Doctor nabbed for issuing 2,000 fake vaccine certificates in Belgium

By Selen Temizer

BRUSSELS (AA) – A doctor has been arrested for falsifying some 2,000 COVID-19 certificates in Belgium, officials said on Tuesday.

The doctor, who has not been named, will be prosecuted for handing out fake Covid Safe Tickets (CST), said Christie Morreale, the health minister for Belgium’s French-speaking Wallonia region.

Describing the case as a “health scandal,” she said the certificates have been revoked and people involved in the scam will also face legal action.

A CST proves that a person is fully vaccinated, tested negative for the virus in the last 48 hours or recovered from COVID-19 in the past six months.

Since the start of November, it is mandatory for people to present a CST to enter restaurants, cafes, bars, gyms and other places in Belgium.

Grappling with an alarming surge in coronavirus infections, Belgium enforced new measures this week to curb the spike.

It is now mandatory for people to work from home for four days a week, except for sectors that require physical presence of workers, while everyone above the age of 10 must wear a mask on public transport, at restaurants and other entertainment venues.

According to latest official data, an average of 15,448 new cases – a 54% increase from the previous seven days – and around 33 deaths were recorded every day in the country between Nov. 13 and Nov. 19.