Belgium unveils plans to lift lockdown
Belgian Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès has announced an in depth plan to steadily lift the country's coronavirus restrictions.
Under new rules, all shops will be allowed to open their doors again from 11 May, with schools reopening the next week - albeit with a cap on pupil numbers in each class.
But Ms Wilmès cautioned that "there is nothing set in stone".
A lot more than 44,000 persons have tested positive for the virus in Belgium.
Almost 6,700 deaths have been recorded in the country of 11.4 million - the highest rate per capita in Europe. More than half the fatalities have been in care homes.
Comparisons with other Europe could be somewhat misleading, however, as some countries are thought to be under-reporting deaths.
After hours of discussions on Friday, Prime Minister Wilmès announced a timetable to slowly but surely end the country's lockdown, which commenced on 12 March.
The first businesses to open will be fabric shops on 4 May as a way to help people adhere to new regulations requiring all Belgians aged 12 or higher to wear masks on public transport. Other shops will reopen seven days later.
Schools will return from 18 May, but only 10 children will be allowed in each class. Cafes and restaurants will not be permitted to open before 8 June.
Several other European countries have already announced measures to help ease their lockdowns. On Friday, the Czech Republic ended restrictions on free movement which have been put in place to help halt the spread of coronavirus.
Some shops have already reopened in Germany and schools will little by little reopen from 4 May, although bars, cafes, restaurants, cinemas and music venues will all remain closed.
Meanwhile, Poland's Health Minister Lukasz Szumowski needed a two-year delay to the presidential election - due to happen in two weeks' time - saying it had been the safest situation given the pandemic. So far, the governing Law and Justice party has resisted public and opposition pressure to postpone the vote.
