“Plan it small, nice and safe!”
Steven Van Gucht of health science institute Sciensano is predicting that the daily number of new coronavirus cases could fall to around 800 a day by Christmas with new hospitalisations averaging at 75 a day. Prof Van Gucht was speaking at the news conference of the national crisis centre.
“If the trends continue to evolve in the same way these are the figures we are looking at. This evolution isn’t a given. To a large extent it will depend on our joint efforts that we need to continue. What we do in the days between Christmas and New Year’s will be crucial if we wish to reach and stay within the safer zone. Plan it small, nice and safe! That’s the best guarantee for relaxations in January.”
Belgium’s consultation committee grouping the country’s many governments that takes decisions on corona measures is eying three indicators ahead of any future relaxations: the number of new confirmed cases a day must be under 800 for a full fortnight. New hospitalisations linked to coronavirus must be below 75 a day and both indicators must be falling.