Covid-19: 19 municipalities in Brussels announce the end of the compulsory mask

Audio 01:14

A café terrace in Brussels, May 9, 2021. Second day of the reopening of the terraces in Belgium.

© François WALSCHAERTS / AFP

Text by: RFI Follow

4 min

From this Wednesday, June 9, wearing a mask in the entire Belgian public space will no longer be compulsory.

The decision was taken on Monday by the mayors of the 19 municipalities that make up the federal region of the Belgian capital.

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With our correspondent in Brussels,  

Pierre Benazet

In Brussels, each municipality applies its own measures.

It will not make anything easier, according to Youdi, who unsuccessfully sought reliable information.

“

 I admit that it's not too readable.

Further on, we will see a person without a mask.

Here with mask

.

It is really unclear where the measures are actually applied.

 "

For her part, Pascale did not even know that there were optional or mandatory areas. “ 

I work in a hospital,

” she says.

 We always put him on the metro, on the train and in the hospital. I find that you have to keep putting it on because there are too many people who want to put it on top of the nose, either under the mouth, or not at all. It makes no sense. 

"

A month ago, Nico

demonstrated against the restrictions

, today he finds that the government has done more than listen.

“

We have the impression that they are watching how it goes and that they adapt with laws.

Nobody puts on the mask in the street anymore, they say: "we take off the mask in the street".

They see that many people gather in the parks, they say to themselves: "we are going to let them meet".

It's more the atmosphere of the street that makes the laws. 

"

And with the summer atmosphere, relaxation is everywhere, especially in the restaurants which celebrate the reopening of their rooms.

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To listen and read also: The Belgians celebrate the reopening of the terraces and the end of the curfew

One in two Belgians has already received their first dose.

The figures are constantly improving in the country.

Over a fortnight, hospital admissions have fallen by 37%, the death toll by 38% and there are 29% fewer cases.

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• Belgium

• Coronavirus

• Confinement