7 June 2021: I received my first jab of the AstraZeneca vaccine on 14 May, and I must wait for my second dose of the vaccine until 6 August (12 weeks). Previously it was decided that people that were given their first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine after 31 May will receive their second dose of the vaccine 8 weeks later. One of the reasons for initially setting the interval between the first and second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine at 12 weeks were fears that insufficient supplies of the vaccine would be available. Since 862,400 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine are expected during the first three weeks of July this should no longer be an issue. Therefore, I’m hoping that my waiting time will be shortened and that I’ll get my second jab in the first half of July. Let’s cross fingers… Meanwhile, the corona figures show further significant falls. There are currently 979 COVID-19 patients being cared for in Belgian hospitals; of those hospitalised 336 are on intensive care wards. The last time that the number of COVID-19 patients in Belgian hospitals was under 1,000 was exactly 8 months ago on 6 October 2020. During the week from 28 to 3 June an average of 1,474 people in Belgium tested positive for the coronavirus. This is 20% down on the figures for the previous week. The positivity rate dropped to 0.41 and the reproductive rate continues to stand at 0.87. Last, the figures on the vaccination campaign show that a new milestone was reached on Saturday 5 June. More than 5 million people in Belgium have received at least 1 dose of coronavirus vaccine – Ghent, Belgium.

1 August 2021: In France the government is trying to make the possession of COVID passes mandatory for access to a range of public services. As part of the obligations, health workers have been mandated to be vaccinated, and a COVID pass is now compulsory for entry into a range of establishments, such as restaurants and cafes. Demonstrators in Paris and other cities in France are calling this rule discriminatory. At the same time, many vaccinated people start blaming the vaccine holdouts responsible for the lingering effects of the pandemic. This raises the question if you make the choice not to get vaccinated are you endangering the lives of others. Is the right to refuse a liberty that we should preserve or not? A debate that for sure will intensify in the weeks to come… Meanwhile the number of new infections in Belgium is up again. Between 22 and 28 July, an average of 1,553 new coronavirus infections were detected per day, a 11% increase from the average of the previous week. Also, the number of patients with COVID-19 in hospital still stands at 317 of those 96 are being treated in ICU’s. The basic reproductive rate currently stands at 1.14. Whilst the Covid saga continues we’re reminiscing about our short trip to Normandy. On display today is Gothic cathedral of Bayeux – Bayeux, Normandy, France.

30 March 2021: During the week from 20 to 26 March an average of 4,750 people tested positive for SARCoV-2, a rise of 16% on the figures for the previous week. This is a slowdown in the rate of increase. However, the question now is whether this will persist and when this will turn round into a fall in the number of people testing positive for the virus. There are currently 2,691 patients with COVID-19 in Belgian hospitals. Of these more than 711 are in intensive care. Net-net, we’ve got a long way to go… During one of my daily corona walks I came across this interesting mural of Kitsune. Kitsune Jolene (Jolien De Waele) is a street artist, based in Ghent. You can find her work from Belgium all the way to Portugal and Dubai. She is usually painting portraits of women, animals, fauna and flora sometimes infused with subtle nods to various cultures and myths – Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 115, Ghent, Belgium.

10 February 2021: In the week to 6 February on average 2,203 people tested positive each day in Belgium. The figure is down 6% on the week. In the week to 8 February an average of 121 people with COVID-19 were admitted to Belgian hospitals each day. This is a rise of 2% on the week. On 7 February (the latest date for which figures are available) 328,623 people had received their first dose of coronavirus vaccine. This is 3.56% of the total adult population. Knowing that we are a month and a half into the vaccination campaign this is a very disappointing number. The CEO of the Brussels University Hospital retweeted an article that appeared in the online version of the The Times writing “The UK vaccinates 1,000 people per minute and we “are on schedule”. A lack of agility and transparency with regard to the vaccination campaign is causing more and more frustration across the county and make people wonder if it’s just the availability of vaccines that is causing this delay or if it has more to do with a lack of decisiveness of the government and our country’s bureaucracy. Whilst we’re waiting for our first jab virologists are wondering if this week’s cold snap will have an impact on the spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus just like it encourages the spread of the flu virus. Since there is little hard evidence for this, I continue to wander around the city documenting what captures my attention – Paul de Smet de Naeyerplein, Ghent, Belgium.

