Belgium's response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Belgium is often seen as an outlier in the international experience with the coronavirus disease 2019. We summarize the unfolding of the pandemic in Belgium from February to December 2020, discuss the countermeasures that were implemented and provide some explanations why the numbers indicate a stronger pandemic in Belgium than in its neighbouring countries. To some extent, the seemingly poor performance of Belgium is a measurement artefact. Yet, there were indeed particular factors in Belgium that unnecessarily increased the toll of the pandemic. In the first wave insufficient priority was given to protect care homes. The second wave was larger than necessary due to a failure to timely implement restrictive measures. The latter can, at least partly, be explained by a unique political situation: a temporary, minority government in the middle of a major crisis.

Automated summary

Belgium had a unique experience with the COVID-19 pandemic compared to other countries. This article summarizes the development of the pandemic in Belgium from February to December 2020 and discusses the measures implemented. It also explains why Belgium had a stronger outbreak compared to its neighboring countries, partly due to measurement artifacts and partly due to specific factors such as inadequate protection in care homes during the first wave and a delay in implementing restrictive measures during the second wave, which can be attributed to the unique political situation in Belgium.