Speaking with the parliamentary health committee on Tuesday, Paulette Lenert (LSAP) said the tense situation had calmed in Luxembourg thanks to restrictions over the holiday season, which extended bar and restaurant closures and closed shops.

While the incidence rate fell 70% in a month, Lenert stressed the need to continue applying the “precautionary principle”.

Strengthened monitoring

Monitoring in Luxembourg is being increased, examining the situation in neighbouring countries and the evolution of new mutations. Luxembourg sequences 10% of positive PCR test results, a rate which Lenert said was the highest in Europe.  

The vaccination programme, meanwhile, has been logistically challenging. Lenert said that authorities could only send out invitations to people once they had confirmed delivery of vaccines. This is to avoid cancelling appointments.

Last week Pfizer, which is supposed to supply Luxembourg with 78,000 doses of the vaccine it is marketing with BionTech by the end of March 2021, announced last-minute delays in supplying European countries. Pfizer said the delays were the result of a reorganisation of its production, aimed at increasing capacity this year from 1.3 billion doses to 2 billion. It added that a significant increase in doses would be “available for patients in late February and March.”

The current covid-19 measures enshrined in law remain in effect until 31 January. Next week, MPs will examine a new bill to adapt the measures for February.