Consultative Committee to consult COVID-19 will not take place on May 6

The next consultative committee, which is pointed to consult the follow-up of the COVID-19 health crisis, and the last measures in place, will not be going to take place next Friday, 6 May, Belgian Health Minister, Frank Vandenbroucke said on Sunday.

As per the statement of the Minister, “I spoke out of turn.”

Vandenbroucke stated on Tuesday that the committee will be going to meet on 6 May, but it did not fit in to the agenda of several participants, he said on Sunday, adding that no new date had been set so far.

Nevertheless, the aim is to hold the meeting “relatively soon”, the Minister added.

If the coronavirus pandemic continues to progress in a positive direction, the barometer could be put “in the drawer”, he said on Tuesday.

Since 7 March, Belgium’s corona barometer has been placed in code yellow, which means that almost all health measures previously imposed to slow the spread of the virus have been lifted.

The next consultative committee should further relax the rules currently in force, such as the mandatory wearing of face masks in public transport.

Most indicators are currently declining (hospitalisations, intensive care and deaths), except for the number of cases, as per the recent data published by Sciensano, Belgium’s Public Health Institute.