The Comité de concertation today discussed the situation of the coronavirus pandemic in our country and agreed on a series of new protective measures. The wearing of compulsory masks has been extended, and teleworking made compulsory. Only strict compliance with these measures will enable us to avoid further containment.
The number of contaminations, hospitalizations and patients in intensive care has almost doubled in the last two weeks.
In order to avoid a bottleneck in our healthcare system, and to allow our education and economy to function as normally as possible, the Concertation Committee has taken a number of protective measures.
1. Safe distance and limited social contact
It is absolutely essential that citizens observe the basic rules to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
These include respecting the safety distance of 1.5 meters and limiting the number of social contacts.
The Comité de concertation strongly recommends that social contacts be kept to a minimum, and that they preferably take place outdoors.
2. Extended mask mandatory
The Comité de concertation has decided to generalize the wearing of masks, which will now be compulsory in the following situations:
- in enclosed areas of public transport and organized collective transport;
- for medical and non-medical professions;
- in healthcare establishments;
- in establishments and places where hotel and catering activities are organized;
- at events, both indoors and outdoors, and regardless of the scale of the event;
- in stores and shopping centers;
- in publicly accessible areas of companies and public administrations;
- in public buildings and courts;
- in libraries, toy libraries and media libraries;
- in publicly accessible areas of cultural, festive, sporting, recreational and event-related establishments;
- in fitness centers;
- in places of worship.
Masks are compulsory for children aged 10 and over. For education, communities decide whether or not to introduce compulsory masks for children under 12.
Masks may only be removed occasionally for eating and drinking while seated, and when the nature of the activity, such as sports, makes it impossible to wear a mask.
3. Covid Safe Ticket+
The Covid Safe Ticket is proof of full vaccination, a negative PCR test or certification of recovery. It gives access to events and catering establishments, for example.
The Comité de concertation has decided that in places or at events where the Covid Safe Ticket is applicable, wearing a mask is also compulsory. Both the Covid Safe Ticket and the mask must be worn.
The Covid Safe Ticket and mask must be worn in the following situations:
- for public events and private gatherings of more than 50 people indoors or more than 100 outdoors;
- in catering establishments (including private events held there);
- in theaters, concert halls, music halls, cabarets and other performance venues, multi-purpose halls hosting cultural activities, indoor circuses, cinemas, museums and amusement parks and other (indoor) theme parks.
ollowing the introduction of the Covid Safe Ticket, discotheques and dance halls are now obliged to ask their customers to present their Covid Safe Ticket and take a self-test on site. So Covid Safe Ticket + self-test.
4. Mandatory teleworking
Teleworking is now compulsory in the private sector and in all public administrations, unless the nature of the job or the continuity of activities prevents it. One day's presence at work per member of staff is authorized. From December 13, the number of return-to-work days will be increased to a maximum of two per member of staff.
This measure should help to reduce the number of contacts, also on public transport.
A monthly electronic register will have to be kept and made available via the social security portal.
5. Generalization of the additional dose
All fully vaccinated people will soon have the opportunity to receive an additional booster dose.
Several target groups - including people over 65, immunocompromised people and those vaccinated with Johnson & Johnson vaccine - have already had the opportunity to receive this additional vaccine dose. Now it's the turn of the rest of the population.
The vaccination campaign for children aged between 5 and 11 will be launched as soon as possible, following receipt of the favorable opinion of the French Conseil Supérieur de la Santé and the Comité Consultatif de Bioéthique, and approval by the European Medicines Agency. Vaccination will be voluntary.
6. Ventilation
In order to properly monitor air quality in schools and businesses, the Concertation Committee asks the regional Ministers of Education and Labor to ensure that CO2 meters are promptly and generally installed in all school and business premises where large numbers of people gather.
The measures will come into force on November 20, 2021, and will be applicable until January 28, 2022. The Comité de concertation will meet in early January to evaluate the measures.
For further information: https: //centredecrise.be/fr/newsroom/comite-de-concertation-port-du-masque-etendu-et-teletravail-obligatoire
source: Press release from Prime Minister Alexander De Croo
