Belgium has introduced the concept of ‘corona bubbles’, to help its citizens deal with the easing of social restrictions.
A ‘corona bubble’ essentially consists of two sets of four people, who can visit each other’s homes. No one else will be allowed to be part of one bubble.
Sophie Wilmès, Belgium’s Prime Minister, announced the plan last week, since the government had been accused of prioritising the economy over people’s wishes to be reunited with friends and family. This was implemented on last Sunday, Mother’s day. Wilmès said in a statement that “The physical separation from those whom we love has in some cases become unbearable”. She reiterated that the government expects guests to stay 1.5 metres apart and suggested that people meet in gardens or on terraces where possible.
However, there has been a lot of confusion about the letter of the policy, since many people did not realise that all four guests were meant to come from the same household, considering the fact that Belgians, especially large families are those where one or both parents have remarried.
Epidemiologists advising the government chose the number four because it matches current capacity to do contact tracing if someone falls ill. Pairing two households also reduces the risk-multiplier effect that would come from allowing more varied mixing, but epidemiological models do not square with how people socialise in real life.