East Flanders bans parties, Antwerp governor Berx: “… (Antwerp)
In East Flanders, the governor Carina Van Cauter will have parties and other occasional parties that are not professionally framed for the next four weeks. This mainly concerns activities of youth associations of sports clubs. Such a measure is not on the agenda in Antwerp, says governor Cathy Berx.
Sylvia Marien
The professionally organized events of parties in clubs and dance cafes are still allowed to take place in East Flanders. They fall under the federal corona rules.
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Van Cauter says about the non-professional parties: “You wear a mouth mask during these kinds of activities. You stand upright, and music is being made. And you occasionally dip your mouth mask when sipping a glass. That is theoretically possible. But in practice, we know that adhering to and making those measures not workable.”
Van Cauter consulted the mayors and the planned services to assess the risks associated with these activities, she says. “A request has been made by the provincial crisis cell not to even do this now. And that is also what has been decided.”
Non-professionals can therefore not organize parties and dances in East Flanders for a month, until December 26, so shortly before New Year’s Eve. “Perhaps parties can then be organised,” says Van Cauter. “But it will take everyone’s effort.”
The police decision includes a fine of 1 euro to 500 euro or a community service of 20 to 300 hours. But Van Cauter hopes that sanctions will not be necessary, she says.
Families, schools, companies
Today is not an issue in our province, says Antwerp governor Cathy Berx. “The virus is currently spreading, especially in families, schools and businesses. It is so widespread and ubiquitous that such a provincial measure now makes too little difference. Keeping contacts attacking, telecommuting, carrying distances… Only fall will the. And of course, now is not really the time to organize or attend such parties.”
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Berx gives even more that there are relatively fewer infections in the city of Antwerp than outside it. “The suspicion is that there may be a certain group immunity at play. Although there is certainly underdetection. Contact tracing can no longer follow.”
The governor hears from the Antwerp primary care zones that the quarantine rules for children at school have also started. Only children can still be tested. The entire class should only be quarantined when at least four children test positive in one week, or during the positive test. “That includes risk parents as: my kind of risks in the case of risks in the context of risk. That’s how the virus keeps going around, of course.”
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