13 November 2020: Belgium’s “Cuddle-Contact” strategy is fascinating the world.

13 November 2020: Update on The Corona Pandemic – The Belgium government will meet later today to take stock of the situation and assess the first results of the latest measures against the coronavirus. Even though the virus’ spread is slowing down, and the figures for infections and hospitalisations are “encouraging,” no relaxations of the rules are excepted. Over the past two weeks there were still 1,332.3 confirmed infections per day per 100,000 inhabitants. A couple of weeks ago Belgium has been hitting the international press with some of the highest cumulative cases per 100,000 inhabitants in Europe and a record number of hospital admissions. This morning I read in the newspaper that we are now fascinating the world with our “Cuddle Contacts”. International media have commented on this interesting part of our lockdown strategy. The British Daily Telegraph explained to its readers that a “Cuddle Contact” was somebody from outside your household, who in the interests of general sanity, that you are allowed to be in contact with despite corona and the many, many restrictions and that can be admitted to your home without the need to socially distance. The Sun asked its readers who they would designate as their “Cuddle Contact” if Boris Johnson would hit on the idea. The North American news outlet Vice headlined “Everybody get a Cuddle Buddy in Belgium’s new Lockdown”. The Italian and yes, even the Chinese press had similar articles… The Belgian complex state structure and its polarized political landscape may not be winning any beauty contest anytime soon for its initial approach to the coronavirus pandemic but as a minimum the Belgium government cares about the mental wellness of its population… To avoid that I’m becoming too cynical I will continue my search for beauty in the empty streets of the paradoxical and complex country I’m in a love-hate relationship with – Ghent, Belgium.