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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not recommend school trips to Italy and certain French areas that are profoundly affected by the coronavirus.
Earlier in the day, virologist Marc Van Ranst had said that stricter travel advice, especially for Italy, would be advisable.
This afternoon the Foreign Affairs recommendation to postpone Belgian school trips to Italy until further notice. The Federal Public Service is following the decision of the Italian authorities to cancel school trips throughout Italy.
The current travel advice for Italy is further specified. Our country still recommends following the instructions of the local authorities and following the instructions on the site of the Italian Ministry of Health.
The Federal Public Service points out the various measures that Italy has already taken. This concerns, for example, the prohibition on entering the eleven affected municipalities in northern Italy.
One of the other measures is about education. In Italy, for example, there is the closure of all schools and universities, but also childcare. Moreover, the Italian authorities have decided to cancel all school trips at the national level, both domestically and abroad.
The Italian measure on school trips is now explicitly highlighted in the updated Foreign Affairs opinion. “Following the decision of the Italian authorities discouraging school trips in Italy, it is recommended to postpone Belgian school trips to Italy until further notice,” it says.
The education ministers of the communities follow the call.
Earlier in the day, virologist Marc Van Ranst had said that stricter travel advice would be advisable. Such information has already been taken in other countries because most positive corona cases come from northern Italy. The Netherlands, for example, discourages all unnecessary journeys to regions in the north of Italy.
