BRUSSELS, Belgium: Belgium has reversed some of its COVID-19 restrictions, paving the way for the reopening of cinemas, theaters and concert halls.
Officials in the culture sector, which said it was unfairly targeted by COVID-19 rules, claimed the move as a victory.
The Belgian government and regional authorities have come under increasing pressure to reverse last week’s decision on closures, which were not backed by scientific experts, highlighting the widening divide between authorities trying to keep the pandemic under control and a public frustrated by limits on their personal freedoms.
“We heeded the call of the cultural sector,” said Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden.
Peggy Fol, director of the Vendome Cinema in uptown Brussels, noted, “We are thrilled that we resisted and, in the end, we won what we had started. We were disgusted that they hit on culture like that,” as reported by ABC News.
Last week, authorities unexpectedly closed theaters and concert halls to contain the surge of the Omicron variant.
However, the judicial Council of State ruled the measures were not “proportionate,” questioning “why going to cultural sector performance venues was particularly dangerous for public health.”
The ruling came after thousands working in the theater sector protested and launched a legal appeal to the Council of State.
After the reversal, cultural venues can open with a maximum of 200 people, depending on the size of the venue. Wearing face masks and showing a COVID-19 pass will be mandatory.
