The Buzz from Belgium

Longing for a trip to Europe? Well, the wait may soon be over, fingers crossed.

On Wednesday, the European Commission recommended reducing entry restrictions for people who have been vaccinated with one of four approved COVID-19 vaccines. The news broke on the European Commission’s Twitter feed: “We welcome the @EUCouncil agreement on updating the approach to travel from outside the EU. The Council now recommends that EU countries ease some of the current restrictions, in particular for those vaccinated with an authorized vaccine.”

What does this news mean to me? Visitors, at long last! I’ve been waiting for the borders to open. The European tourism industry will be rejoicing, too.

That news bodes well for Americans planning a trip across the pond this summer — if they’ve had a BioNTech and Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca or Janssen Pharmaceutica NV jab — and a negative COVID-19 test. And, of course, if the EU adds the US to the “safe” list.

SLOWLY RETURNING TO NORMAL

The lockdowns have been disastrous here, especially for the HORECA industry (hotels, cafes and restaurants). Hairdressers and shops also suffered during long closures, but they, too, are up and running again.

On May 9, Belgium’s outdoor terraces at cafes and restaurants reopened! Can I tell you how amazing it was to sit outside after a long hike and sip on a Belgian beer with friends? And on June 9, indoor restaurants, gyms and movie theatres will open. I can hardly contain my enthusiasm. Life is slowly becoming more normal. We’ve even been catching up with our vaccines, which got off to a slow start.

SO MANY RULES AND REGULATIONS

What’s it been like living in Belgium during lockdown? Frustrating, to say the least! All the rules are so confusing — and not uniform. For example, curfews in Brussels were earlier in Brussels than in Flanders. We got an extra hour of freedom in my neighborhood. Luckily, the curfews are over now, although the day of the midnight change was a bit of madness. It meant you had to be home at 10 p.m. on Friday before the curfew ended for good — when the clock struck midnight. So, do you go home for two hours and then head out again? Hmmmmm….

Until mid-April, we weren’t allowed to leave Belgium for non-essential travel. The government did lift restrictions, but still discouraged travel. There were so many rules and regulations that it just seemed simpler to stay home. Visiting a red zone for more than 48 hours meant mandatory COVID testing on days 1 and 7 of quarantine. A positive test meant you had to quarantine. 

Belgium has a color code telling you what countries are acceptable for travel. The Brussels Times shared the guide, and you can check all the latest rules and buzz from Belgium here.

Some countries already put have the welcome mat out, even welcoming Americas. Croatia, Greece and Iceland opened their arms to vaccinated travellers with negative COVID-19 tests. Now, more countries can follow. The WHO is still advising against international travel, though, citing the “fragile” state of the pandemic.

HAPPY IN BELGIUM

There’s so much to discover here in Belgium that I haven’t been too bothered by travel restrictions. Biking and hiking trails, castles, citadels, gardens, forests, gardens and museums make life like a constant vacation.

Now, I’m just waiting to welcome my American friends and family!