Coronavirus rules relaxed on shopping and audience at events

Shopping will be allowed in pairs from 24 August, and the 30-minute time limit per store will be lifted, Belgium's national security council has decided.

Previously people had to enter shops alone or in the presence of a minor. Now two people may shop together. This is good news for the retail sector, which has seen a poor summer sales results that it blamed on the strict corona measures. The summer sales period lasts until 31 August.

The maximum allowed "social bubble" will remain five people per household until at least the end of September. These are close contacts with whom social distancing might not be respected. Other gatherings remain limited to 10 people.

The maximum audience limit at events will be increased again - rising from 100 to 200 indoors and from 200 to 400 outdoors. Starting on 1 September, individual municipalities can allow greater numbers at both indoor and outdoor events, depending on measures taken by event organisers to control the spread of the virus.

Up to 50 people will be allowed to attend a reception after a funeral.

Couples in a long-distance relationship will be allowed to travel abroad to see each other from 1 September, Wilmès announced.

Previously, Belgian residents were only allowed to travel to red zones to visit a partner if they were legally married. Now unmarried couples can make use of the exception to the travel restriction, though the traveller must prove that it is a committed domestic partnership. Anyone returning from a red zone must still get a test for Covid-19 upon return to Belgium and quarantine until the test results are back.

"The virus is still spreading," said prime minister Sophie Wilmès. "We know that no measure alone can eliminate the virus - we need a vaccine. The virus will continue to circulate, so we need to learn to live with it."

Wilmès said the estimated coronavirus infection rate in Belgium is currently 0.9, meaning the virus is in decline, but added: "We must keep up our efforts. Returning to normal today is not possible.

Wilmès confirmed that all pupils will go back to school on 1 September, five days a week. She said: "The efforts we have made in August will make it possible for all children to return to school safely in September."

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