Belgium's consultative committee will once again meet this afternoon to set the agenda for the next few weeks in terms of coronavirus measures, amid calls from sectors continuing to struggle.
Whatever happens, the consensus seems to be it will be minor, as Belgium continues to fall short of the threshold of 800 infections per day which could mark the start of a more targeted deconfinement.
Despite that, here's what sectors and citizens are hoping for:
A (Local) Holiday
Good news is expected for holiday parks and campsites in Belgium, with reports that confusing current rules will be put to rest.
Currently, hotel rooms can be booked, as can rooms through Airbnb, but the rooms in such parks remain closed, an "inequality" which the committee will be looking to end, according to French-speaking media.
A Trip To The Zoo
Since people currently can't leave the country, it has been suggested by media that the committee is looking to offer more leisure activities within the country, such as zoos.
"In fact, there is little difference with a walk in a park or in the forest. And just like in a museum, the flow of people can be easily managed," one source told HLN.
Contact Professions
While haircuts have been the main topic of debates, it's actually the whole realm of contact professions that are currently hoping to get the green light today.
This, however, has some issues. The epidemiological situation was meant to have improved, it hasn't, and experts continue to say it's a bad idea, with the GEMS group of experts opposed a resumption of these activities.
Flemish Minister of Economic Affairs Hilde Crevits said yesterday that she will defend tooth and nail today a reopening of the non-medical contact professions. The N-VA and Open Vld, partners of CD&V in the Flemish government, were positive about a possible reopening.
No Good News For HoReCa
The Council of State once again rejected the appeal against the decision to close it down that has been imposed on it for months, so no change is expected there.
Belgium’s Consultative Committee will meet digitally from 2:00 PM today to assess the country’s coronavirus situation, De Croo’s cabinet confirmed to The Brussels Times. Unlike with previous meetings that were held digitally, today’s Consultative Committee will also be followed by a press conference to announce the decisions that were made.
Jules Johnston
The Brussels Times
