of the fight against the coronavirus. In a global health situation where the number of deaths is accelerating. However, the European director of the WHO is optimistic: “Finally, we can be optimistic because 2021 will be easier than 2020. But we will still see an increase in cases and therefore deaths during this winter period. So it’s very important that people continue to listen to the advice and follow the measures“.
The end of the tunnel with the vaccine?
The UK launched its vaccination campaign on Tuesday against Covid-19, the first in a Western country. In Belgium, it will begin on January 5 and with it, as in many other countries, some reluctance of part of the population in the face of this vaccination.
With the start of this strategy, Hans Kluge finally sees “the light at the end of the tunnel”. He confirms that in some countries, up to 70% of the population is reluctant to be vaccinated against the coronavirus : “It is a phenomenon that we know well and it is normal, because there are still some uncertainties. The challenge is above all to understand people and why they think so“.
we must also prioritize the professions
An understanding rather than an obligation, this is the priority of the WHO, which analyzes behavior since the start of the pandemic : “I have established a health program for everyone. To understand how people live and react, and adjust the WHO approach and strategy to integrate communities in the fight against the coronavirus“.
What motivates the refusal to want to impose the vaccine on people, is the will to cause adhesion even if: “In some professions it is in the interest of public health to be vaccinated. However, we must also prioritize the professions so that this is not coercive.“, concedes the European director of the WHO.
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Regarding the future vaccination certificate, it is not intended to be urgent for several reasons. First, because the virus mutates and therefore we do not yet know the effectiveness of the duration of a vaccine, even if the Organization follows all mutations very closely. And then for Hans Kluge what is more important before defining the duration is to “leave no one behind”. Because : “We know above all that the measures will be two-speed, so we will first have to fight against social inequalities.“.
Belgium, this European “black point”?
When you listen to the political world, you can see a certain cacophony, so what to say to people for the holidays? “The measures in place are necessary to avoid a third wave in the short term. It’s all up to us, which is also good news“, explains Hans Kluge, remaining optimistic and before concluding:”Si we follow the measures we can avoid a lot of deaths, we have to celebrate the end of year holidays but just differently“.
Belgium has often been pointed out as a country too often in the lead in the figures for rates of contamination, hospitalizations and deaths. But the idea of classification and comparison displeases Mr. Kluge: “I dispute the comparison between countries because there are many factors that differ from that to make a classification“.
it is too early to draw any conclusions
The same goes for the responsibility for the health crisis in Belgium: “We know that governance is complicated but it is too early to draw conclusions on the management of this health crisis. And then there are countries that handled the first wave well but not the second, so it is too early to draw any conclusions.“. But on the point of isolation (quarantines), the European director of the WHO already gives a conclusion. For him, it was necessary to set up structures to assist people and help to keep in isolation..
“We’re halfway with the prospect of something healthier“, allows himself in advance Hans Kluge who does not see this pandemic as a succession of waves, but as a long road with moments of respite.
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