15 May 2020 Update from A Locked Down Ghent

The Covid-statistics have improved drastically over the past days and the number of patients in hospitals dipped below 2,000 for the first time in seven weeks. Still, 81 patients were taken to hospital over the past 24 hours, with 60 new deaths being reported. Two news events got my attention yesterday. Pieter de Crem, Belgium’s Interior Minister, said that borders can be opened if two countries are more or less on the same pathway where the exit strategy and Covid statistics are concerned and that most likely the Netherlands will have the best chance to be the first country that we can freely travel to. The other, more trivial news event was that the monks of the Saint Sixtus Abbey in Westvleteren will resume the sales of their world-famous trappist beer. Beer enthusiasts will have to make an online order first and pick up the crates at the abbey gate. Something to consider? Anyhow, I’m seeing happy faces pupping up throughout the city… Westerringspoorbrug, Ghent, Belgium