Belgium and Germany will both extend their corona measures until May 3, Belgian Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès and German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced in their own press conferences on Wednesday. There are, however, some relaxations in both countries, such as the opening of certain stores.
In Belgium, garden centers and do-it-yourself shops may open their doors again, provided they take special measures. In Germany, shops smaller than 800 square meters, as well as car dealers and bookstores, are allowed to reopen, as long as people there keep 1.5 meters away.
German hotels and restaurants will remain closed, because according to Merkel it cannot be checked whether people can be kept at an appropriate distance. After May 3, schools in Germany will have to resume teaching step-by-step, starting with the highest classes of primary education, as well as graduation classes.
The Belgian Wilmès said nothing about the schools in her country on Wednesday, but according to The morning the Flemish minister of education Ben Weyts wants to provide more clarity about this next week. Next week, a new safety council must also take place in Belgium to determine what should be done after 3 May. Prime Minister Wilmès hopes to relax this.
Both countries want to encourage the use of face masks
If measures are to be relaxed in Belgium, citizens should have more access to mouth masks, for situations where keeping distance is difficult, Wilmès thinks. For this, the purchase and production of the caps must be scaled up. German Chancellor Merkel strongly advises the population to wear mouth masks.
In both countries, major events such as football matches with the public will be canceled until September. In Belgium it is being investigated whether matches without an audience are a possible solution to this.
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