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Belgium held the record in autumn as the EU country with the highest number of corona cases. Then the U-turn was achieved, thanks to drastic requirements that should apply until the turn of the year.
By Jakob Mayr, ARD-Studio Brussels
A month and a half ago, Belgium recorded the highest number of infections in the EU. The 14-day incidence was 1,700 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, in French-speaking Wallonia in the south of the country even 2,700 cases. Then the curve dropped sharply: According to the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University, the seven-day incidence in Belgium is 141 below that of Germany. The Belgians have been drastically restricted by this.
Political decisions were made late: the various regional governments of the country have difficulty making quick decisions. But by mid-October it was clear: it can’t go on like this. The country’s hospitals threatened to reach their capacity limits, especially with regard to the number of intensive care beds.
Obligation of the Ministry of the Interior and right to “Knuffelcontacte”
So restaurants, cafes and bars were closed. Take out meals were still allowed. Meanwhile, most of the stores were closed. The stores have reopened since the beginning of the month, but purchases are only possible on your own and for up to half an hour. There is a night curfew between 10 pm and 6 am, the police control passersby. Only those who are on the road for work and can prove it can escape without a fine.
In many cities, mouth guards are mandatory in public spaces. The home office is mandatory. The school holidays were extended to two weeks. After that, classes were divided beginning in the eighth grade; Students alternate learning at home or at school. The deciding factor is restrictions on personal contacts: families can only invite contacts close to their homes; subsequent visits are prohibited. Only single people could invite one more person besides a contact: the so-called “Knuffelcontacte” (knuffelen in Dutch means hugs). Up to four people can meet outdoors if they keep a safe distance.
Strict rules even at Christmas
Belgium wants to adhere to these strict rules during the holidays. So they could be quiet days for many Belgians. But politicians and medical professionals see no alternative, and the numbers show they are right. “Studies from Belgium and other countries show that the virus is transmitted mainly through close contact with friends and family,” says the spokesman for the Sciensano national crisis center, Yves van Laethem. “How we behave now and during the holidays will determine how things play out at the beginning of the year.”
The number of cases is now decreasing more slowly than a few weeks ago and, according to experts, they are still at too high a level: in the last seven days, 2,231 new cases of corona were reported, a slight increase compared to the previous week . The number of deaths fell by almost a fifth in the last week, and so far a total of 17,951 people have died of or with Corona in Belgium. The number of people requiring hospital treatment is stagnating and the number of intensive care patients has dropped significantly. The total number of Corona cases in Belgium: 608,137.
Misunderstanding about Germany
At the beginning of the pandemic and also in the summer, Belgium seemed a bit jealous of Germany and its comparatively strict measures that helped contain the pandemic. But the fact that German politicians were discussing the possibility of loosening the crown’s rules at Christmas in the fall was met with misunderstanding in Belgium. “Our neighboring countries are not doing what is appropriate,” Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke said two weeks ago.
“If there is something that the virus likes, it is solved by changing participants. We have to avoid it.”
The doctor and government adviser Erika Vlieghe notes that German doctors are very unhappy with a relaxation that was discussed for a long time at the end of the year. She says: “What Belgium does is strict, but brave and correct.” Flemish virologist Steven Van Gucht was also concerned: “There may be millions of people together, it could be a bomb,” he warned. Van Gucht’s point of view: A calm Christmas is better so as not to jeopardize the possible start of the end of the pandemic early next year.
