16 December 2020: Are we at the start of the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic?

16 December 2020: Update on The Corona Pandemic – The coronavirus reproduction number has risen above 1 again in most of Belgium’s provinces. Also, for the second day in a row the corona figures show a rise in the number of patients being hospitalised with Covid-19 and the number of people testing positive for the virus is increasing with 8% in the Flemish speaking part of the country. The rise in the number of positive tests is greatest (+21%) among children under the age of 10. In absolute figures the number of people testing positive is highest among people in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s. Some subject experts say that the curve has flattened out at a level that is still too high others tweet that we are at the start of the third wave. Whatever you want to call it, the current trend is, saying the least, deeply worrying. The good news is that yesterday it was announced that fines for people attending lockdown parties will triple. The fine for people attending a lockdown party will be raised from €250 now to €750. Organisers will risk a fine of €4,000 in future, instead of €750. By doing so, the prosecutors want to suppress a “clear disregard” for the rules. Personally, I do not think that this alone will do the trick. We all need to limit the number of contacts we have, both at home and at work. In summary, the current trend opens up the potential need for further measures on the run up to the festive period. In an attempt to cheer you up I’m posting another vignette of Ghent dressed up for a very different Christmas – Emile Braunplein, Ghent, Belgium