Belgium enters this June 8 in the third phase of its deconfinement, marked by the return of excursions in the country, the reopening of cafes and restaurants as well as gyms, the widening of the “bubble” of people with whom a close contact is allowed and new school starts. Our journalists are on the ground this morning to help you experience this 3rd phase of deconfinement as closely as possible.
PHASE 3: the reminder of everything that changes
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Reopening at midnight for a restaurant in Charleroi
After 3 months of closure, Tarkan Karasular no longer held. He reopened his restaurant last night, from midnight to 1 a.m. A very short service, to respect the charter which applies to all restaurants from this Monday.
Our journalist Julien Crête was there. He collected the impressions of the first customers. “It’s great to be able to get out, eat a good piece of meat and share those moments that we had almost forgotten with these friends”one of them said. “At midnight, we were at the cleat in front of the door, we were waiting”, said a client. The restaurant normally can accommodate 200 covers, from now on it will be 100. 1.50m between the tables and the mask for the staff.
Brussels café reopens after race against time: “We are happy with the result”
In Brussels, our journalist Sébastien De Bock went to a Brussels café, Le Walvis rue Antoine Dansaert. After a race against the clock, the owners are ready to welcome customers. “We are impatiently awaiting customers. There is still a lot to do that we have forgotten a bit in two months, but we are ready to welcome our customers who we have missed”, said Senem Onal, manager of Walvis. “We had to measure the tables for the past three days and push the walls a little to be able to secure the 1.50m. We had to review the terrace but we are happy with the result. It was a big job, a time trial.” Other cafes will also reopen and restaurants later if possible. Not all catering establishments will be able to reopen, or maybe not today.
The sports halls open their doors: “Important to start from the first day”
The sports halls also reopen on Monday. Our journalist Gautier Falque was between the dumbbells and the treadmills at the O’smoz Fitness room in Ohey, in the province of Namur, where very strict sanitary measures are obviously in place. Benjamin was the first sportsman to visit this hall. He delivered his first impressions to our microphone. “It was very important to start from the first day. We had stopped for two and a half months. We adapted by going outside to train but it does not replace a room”, he said. He had to book his hour and a half session, a security measure. “We have to adapt, these are the measures, we have to respect them.” Group lessons will resume on Wednesday. They will be in this room limited to 9 people.
A new back to school
That’s it, all kindergarten and primary classes can accommodate children. An optional recovery, each school sets up its own modalities.
“The directors are doing well. We are ready to welcome all the children. We are even impatient”, declared Ghislain Maron, the president of the AIDE, Association inter networks of directors of basic schools. Back to school is a bit scattered? “We are doing what we can and I hope that the schools will be able to solve their problems. It is important for the children to be able to return after two months without school. Those who have found school are happy. The contact bubble works , but we have to find arrangements so that the different bubbles do not mix. “
Our journalist Marc Demoustiez went for example this Monday morning to the Place Bois Renaud school, in Pont-à-Celles, where the start of the school year was late. In this establishment, all the primary and nursery schools return at the same time. 45 out of 90 children should be present. The municipality did not initially want to organize a return before September, but has changed its mind given that the rules of social distancing are now lightened.
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