LHe brought together the federal government’s chief ministers and federation minister-heads to decide Friday to toughen measures taken to prevent the spread of coronovirus and its more contagious variants while banning non-essential travel. . The period from 27 January to 1 March.

Prime Minister Alexander de Crew also announced the formation of a new advisory committee on 5 February to investigate the fate to be reserved for “non-medical liaison businesses” – such as hairdressing salons and beauty institutes – from February onwards. Can resume operations. 13 as soon as possible.

Travel abroad

In a press conference, the head of government said, “We limit travel, citing an example of travel related to co-parenting, medical treatment, and those who travel and work from across the border”.

For passengers from the United Kingdom, South Africa and ‘South America’, a ten-day quarantine and two negative coronovirus tests will be put in place from next Monday, 25 January, according to Mr de Crew (Open World). “With a declaration on honor,” he said.

“Non-Belgian citizens will have to be able to show a double PCR test on departure and arrival” on the 1st and 7th days, Mr de Crew said.

Thus, Belgium hoped to spread various forms of coronovirus, he explained, citing the British version as “too much accidental”.

“People who travel differ more than people who travel,” explained the head of the federal government.

“We are not building any walls in our country,” he nonetheless assured.

Non-medical liaison occupations

According to the Prime Minister, the current epidemic situation does not allow resuming activities for non-medical contact businesses.

The Concertation Committee decided that during the first detention and even after an assessment of the epidemiological situation scheduled for 5 February, a possible reunion cannot take place before 13 February. It will also concern holiday villages and animal parks and zoos.

It should, according to Mr. de Crew, be “able to protect as many customers as possible, but at the same time professionals from the sector”.

The “contact” worker would thus be obliged to wear an FFP2 mask, the customer would have to wear at least one surgical mask – clothes masks would therefore no longer be authorized in salons – and even in inclement weather, doors and windows would then Will be open until open. A CO2 meter is installed.

New testing strategy

Those who test positive for coronovirus will have to go into isolation for ten days – and as seven is no longer currently the case, for their part, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health, Frank Vandenbrook (SP AT) declare.

The measure is part of a new testing strategy developed by various ministers of health this week and plans to speed up testing, for example in schools or neighborhoods where sources of contamination are detected.

In addition, starting next week, all laboratories, including private laboratories, will have the means to use PCR tests, with which it will be immediately possible to determine if it is a more infectious version of the coronavirus.

Mr. Vandenbrook assured that vaccination is an important element in the fight against Kovid-19.

Deputy Prime Minister SP acknowledged that vaccination remains a “fragile course” as the campaign relies on the production and distribution of vaccines. But “things are moving forward,” he said, adding that more than 183,000 people had already been vaccinated.