31 January 2021: When will we get our first jab?

31 January 2021: Number of coronavirus infections continues to rise.  In the week to 27 January on average 2,245 people tested positive each day. The figure is up 11% on the week. The number of hospitalisations and deaths from the virus fall. The latter is most likely the result of the higher percentage of younger people testing positive for SARS-CoV-2. Yesterday, it was also announced that the first 80,000 doses of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine for Belgium will be delivered on 7 February. A second delivery of 200,000 doses is planned ten days later. It is still unclear whether the vaccine will be used to vaccinate the over 65s in Belgium. There has been much discussion about its suitability for older people as there is little test data on its effectiveness among that age group. It could well be the case that it works equally well at protecting older people but more research is needed before this can be confirmed and Belgian experts are awaiting data from the UK where the AstraZeneca vaccine has already been administered on a large scale to the elderly before they’ll make a final decision. What all of this means for the timing of the vaccination campaign is still unclear. The day before yesterday Mr Jambon, the Flemish Prime Minister, said that if the manufactures deliver supplies of their vaccines according to plan every Fleming that wants to be vaccinated will have received their first dose of the vaccine before the summer. Yesterday, the chairman of the vaccination taskforce announced that if everything remains unchanged the vaccination programme should be complete by September. Net-net, there are too many unknowns to accurately forecast the timing of the campaign. We’ll just need to wait and see how it all unfolds. Today’s mural is part of a campaign that addresses domestic violence. Lockdowns around the world are bringing a rise in domestic violence as households are forced into permanent cohabitation. The campaign aims to provide information, support and protect victims – Ghent, Belgium.