The Belgian government yesterday said it intends to make any coronavirus vaccine available to around 70% of the population, or some eight million people, and free of charge.
The jab will not be compulsory, said Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke as he and regional counterparts attended an inter-ministerial health conference: “The objective is to vaccinate at least 70% of the population. Priority groups will be determined on the basis of scientific opinion and social debate. Vaccination will be free for every citizen receiving it”.
Belgium, with a population of 11.5 million, has registered almost 540,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 14,000 deaths to date. Its death rate per million residents is one of the worst in Europe.