Belgium’s coronavirus advice for travelers isn’t going like clockwork — because of the color orange.
The country last week introduced a traffic-light system detailing precautions for returning travelers in a bid to prevent holidaymakers from bringing the coronavirus home.
The scheme divides Europe up into three areas: green (safe), orange (risky) and red (very high risk). While holidaymakers returning from green areas face no restrictions, travelers coming back from red areas have to get tested and go into quarantine.
But the government has had a hard time deciding how to define the orange category. While the foreign affairs ministry initially “strongly advised” travelers to get tested and self-isolate, it downgraded its advice on Tuesday to “increased vigilance” for symptoms.
However, within hours the measure was ramped up again to a “request” to self-isolate and get tested.
That’s the result of a political decision: Testing and quarantine requirements fall under the competence of Belgium’s regions and communities, public broadcaster VRT reported.
The orange category currently lists areas in 12 countries, including the Swiss Ticino canton and Spain’s Aragon and Catalonia regions, as well as Romania, Croatia, Bulgaria and Luxembourg.
Infections in Belgium are rising. The country reported an average of 95 infections per day between July 4 and July 10 — an 11 percent increase on the week before. The number of hospitalizations and deaths is still on the decline.