Belgium, Spain… European countries are imposing new restrictions as Christmas draws near

Two days before Christmas, Europe is increasing restrictions on Wednesday, 22 December to deal with the surge of the Omicron edition. a type “in the process of becoming or becoming dominant in several countries, including Denmark, Portugal and the United Kingdom”, An outbreak of contamination automatically leads to an increase in the number of hospitalized patients, according to the WHO, and whose high infectivity can have serious consequences at the collective level.

• Cinemas and theaters closed in Belgium

Cinemas and theaters in Belgium will be closed from Sunday to prevent the spread of the Omicron version, Prime Minister Alexander de Crew announced at a news conference on Wednesday.

Cafes and restaurants, fearing additional restrictions, may remain open during the holiday season until 11 pm, as has been the case since early December. Museums are not affected by the new measures.

• It is mandatory to wear a mask outside in Spain once again

Wearing masks will again become mandatory in Spain from Thursday, when the number of Covid-19 cases explode, the government announced. Wednesday – Where more than 60,000 cases have been identified in 24 hours. “The mask has shown in recent months to be an effective tool in prevention”, Pedro Sanchez was justified during a news conference on Wednesday evening.

The prime minister specified that there would be exceptions to this obligation: playing sports, being alone – or surrounded by people in one’s home – in natural places such as mountains or the beach. Pedro Sanchez explained that the measure was ” Temporary “ and will be withdrawn ” as soon as possible “,

A decree to this effect will be adopted on Thursday and so the measure will be in effect for Christmas, which always gives rise to important celebrations conducive to the spread of the virus. Another measure contained in the future decree: Vaccination validity period 1 . will be installed from^Is February 2022 Nine months after the last dose date.

In recent weeks, several regions of Spain have been calling for a toughening of health measures. Some, such as Catalonia, are even calling for a return to more stringent restrictions such as curfews.

• United Kingdom crosses 100,000 cases limit in 24 hours, but COVID-19 . Lightened its protocol for people who have recovered from

The United Kingdom on Wednesday, for the first time since the start of the pandemic, recorded more than 100,000 cases of contamination in twenty-four hours, as the pandemic spread due to Omicron’s version that imposed new restrictions in some areas for two days. Why Christmas?

Faced with the skyrocketing progress of the pandemic, Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned on Monday that he “Won’t Hesitate” Wearing masks and teleworking are currently in force, but have chosen to introduce more restrictive measures than recommended.

For now, the government on Wednesday announced a reduction of the isolation period in England from ten to seven days for vaccinated people who have contracted COVID-19. People who have had two negative antigenic tests on the sixth and seventh day will now be able to come out of their isolation. According to the government, more people will be able to spend Christmas with their families without risking contracting the virus.

• Sweden demands negative tests for all passengers

Sweden, in turn, on Wednesday announced a ban on entry conditions into its territory for travelers from other EU countries who must present a negative Covid-19 test from 28 December. , even if they have been vaccinated. , However, children under the age of 12 and travelers of Swedish nationality or residing in Sweden are not affected by this obligation.

Seven other EU member states – Portugal, Ireland, Cyprus, Latvia, Italy, Greece and Austria – already require a negative test, even for those vaccinated from the EU, And Finland announced on Tuesday evening that it was going to do so.

Denmark also intends to follow suit, the government announced on Wednesday, following the agreement of its parliament.

According to the European Commission, the requirement of a negative test in the EU must be subject to notice, must be timely and proportionate. “We understand that some member states are taking action, but , We are not really convinced that this is very useful for travel, we still think that the certificate is the element that should suffice”, Commissioner Didier Reynders said.

• Scottish Football Club Advance Winter Vacation

Scottish Football League clubs on Wednesday decided to extend their winter break by a week after the government limited spectators to 500 for three weeks from 26 December to curb the Covid-19 pandemic.

On Tuesday, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that open-air public events could no longer accommodate a maximum of 500 spectators from 26 December. “up to three weeks”, to counter the rise in the number of Covid-19 cases. The six games, scheduled for 26 December, will be in front of fewer spectators, because of the lack of available dates to reschedule them.