The curfew in the province of Antwerp goes far but it is a measure that must be taken, Mechelen mayor Alexander Vandersmissen tells Radio 1 on Thursday.
As of Wednesday night, all of Antwerp province (which includes Mechelen) has a curfew between 11:30 PM and 6:00 AM, to curb the spread of the coronavirus in what is currently the most-affected province in Belgium.
“These are far-reaching measures. There hasn’t been a curfew since World War II. But it is necessary,” Vandersmissen said.
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Mechelen cancelled all events, public and private, over the weekend, before it became clear at the National Security Council that the entire province of Antwerp needed extra measures.
At the same time, the mayor expressed his concern for the consequences of the measures. “Cancellations are pouring in in our city, too,” he said. “We will therefore certainly continue to encourage people to shop and go to restaurants - within the guidelines, of course. The local merchants need that,” he said.
Mechelen’s incidence is currently at 15 new cases, per 100,000 inhabitants, while the alarm threshold is 20.
The Brussels Times
