“We will not accept a barometer under any conditions,” warned Mr. Jeholet during the plenary session of the Parliament of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
“We will be attentive to the various indicators. We must avoid having thresholds that prevent us from quickly relaxing if the health situation allows. (…) If we consider that this barometer is too restrictive, we will always be able to say (at the next Codeco, editor’s note) that there is no consensus on this tool ”, he assured in front of MPs.
“This barometer is one tool among others, and not the miracle solution because the situation is constantly evolving”, added Mr. Jeholet.
The minister-presidents of the federated entities and Prime Minister Alexander De Croo are due to meet on Thursday evening regarding this barometer.
This crisis management plan, which should allow more predictability of measures in the future, should be endorsed at the next Consultation Committee, already scheduled for next Wednesday, according to Mr. Jeholet.
Accused Wednesday by the opposition of having “capitulated” during the Codeco of December 22 which had decided to close the cultural places, the minister-president delivered to the deputies the elements of context which led to this controversial decision.
According to Mr. Jeholet, the expert reports submitted ahead of the said meeting announced an “explosion” in contamination and hospital admissions, as well as the risk of the Omicron variant possibly affecting children more than the variants. previous ones.
“So, yes, the experts did not ask for the closure of the cultural sector. It’s true. But, they said that if the contaminations increased for three consecutive days, then a complete lockdown would have to be imposed! », Confided the Hervien.
Codeco members therefore found themselves faced with a fairly simple choice: either to take targeted restrictive measures immediately. Either do nothing immediately, but take the risk of having to close everything in the event of a surge in infections.
It is therefore the first option that has been retained, with also the objective of being able to ensure a complete recovery of the school from January 10, further explained the Minister-President.
“I fought for there to be a cultural exception (in the decisions taken on December 22, editor’s note), but I was not followed…”, he lamented.
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