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Eventually, Brussels decides the anti-covid squeeze. After days of reflection, the federal government of the Belgian region launches new measures to try to contain the pandemic. Starting from Monday 26 October, the curfew starts at 10pm and no longer at midnight as per measures taken just a week ago. And then: closure of all sports facilities, including skating rinks, swimming pools and fitness gyms. Obligatory mask everywhere. Also in the park it will not be possible to stop more than 4 people. Closure of cultural centers, museums, theaters, cinemas, exhibition halls. No Halloween: even door to door with ‘trick or treat’ is not allowed.
There is “misunderstanding and anger” among the population, admits Rudi Vervoort, president of the Brussels Region. But “the pandemic gallops and there is a risk of the collapse of the hospital system”.
Last Thursday the Belgian government launched a new alarm on the spread of the infections, but without launching particularly severe restrictive measures. But in Belgium the central government decides little or nothing. The bulk is in the hands of the federal governments: Wallonia, Flanders and the Brussels region. And since yesterday the word has passed to them. Yesterday Wallonia, the southern part of the country, decided to bring forward the curfew to 22. And today Brussels follows, after a dramatic meeting of the federal government this morning with the 19 mayors of the municipalities.
Belgium recorded a new record of 15,432 coronavirus infections on Tuesday alone, according to data from the Sciensano Institute of Public Health. The previous record was reached on Sunday, with 12,969 cases. The daily average of cases is 11,201, recorded in the period between 14 and 20 October, or 56% more than the previous week. Since the start of the pandemic, a total of 287,700 people have contracted the virus. Hospital admissions reached a daily average of 399, an increase of 93%. Currently, 4,061 people are hospitalized for Covid-19 (+ 11%), of which 632 in intensive care (+ 10%). The total number of deaths is 10,658. The average between 14 and 20 October was 37.1 per day, 12 more than the previous week. The positive test rate is 17.5%
Among other measures decided today: ban on all amateur sports competitions, training will be authorized only for children under 12 years old. Apart from the spouses, only witnesses, the priest or the civil ceremonies official are admitted to weddings: no one else. Maximum presence of 15 people at the funeral. Smart working as mandatory as possible. Shops closed at 8pm: you can go shopping alone. Closure of betting halls and casinos. No school trips.
But even in the face of the new grip of the pandemic that does not seem to spare any European country, an invitation from the EU Commission comes to avoid generalized lockdowns. “We want to avoid rigid lockdowns”, says Stella Kyriakides, EU health commissioner. “This pandemic has impacted the lives of
all from a social, work, family and economy point of view – argues Kyriakides in an interview with News Mediaset – To avoid a new generalized lockdown it is important that tests, contact tracing but also social distance are encouraged, masks, hand hygiene. This is the only way to contain the virus and prevent a general lockdown that society and our economies cannot afford ”. As for the vaccine, it could arrive “at the beginning of 2021”, but “it will not be the magic bullet. Until we have covered a significant part of the population, we will have to continue with the coronavirus containment measures “.
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