27 January 2021: The pandemic is in a phase of both hope and deep concern.

27 January 2021: The number of people testing positive for the virus and people with COVID-19 that are being hospitalised continues to rise. In the week to 23 January on average 2,148 people tested positive each day. The figure is up7% on the week. The pandemic is in a phase of both hope and deep concern. At the current rate, most of Belgium’s at-risk population in residential care centres and hospitals should be vaccinated around mid-February. However, it will be necessary to wait until April or May when the people over 65 years old and people between 45 and 65 with underlying conditions are vaccinated before Belgium can consider adapting today’s deconfinement strategy health officials announced yesterday. If this timing turns out to be correct, I have about 90 pictures to go before life will return to normal. Today’s street scene I took downtown Ghent the day before yesterday – Ghent, Belgium