Belgium Continues to Strongly Discourage Travel Even After Entry Ban Expiration
Travel will continue to be discouraged, even though the country’s ban on non-essential travel will expire on April 19, Belgium’s government has announced.
According to Belgium’s authorities, the country will switch back to the rules that were applied before the ban’s implementation, meaning that travel for non-essential purposes is strongly discouraged, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.
Strict rules to check persons returning from other countries to Belgium will also be kept in place to halt the disease’s further spread.
Yves Stevens of the National Crisis Centre said that currently, almost all European countries are included in the red list, asserting that this is not the time to travel.
He stressed that persons who travel to other countries, against official advice, must check the rules that are applied at their destinations before they leave.
“In pretty much all European countries, measures such as curfews, restrictions on movement, a negative COVID-19 test or mandatory quarantine are still in place,” Stevens pointed out.
He clarified that persons who have been abroad would be required to fill a Passenger Locator Form (PLF) 48 hours before arriving in Belgium’s territory.
“The PLF must also be filled in by everyone coming to our country by plane or boat; or by train or bus if you are travelling from a country outside the EU or Schengen area,” he said.
According to the PLF and colour code of the country of origin person, the form determines if persons are considered a high-risk contact.
Travellers returning from the red zone are considered high risk, as in this group are listed countries with high infection rates of COVID-19. The latter will be notified by a text message telling them they will be obliged to stay self-isolated and take a COVID-19 test on day one and day 7.
Quarantine rules and tests are mandatory and are checked by police officers; therefore, all persons who do not comply with these requirements risk facing a €250 fine.
Last week, Belgium’s Federal Health Minister, Frank Vandenbroucke (Vooruit), stressed that the country’s authorities ban imposed on cross-border travel should be abolished as expected, on April 18.
Authorities in Belgium have tightened their controls and imposed stricter rules since March 24 due to increased COVID-19 infections. The decision was criticized by the European Commission, which called on the country’s government to lift the ban on non-essential travel.
