Belgium to tighten COVID rules to counter rise of omicron

BRUSSELS – Belgium volition further tighten coronavirus restrictions due to the fact that of the surging omicron variant, authorities announced Wednesday, but the state shied distant from a afloat lockdown similar successful the neighboring Netherlands.

Cinemas, theaters and performance halls volition beryllium closed and indoor activities banned successful Belgium. Sports fans won't beryllium allowed into stadiums and indoor venues. Shopping volition beryllium curtailed with visitors dispersed retired and groups entering a store constricted to 2 adults, perchance accompanied by children.

Bars and restaurants volition beryllium allowed to stay unfastened until 11 p.m. but nether limits. And families were advised to support visitors to a minimum for Christmas but did not look nonstop limits.

The measures volition instrumentality effect Sunday. Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said “there is crushed for concern. We are facing omicron."

He added that “what we cognize astir it is atrocious news,” referring to omicron's precocious transmissibility.

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“It is simply a pugnacious package,” virologist Marc Van Ranst said.

But overmuch astir the omicron variant remains unknown, including whether it causes much oregon little terrible illness.

The Belgian measures came contempt a beardown and dependable diminution successful caller COVID-19 cases and infirmary admissions. The authorities said, however, that the lightning accelerated transmission of omicron made it indispensable to instrumentality enactment earlier alternatively than later.

“It volition beryllium ascendant soon,” said De Croo. “We person to beryllium much cautious that ever.”

Emmanuel Andre, who heads Belgium’s COVID-19 notation lab, said omicron represented 27% of caller cases, doubling successful arsenic galore days.

Since past weekend, Belgium's bluish neighbor, The Netherlands, has closed each nonessential stores, bars and restaurants until Jan. 14 and unopen schools and universities until Jan. 9.

Belgium’s large carnival, successful Aalst, was canceled adjacent if the festival drafting tens of thousands of visitors each twelvemonth was slated for precocious February.

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Belgium's regular caller COVID-19 cases person declined 36% implicit the week ending Sunday, to scope astir 8,300 successful the federation of 11 million. Hospital admissions person declined 34% to scope 173 a day.

The fig of COVID-19 dormant has surpassed 28,000.

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