It has been two years since the coronavirus entered our daily lives. As we begin to return to a “normal” life, can we consider that the crisis is behind us? On the political side, we believe we have passed a milestone. “We are closing the parenthesis of two years of major crisis. We are not yet rid of it, but we know better this virus that we can better control”explains Christie Morreale, Walloon Minister of Health.
Following the easing of health measures, the number of new infections is stagnating and even tending to increase. A normal phenomenon for Professor Van Laethem. “In our country, as in other Western nations, we can see an increase in cases linked to the return of more frequent social contacts”he demonstrates.
With 30,000 dead on the Belgian counter, are there any measures that the world of experts regrets? One in particular, according to Dr. Van Laethem. “The group of experts mostly always got along well. The only measure we might have insisted on more is that of wearing a mask. We might have reduced the curve of certain peaks.”
At the time of the arrival of the coronavirus, the mask was debated. The Walloon Minister of Health remembers this. “I remember that the WHO in particular advised once morest wearing a mask, whereas today it is insane to think so. We were sorely lacking in knowledge of the virus. The truth of yesterday was not necessarily that of tomorrow. .”
Vaccination will persist?
While certain profiles of people are starting their 4th dose of protection once morest the virus, who would be affected by a 4th dose in the coming months? “For the moment, the fourth dose only concerns the immunocompromised. As for the month of September, we would start once more on a fourth dose basis for the whole population, starting with the elderly and going down little by little. small the age and the different priority trades”explains the Walloon minister.
“We have planned 5 scenarios. It will be possible for people to be vaccinated in vaccination centers but also at general practitioners as well as in certain pharmacies”, she indicates.
Following these numerous waves, some health workers abandoned the sector. How to approach the future of these essential professions, where it is increasingly difficult to recruit? “If there is a sixth wave, we will not have time to review the health system before that. We must improve recruitment, improve the qualification as well as the remuneration of many professions in the medical profession. We must also plan for plans for other major pathologies that will arrive one day or another”predit Yves Van Laethem.
The coronavirus did not invent the difficult situation experienced by nurses. “Before the pandemic crisis, some nurses left their jobs following 5 years”explains the expert.
For her part, the Walloon Minister adheres to the idea of distributing more INAMI numbers to doctors because many Belgian areas suffer from a lack of general practitioners.
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