Covid-19: we take stock of the news that fell overnight. Last night in Belgium, the Prime Minister and the Security Council announced more stringent measures at the national level, including in particular the suspension of classes from Monday.
Coronavirus: courses suspended, closed horeca and recreational activities canceled until April 3
After more than three hours of meeting, Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès and the Council of Ministers announced stricter measures at national level to try to counter the epidemic of coronavirus, including the suspension of classes in schools from this Monday .
All recreational, sporting, cultural or folklore activities, whether public or private and “whatever their size”, are being suppressed in order to limit the spread of the coronavirus in Belgium, Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès said on Thursday evening. “We are in the federal phase” of crisis management, she said, also announcing the closure of restaurants, cafes and nightclubs.
For their part, the stores that provide essential services (pharmacies, food) will remain open, the others will be closed on weekends.
The police will verify compliance with the measures and will have the administrative means to enforce them.
Schools will be asked to maintain a childcare service. Nurseries can remain open, said the Prime Minister.
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Children won’t have to come to school on Monday, teachers okay
Classes will be suspended in schools of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation from this Monday, March 16 until the Easter holidays. In this context, children will no longer be forced to come to school. A reception service will be provided, however, and teachers will therefore have to be present on Monday, announces Minister-President of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation Pierre-Yves Jeholet (MR).
+ Practical information accompanying the measures decided last night will be quickly communicated to schools and parents, says the Minister of Education
The Walloon government invites to encourage “telework as much as possible”
The Walloon government invites “any institution, any company, any association to reduce the risk of spreading the virus, in particular by limiting meetings and trips abroad which are not essential and by promoting telework as much as possible”.
+ “Encourage telework as much as possible”
Restaurants and cafes closed until April 3: “A disaster for the hospitality sector”
Federal authorities on Thursday evening ordered the restaurants closed from Saturday until April 3, “a real disaster” for the sector, commented Philippe Trinne, vice-president of the Brussels hotel and catering federation.
“These are exceptional measures, extremely harsh, but probably necessary in the face of the global pandemic,” acknowledges Philippe Trinne. “The authorities have a lot of health data that we don’t have.”
+ “We hope in any case that it will be useful for something”
Wildcat strike at TEC Liège-Verviers bus depots
The CGSLB has decided to launch a wildcat strike to denounce the insufficient measures taken in public transport to combat the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus.
Consequently, no bus leaves the Liège depots this Friday morning.
+ The CGLSB union “is confining its drivers to guard rooms
Hard but proportional measures, says virologist Marc Van Ranst
The federal measures decided this Thursday evening by the federal government following a National Security Council should allow to be able to smooth the somewhat rising curve of the number of contaminations with coronavirus, indicated the virologist Marc Van Ranst on the set of the ‘Vandaag’ program (Eén). He described the measures as harsh but still proportional. “The country continues to turn,” he says.
+ “Everything is not completely stopped”
Canada: Prime Minister Trudeau’s wife tested positive for coronavirus
Canadian Prime Minister Sophie Grégoire Trudeau was tested positive for the new coronavirus on Thursday and will be quarantined “for an indefinite period”, while the head of government will remain in solitary confinement for two weeks.
“The Prime Minister is in good health and has no symptoms. However, as a precaution and according to the advice of doctors, he will be in solitary confinement for an expected period of 14 days, “announced the office of Justin Trudeau, adding that the Prime Minister’s wife felt” good “and that his symptoms remained “moderate”.
+ Trudeau will not be tested “at this stage” and “will continue to perform fully”
Disney to close its parks
The Disney group decided on Thursday to close its famous amusement parks in California, Florida and near Paris this weekend until the end of March “as a precautionary measure” against the coronavirus epidemic.
+ Disney will continue to pay its employees
After a hesitation waltz, the Australian GP in turn canceled
The Australian Grand Prix, which was to take place this weekend on the Melbourne circuit, was canceled this Friday due to the coronavirus pandemic after a long waltz-hesitation, uncertainty reigning over the date of the start of the Formula 1 world championship.
After long discussions between teams, organizers, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and local authorities, the cancellation of the race was announced shortly before the start of the first free practice.
+ Hamilton: “I am very, very surprised that we are here”
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