While an additional six million face masks have arrived in Belgium, the Walloon and Flemish governments have disagreed as to how they should be distributed, according to reporting by the Belga News Agency.
The cabinet of Flemish Minister-President Jan Jambon announced the arrival of the 5 million masks but said that 92% of them would be distributed to Flanders and 8% to Brussels and Wallonia from the Barracks in Peutie where they are currently located. Meanwhile, the Walloon government refers to 2.2 million masks set aside for them.
According to the offices of Walloon Minister-President Elio Di Rupo and Minister of Health Christie Morreale, the new delivery will cover the needs of nurses, in addition to those of hospitals and doctors. They plan on distributing their 2.2 million surgical masks to a wide array of services including nursing homes, convalescence centres, family support services and sheltered accommodation initiatives.
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In a debate during 'De Zevende Dag', a TV show on Flemish channel Eén, N-VA leader Bart De Wever, who is known for pushing for confederalism, or putting as much responsibility as possible on regional rather than federal governments, lamented the struggle between political parties through this crisis, saying "If you can't agree on things now, then when?"
Jason Spinks
The Brussels Times
