Belgium’s chocolate shops remain open during coronavirus lockdown

A masked man in Brussels' iconic Grand Place, which is home to several chocolate shops

Credit: EPA

Belgium’s chocolate shops have stayed open during the country’s second coronavirus lockdown.

The country has the European Union’s worst coronavirus infection rate but access to Belgium’s national heritage of world-class chocs has been judged as too important to forego. 

All non-essential shops must close, along with contact professions such as hairdressers, although they can operate online delivery services and “click and collect” services. 

Chocolate shops are on the list of essential shops that the Belgium government has allowed to stay open during the restrictions that last until mid December. 

“Food stores can remain open as long as they comply with the health rules [such as social distancing precautions],” said Belgium’s crisis centre. 

Exceptions have also been made for florists, bookshops and newsagents. Florists have complained they have been banned from selling Christmas decorations, a traditional seasonal source of profits in Belgium, to prevent unfair competition with shops that are forced to close. 

Over the past two weeks, 1,774.4 coronavirus infections were confirmed per 100,000 inhabitants, an increase of 84 percent compared to the two weeks before, it was announced on Thursday.  

The rate is far greater than fellow EU countries France or Spain and Italy and is only rivalled by the Czech Republic.

With pressure growing on intensive care units, Belgian patients have been airlifted to German hospitals.

From 26 October 26 to November 1, there was an average number of 146.7 deaths every day. 

The total number of confirmed cases in Belgium, which has a population of 11.5 million people, is 468,213 since the beginning of the pandemic, it was announced on Thursday. 

On Wednesday, Alexander De Croo, the prime minister, said that strict coronavirus measures would have to remain in place until there was a vaccine. 

“This time, we have to keep the figures down when they have decreased,” Mr De Croo said. “Until we have a solution, a vaccine, we are going to have to be a lot stricter. But we do not know when that will be.”