11 April 2021: Empty terraces and faces masks are here to stay for a little longer…

11 April 2021: The average number of infections continue to go down. During the week to 7 April an average of 3,599 people tested positive for SARCoV-2. The figure is down 21% on the week but the pressure on health services is still considerable, especially in intensive care units where 96% of beds are currently occupied by COVID and non-Covid patients. The reproduction rate of the virus is now 0.96 and the percentage of tests performed that are positive is 8,2%. The WHO recommends that the positivity rate needs to remain below 5% for at least two weak before any relaxations should be considered. We’re moving in the right direction, but the road is still long. Therefore, subject experts suggest postponing the reopening of restaurants, bars and cafes to mid-May.  The good news is that vaccinations are moving into high gear. In Flanders 18% of the adult population has received their first jab. Belgium has now entered the top-10 tier of countries that have administered at least one jab to people aged 18 years or older according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Nevertheless, empty outdoor terraces and face masks are here to stay for a while – Nieuwpoort, Belgium.