Chaini Parwani
Published On: December 29, 2021 at 09:22 IST
Belgian Theatres and other Cultural Venues won a Prime Court Victory to reopen after the Government’s Order on their closure as part of Covid-19 restrictions to restrict a cascade in cases of the Omicron Variant.
Further the Council of State, Belgium’s Supreme Administrative Court, overruled the Government’s closure Order directed last week, quoting it as ‘disproportionate’.
The Order highlighted that the Government should clarify the need for such restrictions on Public Health Grounds pertaining to Omicron Variant.
Furthermore, it came into light that the restrictions are not entirely clear what counts as a Cultural Venue, but it will not include Cinemas and other Indoor Venues, such as for Bowling, or Night Clubs.
Previously, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo’s Government and Regional Chiefs had ordered to close Cinemas and Theatres and Play Sporting fixtures behind closed doors, and allowed Bars, Restaurants, Gyms and other Indoor Sports venues to continue as before.
Omicron cases in Belgium are rapidly rising, and now make up over half of all COVID-19 cases.