Lockdown in Belgium - What its like from Antwerp.24 Mar 2020 11:06
Quote from Belgium : The problem is that although we’re in almost complete lockdown, our muslim countrymen insist on gathering and praying together in their sitting rooms (the officially recognized mosques have been closed down, but there is no control over the garage and backroom variety). Their women come to the supermarket with kids and mothers trailing along in their long rags – and that is what scares the **** out of me.
I stocked up nicely and now only go to the butcher or bakery when necessary. I avoid all supermarkets. My fruits and veggies are delivered at home by the market-stall fellow (all public markets have been closed down).
My orthodox Jewish neighbours can be seen (and sometimes heard) praying at their windows or on their terraces, as all ‘shuls’ and synagogues have been closed down.
Churches have been mostly empty for years anyhow, but are now all closed. People with second homes at the seaside or in the countryside are forbidden to go there. Bars, restaurants, café’s, cinema’s, theaters: all closed since 10 days. Heavy fines for any pub open (4000 euro for the owner and a minimum of 500 euro for those present). All care homes for the elderly are in total lockdown since last week Wednesday – not even for those in palliative care.
We shall see.