Belgium is going for mandatory vaccination
The Belgian government is in favour of mandatory vaccination for health personnel. Photo AFP, Dirk Waem
Western Europe
From the 1st of April 2022, all personnel in Belgian hospitals must be vaccinated against the coronavirus. That is the proposal of the federal government.
Every nurse or doctor who is not vaccinated knows what he must do before the end of March. Otherwise, he will be fired. The people concerned will keep the right to unemployment benefit.
The Belgian broadcaster VRT is reporting this.
It was not self-evident that the government could take this direction. They had to speak with the care sector first. But the sector is very much in favour of compulsory vaccination. "Everyone who works in care, whether you are purely a care professional or not, should be compulsory vaccinated", says Margot Cloet of the organisation Zorgnet-Icuro.
The vast majority of care workers have already been vaccinated", Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke says. "But there cannot be a small minority who have not been vaccinated. We are giving them until 1 April next year." Between January and late March, non-vaccinated care-workers should have a negative PCR test when they enter the hospital.
The proposed rule only applies to care personnel, not to logistic or social workers in hospitals.
Mandatory vaccination in Poland
In Poland, the government made the same proposal last week already. Health Minister Adam Niedzielski said he hoped this could start working before the end of the year, as Notes from Poland reports.
The minister says this is no "segregation" but just protecting the safety of staff and clients. He thinks this is the "best solution" for everybody.
Going to 2G society
In Belgium, the most important government advisors are pointing in the direction of a so-called 2G society: only vaccination pass or recovery will work for entrance. A negative PCR test would not be accepted. Several ministers are thinking in that direction too.
The coronavirus is very active in Belgium at the moment. Hospitals are full and busy and are afraid that they will overflow.
Austria has started with a 2G rule this week already. There is a lockdown for people who are not been fully vaccinated since Monday. They may go out for necessary shopping or to go to the doctor (preferably to get vaccinated). Just walking around is risking a fine of 1450 euros.
The total vaccination rate in Austria is 65 per cent.
In the Netherlands, the debate about 2G started after the government's press conference last Friday. There will be a debate in the parliament on Tuesday. It seems that there is no majority for such a rule.
