Even if you consider the German corona policy this autumn to be hesitant and half-hearted: no comparison to Belgium. For the third time within three weeks, the rulers tightened their measures on Friday, and public criticism is growing because hotels, restaurants and catering are getting away with it – the focus of the restrictions, on the other hand, is on children. Kindergartens and elementary schools are due to close on December 20, one week earlier than planned. For children from six years of age a mask is compulsory at school, the higher grades are prescribed hybrid lessons. Over the weekend, lists of indignant parents were already circulating, and school principals were concerned that teachers could become the target of anger.
The government’s scientific advisors had actually suggested a complete closure of the schools for ten days, plus a closure of the restaurants from 8 p.m. instead of 11 p.m. Because the pandemic is taking on dramatic features. The seven-day incidence is over a thousand, despite a higher vaccination rate than in Germany, and the intensive care beds are filling at a rapid pace. Later than in Germany, people have now begun to call on the population for booster vaccinations.
Because of the extremely fragmented political system, it is difficult to enforce a uniform policy in Belgium. It was all the more astonishing how closed the political class carried the corona measures for a long time. But now there is a crunch in every nook and cranny. The liberal Prime Minister Alexander De Croo leads a coalition of seven parties that almost collapsed two weeks ago in the dispute over the elaboration of compulsory vaccinations for nursing professions. The introduction of a general compulsory vaccination is now at least being examined, although Prime Minister De Croo does not think so.
A demonstration was accompanied by a large police force
The decision-making body for the Corona measures is the Comité de Concertation (Codeco), which represents all regions (Wallonia, Flanders, Brussels) and language groups (Flemish, French, German). Above all, the Walloon representatives had opposed restrictions in schools. The Flemings, in turn, prophesied at the weekend that they would meet again soon, to further tighten the situation.
In Brussels, many thousands of people gathered again on Sunday to protest against the restrictions on public life, accompanied by a large number of police. Two weeks ago right-wing extremists and identities used the demo to attack the police. This time, too, water cannons had to be used.