Opticians can remain open during Belgium's closure of non-essential shops, confirmed the Federal Public Economy Service, which pointed out that they can only receive customers for emergencies.
"Since they offer medical supplies, these professions are authorised to practise," the authorities said in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section of the federal information website info-coronavirus.be.
"These are spectacle frames, prescription lenses, contact lenses and contact lens solutions," said Viviane De Vries of the Professional Association of Opticians and Optometrists (APOOB). Sunglasses, on the other hand, are not medical unless they are prescribed, she explained.
Opticians are therefore, in principle, no longer allowed to sell them, but they can be ordered and delivered, or picked up in shops.
De Vries pointed out the difficulty of obtaining accurate information during the weekend.
The Brussels Times
