Thread by @mboudry

Belgian authorities are much more to blame for the 2nd wave than for the 1st. In March, we had some bad luck (ski holidays, intnl connectivity). The 2nd wave was entirely of our own making. Authorities RELAXED measures when all experts warned that cases were rising. @MatinaStevis

https://twitter.com/MatinaStevis/status/1318139585243893760

In August, the (previous) health minister @Maggie_DeBlock (whose incompetence has been documented by your newspaper nytimes.com/2020/08/08/wor…), sidelined the virologists and actively enlisted notable 'corona sceptics' who were spreading dangerous misinformation. /2 @MatinaStevis

As a result, the weak Wilmès government relaxed measures at a crucial moment in September when cases were rising dangerously again, thus caving in to pressure from lobbyists & said 'corona minimalists'. Luckily we have a new government & health minister now, both competent. /3

'Corona minimalists' were active all across Europe, but in Belgium some had real political clout, and they faced a weak government and an incompetent health minister who had been downplaying & pooh-poohing the virus right from the start. /4 @MatinaStevis
theconversation.com/a-strange-para…

I won't claim this is the "consensus" among Belgians, but I think most virologists, epidemiologists & health experts would agree. The previous government wasted precious weeks and did the exact opposite of what it was supposed to do at a crucial moment. /5

https://twitter.com/MatinaStevis/status/1318139585243893760