Photo taken on Oct. 30, 2020 in Brussels of Belgium shows the live streaming of Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo speaking during a press conference. Belgium will move to stricter lockdown, with rules valid throughout the country to fight against COVID-19, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced Friday. According to the rules, all non-essential businesses will have to close, while food stores and supermarkets will remain open. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)
BRUSSELS, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Belgium will move to stricter lockdown, with rules valid throughout the country to fight against COVID-19, Prime Minister Alexander de Croo announced Friday.
According to the rules, all non-essential businesses will have to close. Food stores and supermarkets will remain open. Restaurants and bars in hotels will close.
Tele-working becomes mandatory wherever possible. Belgian borders remain open but travel abroad is strongly discouraged.
In the social bubble, only one contact is allowed. In other words, only one person can be invited at home, and that person will be close contact. The "rule of four" remains applicable outside. One can meet four people outside, go for a walk or other activity together, but should practice social distancing and wear a mask.
These measures will be in force throughout the country from Nov. 2 to Dec. 13.
"I realize that these are particularly drastic measures, particularly painful measures, but they are the result of a long reflection, and based on facts. They are last-chance measures," said the prime minister.
The COVID-19 situation in Belgium remains alarming. In the seven-day period (Oct. 20-26), an average of 15,316 new cases per day was reported, according to the public health institute Sciensano.
Nationwide, 6,187 COVID-19 patients are currently hospitalized, a record number that surpasses that (5,759) recorded during the peak of the first wave of the pandemic in spring.
To date, Belgium has recorded a total of 392,258 cases and 11,308 deaths.
As the world is in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, countries across the globe -- including China, Russia, Britain and the U.S. -- are racing to find a vaccine. Enditem
