Ban on travel from countries with high levels of coronavirus infections lifted
The ban on people travelling to Belgium from a list of countries with high rates coronavirus infection has been lifted. The news that the ban has been lifted appears in Saturday’s edition of the daily ‘De Standaard’. Since June people from countries including India, Brazil, Jordan and South Africa were no longer welcome in Belgium due to the prevalence there of the delta variant.
However, the variant has now become the most prevalent strain of coronavirus in Belgium too, rendering such strict travel restriction all but pointless.
The travel ban that had been in force since June applied to 27 countries where the situation with regard to the coronavirus pandemic was deemed to be giving cause for concern. The countries on the list included the United Kingdom and a host of countries in Africa and South America such as Zimbabwe, Namibia, Uganda, South Africa, Peru, Chili and Bolivia.
Belgians living in the countries concerned were allowed to travel to Belgium. On their arrival in Belgium they had to quarantine for 10 days. Foreigners (except for people that are resident in Belgium) were not allowed in.
Since June the delta variant has become the most prevalent variant of coronavirus in Belgium and as a result of this the strict travel ban is being dropped. Nevertheless, those travelling her from the countries on the list will still have to take a mandatory PCR test and quarantine for 10 days up on their arrival.