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A30 world news
Diahuebs 25 Maart 2021

Belgium reverts to strict lockdown amid spike in virus cases

Under the government's new order, “We need to return to a simple rule:
schools and universities will no lon- limit contacts," he said. “With the
ger welcome students for in-person perspective to reopen our society in
classes starting Monday, although the coming months, with the abso-
kindergartens will remain open. The lute priority to reopen schools after
government's goal is to resume in- Easter."
person teaching from April 19, after
the Easter break. Under the new rules, which take
effect on Wednesday night, non-
“The largest number of infections is essential shops can remain open but
in the 10 to 19 age group,” De Croo customers will need to book appoint-
said, noting that children and young ments to be allowed inside. Hair-
adults who show no or few COV- dressers and beauty parlors have to
ID-19 can infect parents and grand- close again for four weeks, until April
parents who become very sick and 25.
end up in the hospital.
“It is anger and disgust! Both for
A total of 22,763 people have died non-essential businesses and for con-
from coronavirus-related causes in tact trades: Where are the numbers?
Belgium, which was among the coun- It’s unacceptable," Olivier Mauen,
(AP) — Belgium is reintroduc- on the health of the country's people: tries hit hardest when the pandemic spokesman for the independent busi-
ing strict lockdown measures in confirmed cases increased 40% over emerged last year. About 1 million of nesses union, told public service
response to a worrying surge of the last week, and hospital admissions Belgium's 11.5 million residents have broadcaster RTBF.
new COVID-19 infections, with rose 28% following a long stable pe- received a first vaccine dose, and De
the government saying Wednes- riod. Croo said the vaccination program in Teleworking remains mandatory, and
day that schools would close and nursing homes had already helped re- the maximum number of adults per-
residents would have limited ac- “It's difficult to take such a decision, duce COVID-19 deaths. mitted to gather outdoors is being re-
cess to non-essential businesses. and for many it will be a deception," duced from 10 to four. Belgium's ban
De Croo said after an emergency Health Minister Frank Vandenb- on non-essential travel outside the
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De meeting with regional leaders. “But roucke said a recent sharp increase of country will also remain in force over
Croo said the virus variant first iden- I'm convinced that we are going to COVID-19 patients in Belgium's in- the Easter holidays.
tified in Britain is taking a heavy toll break this third wave." tensive care units was worrying.

UK plan for tougher asylum-seeker rules draws criticism

(AP) — The British government ple-smugglers and tougher checks to
said Wednesday it will tough- But Patel said the changes are need- catch adults claiming to be children. The U.K. government says 35,099
en immigration rules to make ed to stop illegal people-smuggling The government also promised to people made asylum applications in
it harder for people who arrive rings, and will make the system fairer speed up asylum decisions and quick- Britain in the year to March 2020.
by unauthorized routes such as because it won’t give an advantage to ly remove those who fail — promises That’s about a third of the number of
small boats and truck stowaways those who can pay for their passage. British governments have made and applicants in Germany and less than
to be given asylum. failed to keep for years. half the total for Spain and France.
“What is inhumane is allowing peo-
Home Secretary Priti Patel said asy- ple to be smuggled through illegal Critics of the government say bu- Britain’s position is also complicated
lum-seekers who come to Britain migration, and that is what we want reaucratic backlogs left many asylum- by Brexit. Since leaving the Europe-
through organized, sponsored routes, to stop,” she told the BBC. “We will seekers waiting years for decisions on an Union, the U.K. no longer has a
will have their refugee claims consid- create safe and legal routes to enable their status. The coronavirus pan- deal with its European neighbors to
ered promptly and will be given sup- people to come to the United King- demic has bogged down the system return people who have snuck across
port to settle. Those who sneak into dom in a safe way." even further. the Channel.
the country will only be given tem-
porary permission to stay, will receive Successive British governments have
limited benefits and will be “regu- grappled with the issue of migrants
larly reassessed for removal from the using northern France as a launch-
U.K.” ing point to reach Britain, either by
stowing away in trucks or on ferries,
Patel said the system would be “fair or in small boats organized by people
but firm.” smugglers. In 2020, about 8,500 peo-
ple arrived in Britain by crossing the
“People are dying at sea, in lorries Channel in small boats, and several
and in shipping containers,” she said. died trying to make the journey.
“To stop the deaths we must stop the
trade in people that cause them.” Others have died while being smug-
gled by truck, including 39 Vietnam-
Refugee groups and immigration ese migrants found dead in a refriger-
lawyers say the plan unfairly discrim- ated container in 2019 in the English
inates against refugees based on the town of Grays, east of London.
way they got to the U.K.
The British and French governments
“The proposals effectively create an have worked for years to stop the
unfair two-tiered system, whereby people-smuggling journeys, without
someone’s case and the support they much success.
receive is judged on how they entered
the country and not on their need for The new U.K. measures — which
protection,” said Mike Adamson, have not yet been made into legisla-
chief executive of the British Red tion and approved by Parliament —
Cross. “This is inhumane.” also include longer sentences for peo-