Belgium scraps mandatory COVID tests for people arriving here from China
From Monday people arriving in Belgium from China will no longer have to undergo a mandatory test for coronavirus in order to be allowed into the country. Speaking on Friday morning, the Federal Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke (Flemish socialist) said that from 27 February the tests will be voluntary. Testing will be scrapped completely from mid-March.
Mr Vandenbroucke’s office told journalists that "After an evaluation it became evident that the measure is no longer useful. The results are reassuring. Travellers arriving from China do not appear to pose any risk to our elevated level of protection against COVID-19. Research has shown that since the outbreak no new variants other than Omicron have been detected in China”.
The Royal Decree making the changes in testing policy become law was signed on Thursday (23 February). Although testing will become voluntary from Monday and will be scrapped completely from mid-March screening of wastewater from planes arriving from China will continue. Meanwhile, the Risk Management Group is looking into possible new COVID-prevention measures.