(Brussels) Belgium will generalize the wearing of masks and make teleworking compulsory for jobs that allow it, with a view to stemming the strong rebound of the epidemic in the country, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced on Wednesday.
From Monday, employees who can will have to telecommute at least four days a week, an obligation reduced to three days from December 13.
“This applies to jobs where teleworking is possible, in the private sector as well as in public administration. It is an effort that we must make together, ”the Flemish liberal leader stressed to the press.
He spoke at the end of a meeting with the heads of the executives of the federated entities (regions, communities), who also agreed on a generalization of the wearing of the mask in all public places.
The mask is now mandatory from the age of 10, compared to 12 previously, and must be worn in public transport, bars and restaurants, theaters and cinemas, and as part of public events, including including outdoors.
Until now, the control of the health passport in cultural places made it possible to remove one’s mask inside.
At the same time, the use of the health passport has been extended to all public events, including Christmas markets, from 50 people indoors (against 500 currently) and 100 outdoors, to cultural places and restaurants. -bars including during private events.
Finally, the vaccination campaign for children aged 5 to 11 will be launched “as soon as possible” and “on a voluntary basis”, after the green light from the Belgian health and bioethics regulators and approval by the European Medicines Agency (EMA ), which reviews clinical trial results of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in children.
“I understand the frustration very well […] It is important to remain vigilant, cautious, all together, to protect ourselves and the people around us, so that the situation remains bearable for our caregivers ”, argued Alexander De Croo.
“These decisions are not easy to make, but what we have decided is a minimum. We are currently experiencing an explosion of contaminations, ”added the Minister of Health, Frank Vandenbroucke.
The government also announced the preparation of a vaccination plan allowing the population to receive a third dose.
With nearly 10,300 new infections per day on average over the past week, Belgium is back to a rate of spread of the virus that had not been reached for a year.
The country is experiencing hospitalization levels of COVID-19 patients that it had not recorded since May (more than 2,000 patients, more than 25% of them in intensive care). Belgium also recorded 41 deaths on Tuesday.