The Consultative Committee will meet again on Friday. Several sources confirm this to our editors. The question is whether we are going from ‘code red’ to ‘code orange’. This transition would be accompanied by a number of relaxations, including in the catering and cultural sector.
Read everything about the coronavirus in our file.
Just yesterday, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Open Vld) did not rule out a relaxation of the corona measures in the coming days if the declining trend in hospital admissions continues. Then code orange from the corona barometer would come into view.
To switch to ‘code orange’ there must be fewer than 500 patients in the intensive care unit and fewer than 150 new hospital admissions per day. Over the past week, an average of 347 patients have been hospitalized every day because of the corona virus. That is a very slight decrease of 4 percent compared to a week ago. There are currently 430 patients in the intensive care units.
The transition to ‘code orange’ would then be accompanied by a series of relaxations, including in the catering industry, cinemas and theater halls. Concerts and discotheques would then also get a little more air.
Mouth mask obligation from six years
Flemish minister Dalle makes it clear today what his priority should be. “Today there are still some corona measures in force that are difficult for me. For example, we must get rid of the mouth mask obligation as soon as possible from the age of six,” he says. “That is one of the first things that the Consultation Committee should reconsider.”
Dalle hopes that code yellow – “or even better” – will be in effect by summer. “Then it will be a carefree summer. The strict rules of the summer of 2020 will certainly not return. So no more bubbles at camp. Preliminary testing will not be necessary either.”
According to Dalle, in the past two years, interest groups such as the catering sector have had more resonance in the run-up to a meeting of the Consultation Committee, “thanks to their large lobby”. “Of course I knock on the table for the youth, but there are no major economic interests that support that,” he says.
Ecolo is increasing pressure to relax, but is alone: ”We are not going to close the corona barometer yet, are we?” (+)
Omikron wave has passed its peak: when will we switch from code red to orange and will there be relaxations? (+)
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