New coronavirus restrictions: Bars must close at 23.00, 'close contacts' reduced to three

Bars and cafes throughout Belgium must close at 23.00 from Friday and allow only four people per table, as the country's coronavirus restrictions are tightened.

Close personal contacts - without a mask or physical distancing - should be limited to three people per month outside your immediate family, down from the previous limit of five.

And get-togethers, whether outdoors or at home, should include no more than four people, in addition to the members of your household. Remote working remains strongly recommended, at least several days a week.

The measures, which will apply for a month starting on 9 October, were approved on Tuesday by a committee bringing together the federal government and representatives from Belgium's different regions and language communities.

"The situation is serious," said Belgium's new prime minister Alexander De Croo. "We must do everything to slow the spread of the virus."

He said the tougher measures aimed to avoid the need for a second enforced stay-at-home period, similar to what we experienced in March and April.

"I know that many of us have had enough of this, and that the measures are very difficult," he added. "But if these measures are not respected, even stricter ones will be announced."

The 23.00 closing time applies to places serving drinks - bars and cafes - and not restaurants, which can still remain open until 1.00 in the morning. The four-person limit at a table does not apply to families where more than four people live under the same roof.

Brussels' regional security council is due to meet on Wednesday morning and could decide on additional measures specifically for the capital region.