This evening, the House Health Committee approved the bill by Minister of Health Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit) on the mandatory corona vaccination for healthcare staff. There is no concrete timing, but the blood test obligation does not come into effect immediately.
At the end of January, the federal government agreed on the principle of compulsory vaccination for healthcare staff. Originally, the obligation was to come into effect on January 1, with a transition period of three months. Thereafter, there was an entry into force on 1 July, with the option of changing the timing depending on the epidemiological situation. It has now been decided by means of an amendment to apply the blood test requirement only after a decision to that effect by the Council of Ministers. There is therefore no concrete timing for entry into force.
The puncture requirement in healthcare has been the subject of a heated debate for months. The trade unions in the sector, among others, are opposing it, but the opposition is also questioning whether it is still so urgent to quickly vote on the obligation in parliament. In addition, staff who do not want to be vaccinated against Covid-19 are at risk of being suspended or fired, while the healthcare sector is already struggling with a staff shortage, according to N-VA, Vlaams Belang and PVDA.
The text was finally approved on Friday after an entire afternoon of debate in the House Committee on Health. The opposition did request a second reading, which means that the draft cannot immediately go to plenary.
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