Belgium's PM announces possible return of indoor events this autumn

In a recent announcement made by Belgium’s prime minister, Alexander De Groo, the return of large indoor events could occur as early as September this year. The outcome regarding this decision however, heavily relies on how “motivated” residents are when it comes to them being vaccinated.

When focusing on Belgium’s vaccination campaign, the statistics surrounding the matter can be described as relatively successful, with almost 70% of the country’s total population having received one dose of a vaccination, whilst more than 50% having received both required doses. Talking to Studio Brussels on this particular matter, De Groo showed signs of optimism regarding the return of large events, as he stated;

“It remains a bit uncertain, but if you look at how fast our vaccination rollout is going, then by the beginning of September, those who should be fully vaccinated will be and so far, there is no reason to believe that the protection would not be good, so in autumn, those kinds of concerts and events where you are standing close to other people should be possible.”

With the statement coming at the exact same time of Pukkelpop announcing its official cancellation, it is hard to not notice that yet another major international festival that is held in Belgium has ended up having the same fate as the eagerly anticipated Tomorrowland. Looking to justify the reasoning behind the cancellation of events with such magnitude, De Groo commented;

“Multi-day festivals are more difficult, especially if you have a young audience. Many 16-year-olds, for example, have not yet been fully vaccinated.”

Hosting such events would require the festivals to expand their on-site capacities, and with the small timeframe in hand, it would have been practically impossible. However, the recent announcement regarding a Covid Safe Ticket (CTS) in order to facilitate the full reopening of Belgium’s live music sector, has provided a glimpse of hope for the industry and all the struggles faced due to COVID-19.

With the CTS eliminating the need for social distancing, anyone who holds this domestic health pass, will be able to attend outdoor events from the 13th of August 2021, and indoor events from the 1st of September 2021. With Belgium now heading in the right direction and a swift return towards ‘normality,’ we hope that all transitions are effective and efficient as they can be.

Image Credit: Fuse Brussels (via Facebook)