16 October 2020: Belgium’s Covid-19 situation is more serious than in France and in the Netherlands

16 October 2020: Update on The Corona Pandemic – Figures show that during the last seven-day observation period starting 5 October on average 5,421 people tested positive each day and that on average 170 patients a day were hospitalised. While our coronavirus infections figures continue to soar, calls have been rising to follow the neighbouring countries’ example and introduce “partial lockdowns” or curfews. As consequence we’re all anxiously looking forward to the outcome of today’s meeting of the consultative committee. In advance of the meeting Frank Vandenbroucke, Belgium’s new Minister of Health, announced yesterday that whatever the meeting will decide a number of guiding principles will be respected. Those include keeping schools open, ensuring that businesses can continue their activity, ensuring that health care does not overturn, allowing people suffering from cancer to be treated and a person who has to undergo a serious operation to be admitted to hospitals. Awaiting the result, I’ll work through my agenda of videoconferences and hope for a decision that strikes the right balance between the economy and the need to ensure the safety of all of us. On display today is the clock tower of the old post office downtown Ghent – Korenmarkt, Ghent, Belgium