” The barometer is a real disaster “, launches, reassembled, Fabian Hermans, spokesperson for the Horeca Federation in Brussels. If he was not once morest the basic idea, he considers that the conclusions drawn by the authorities are counterproductive. ” We start directly in the red. We are happy to be able to close at midnight rather than 11 p.m. but we are disgusted by what is set up next door “, he launches. ” The nightclubs have been closed for 11 months, they were able to open six weeks in 2021. 2022, will they remain closed then? While France, Spain, Italy… all countries are opening. Are we going to stay in our bunker? It’s not consistent at all! “, he gets carried away.
” We want to adapt well, take measures, carry out tests at the entrance to nightclubs… but we don’t want any more closures “, he adds.
Indeed, if bars and restaurants can close at midnight while maintaining the rules (capacity of 6 people per table, ban on eating while standing, etc.), nightclubs do not see any change, regardless of the fact that the barometer either in yellow, orange or red code, which also comes into force on January 28.
” They use hospitalizations, not just intensive care, for this barometer. It’s incomprehensible. Meanwhile, Horeca workers remain on the sidelines. It is unacceptable “, he blurts out bitterly, while saying he hopes that the next Codeco suggests more optimistic decisions for the world of the night.
The yellow, orange or red phases are defined according to the number of hospitalizations and people in intensive care. The big change would be the non-requirement of the CST, a priori, in the yellow phase. But remember that we are currently in a phase equivalent to red (see below).
Cinemas rather satisfied
President of the Federation of Belgian Cinemas, which represents the large operators of cinemas such as UGC and Kinepolis, Thierry Laermans seemed rather satisfied on Friday evening. ” We have never been once morest the principle of a barometer; we have always participated in the negotiations in a constructive manner. And the end result is rather positive for the cinemas since, even in the red phase, we will be able to fill the rooms to 70% and even 100%, with proof of good air quality. “, he reacts. ” The big downside is that we did not obtain automatic aid measurements attached to the different phases of the barometer “, he regrets. Which might help finance the necessary investments for filtration and ventilation. Even if the rooms of the art and test network, they have already obtained aid from the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
The sector also wanted the Federal government to cover the 13th month of employees, as was the case for Horeca, but also the extension of the exemption from municipal taxes in Wallonia and its extension to Brussels and Flanders. ” Because of the state structure of Belgium, it was impossible to automate this aid. We are therefore once more appealing to all the different governments to release specific emergency aid for the sector. “, pleads Mr. Laermans, arguing that following 15 months of closure, some rooms have their heads under water…
Culture will advise on Monday
While, on Thursday, the cultural sector had rejected the last draft barometer which had been submitted to it, on Friday, at the end of Codeco, Françoise Havelange, secretary general at the Federation of Performing Arts Employers (Feas) , estimated that the sector “was heard” . “There is a real risk management: the government has finally taken the measure that it had to reopen the places of culture in a reasonable way.” For her, reopening at 70% capacity, or even 100% if there are good ventilation conditions, is “reasonable” , even if “not all places will be able to reopen (standing concerts, independent culture, etc.)” . The Minister of Culture Bénédicte Linard (Ecolo) announced a meeting this Monday in order to “to make the most of this barometer, determine the support measures that are still necessary and continue together towards more culture” .
The yellow, orange, red codes, how do they work?
Yellow: New hospitalizations/day: less than 65, intensive care occupancy: less than 300 beds. The trend of the numbers must always be taken into consideration to possibly accelerate a phase change in one direction or the other.
Orange: New hospitalizations/day: 65-149, occupation of intensive care units: 300-500 beds. The trend of the numbers must always be taken into consideration to possibly accelerate a phase change in one direction or the other.
Rouge : New hospitalizations/day: more than 150, occupation of intensive care: more than 500 beds. The trend of the numbers must always be taken into consideration to possibly accelerate a phase change in one direction or the other.
