A police check at the Franco-Belgian border.

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M.Libert / 20 Minutes

Re-closing the borders?

From Friday evening, the Nord and Pas-de-Calais will be officially classified in the red zone by the Belgian government.

However, the resulting measures will not necessarily complicate the lives of northerners, used to crossing the border as one crosses the street.

It has been ten days since the Nord and Pas-de-Calais were classified in the areas of active circulation of the coronavirus by the French government.

In the process, measures were taken locally by the prefects, such as the closing of bars and restaurants at 12:30 am or the cancellation of events such as European Heritage Days.

For the time being, no movement restriction measure has been taken at national level to leave or go to a "red zone".

However, getting to Belgium will be much more complicated from Friday.

Visit, no.

Consume, yes

Already, since August 1, it was compulsory to fill out an identification form for anyone wishing to stay in Belgium for a period of more than 48 hours.

But from 4 p.m. on Friday, the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will in turn classify the North and Pas-de-Calais in the red zone.

But what does this really imply?

In theory, people from these two departments will have to undergo a screening test and quarantine to enter Belgium.

This is only valid for non-essential trips lasting more than 48 hours.

If, for example, a couple from Lille decided to go spend a romantic weekend in Brussels.

However, these restrictive measures do not apply to cross-border workers or students.

They do not apply either for people who go to do their shopping in Belgium as long as they do not go beyond the border zone, that is to say an area of ​​20 km after the border, told

20 Minutes

the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. .

Concretely, northerners will be able to continue to refuel their car or buy their cigarettes from their neighbors.

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  • Covid 19

  • Coronavirus

  • Belgium

  • Lille