With the end of the summer holiday in sight, a number of coastal municipalities want to phase out the mouth mask obligation. With the start of the new school year, it no longer makes sense to enforce the duty everywhere, it sounds. The national and provincial rules will remain in force.
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In De Panne, Koksijde in Nieuwpoort wearing a mouth mask is only mandatory in busy places from September. That was decided by the mayors of Koksijde, Marc Vanden Bussche (Open VLD), Nieuwpoort, Geert Vanden Broucke (CD&V) and De Panne, Bram Degrieck (Plan B). Together they form the West Coast police zone. In those municipalities, wearing a mask used to be mandatory everywhere.
In concrete terms, the rule means that a mouth mask is mandatory in places where you cannot guarantee the distance of 1.5 meters. A mouth mask remains mandatory on the dike, in shopping streets, in catering establishments and on public transport due to federal and provincial rules. A list of other ‘busy’ places will be provided later.
‘With this we want to offer our own residents, second-handers and tourists a clear future perspective. On September 1, the schools will start again and we will wave goodbye to the summer holidays, a moment when it will be a bit calmer again on the West Coast. It makes no sense anymore to continue to require the wearing of a mouth mask everywhere ‘, says mayor of Koksijde Marc Vanden Bussche.
Also in Rooster, Wenduine in Bredene the mayors want to relax the mouth mask obligation. ‘We are heading towards the end of the summer and it will be a lot quieter by the sea. That is why it would no longer be necessary to wear a mouth mask everywhere, ‘says Mayor of De Haan, Wilfried Vandaele (N-VA). The municipalities are still discussing exactly when the relaxation will be implemented.
Knokke-Heist, Blankenberge in Oostende however, are not planning to implement any relaxation for the time being. ‘It can still be busy by the sea in September. We therefore hope for a beautiful late summer that can proceed safely ‘, says Mayor of Blankenberge Daphné Dumery (N-VA).
According to Mayor of Knokke-Heist Leopold Lippens, a relaxation creates too much confusion. “Now it is clear to everyone that you have to wear a mouth mask everywhere, but if we have to indicate certain zones, people will be confused.”
In Middelkerke only the obligation applies on the Zeedijk and on night markets. However, wearing a mouth mask is recommended in the shopping streets.
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