Belgium, the country in the world where the coronavirus circulates the most, has decided on "
more severe confinement
" for six weeks, citing "
last-ditch measures
" to try to slow down the pandemic, Prime Minister Alexander announced Friday, October 30. From Croo.
Read also: Covid-19: when will the epidemic turnaround?
The measures, detailed at a press conference, include in particular from Monday the closure of "
non-essential
" businesses (excluding food and pharmacy) and, for companies, the obligation of telework where it is possible.
The head of government also announced the limitation of home invitations to one person and a new three-day extension of school holidays, until November 15 inclusive.
Outdoors, it will be possible to travel with four people while respecting the barrier gestures.
"
It's a confinement ... But which allows factories to run, which will allow schools to reopen cautiously after November 15, and which will not let people plunge into isolation
", summed up the Minister of Health Frank Vandenbroucke.
The toughening of measures, justified by the "
critical
"
situation
in hospitals, does not include travel restrictions.
"State of health emergency"
“
Our country is in a state of health emergency.
The pressure in the hospitals is immense and the nursing staff make superhuman efforts to save lives every day,
”said Alexander De Croo predicting that by mid-November there would be“
2,800 people in intensive care
”.
Belgium now has more coronavirus patients hospitalized than at the peak of the first wave, at the beginning of spring.
This country of 11.5 million inhabitants had 6,187 patients in hospitals on Friday, including 1,057 in intensive care.
Over the past week, it has recorded more than 100,000 new infections (over 15,000 per day on average), a record.
Since mid-October, teleworking had already become the rule again, a curfew was introduced between midnight and 5 a.m., and cafes and restaurants had already had to close.