10 October 2020: Update on The Corona Pandemic –The Corona figures show a further big rise in the number of people testing positive for the virus: on average 2,916 people tested positive every day over the last 7 days period. The total number of COVID-19 patients in Belgian hospitals is 1,110, while the steady rise in the number of deaths from COVID-19 continues. By now we are all familiar with the concept of contact tracing: if a person tests positive for the virus, the track and trace services track down the people he or she has been in contact with and advise them to get tested themselves. Although the system is still suffering teething problems advances have been made with the availability of the Coronalert smartphone app, which is now being used by more that half a million people in Belgium. In addition to contact tracing the Belgian government is now also starting to look into source tracing. As the name suggests, source tracing is about finding out who may have caused the infection. Preliminary results show that families and friends are the most important source of infections. Hence, keeping your social bubble as small as possible is key. Today’s picture is from another landmark downtown the historical city center of Ghent: The Castle of The Counts – Ghent, Belgium.

17 November 2020: Update on The Corona Pandemic – The rise in the number of deaths being linked to coronavirus is slowing down. Also, there has been a further fall in the number of people being treated for the coronavirus in hospital. On average during the past week 463 patients were hospitalized a day. That figure is down by a fifth on the week. And there was more good news yesterday. Moderna, a US pharma company, announced that the analysis of interim results of their phase 3 trial show that its Covid-19 vaccine is 94.5% effective in reducing the risk of contracting the disease. We’ve now two vaccines at the eve of being approved by the both the FDA and the EMA. In the wake of this news the government decided that the vaccines will be available in Belgium free of charge but that nobody will be obliged to get a corona vaccine jab. Still, they are targeting seventy percent of the population to be inoculated. A taskforce, including scientists and government representatives, crisis managers but also representatives of professional organizations and technical working group, will be set up to decide on the roll out of the vaccination campaign. Net-net, we’re heading for the right direction and hopefully the empty streets and squares will be filled with people again at the beginning of next year… Ghent, Belgium.

3 February 2021: In the week to 30 January on average 2,348 people tested positive each day in Belgium. The figure is up 8% on the week. The plateau phase of the figures that we have known for some time continues. For ten weeks now, the infection figures have been fluctuating between weekly averages of 2,000 to 2,500 infections per day. Meanwhile, the vaccination campaign continues unabated. Until last week, more than 280,000 people had been vaccinated, or about 3% of the adult Belgian population. Twee weeks ago, vaccination in hospitals has started and yesterday morning it was still expected that healthy adults will start to be vaccinated before summer. Yesterday evening, however, also Belgium decided not to use the AstraZeneca vaccine for over 55s, due to a lack of data on its efficacy in that age group. Later this morning the government will meet and assess the impact of the decision on the vaccination strategy and the timing of its roll-out. Also, in the Netherlands things continue to change. The anticipated decision to lift the curfew as of 10 February has been postponed. In the midst of this rollercoaster, I continue to capture my hometown. What I find during my daily corona walks is sometimes surreal, ugly, paradoxical and complex. It’s a little bit of everything and a little bit of nothing but it’s unique in it’s own right – Ghent, Belgium.

23 January 2021: Belgium’s federal and regional governments has met yesterday to discuss the measures that are in force to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. The most important decisions taken at the meeting were a ban on non-essential travel outside Belgium that will come into force from Wednesday 27 January and will last until 1 March and the promise that barbers, hairdressers’ and beauty salons will be allowed to reopen from Saturday 13 February providing that the coronavirus improve between now and then. Meanwhile, with 1,963 cases on average a day in the week to 19 January (the figure is down 4% on the week) we remain at a high plateau. Furthermore, the fall in the number of new infections is currently only apparent in Wallonia and Brussels. In Flanders an increase of the numbers has been reported. Also, it was noted that the fall is greatest among over 80s and that we’re seeing a double digit increase among children under 10. Net-net, the situation remains very fragile and the slightest inattention can ignite a new wave. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. The virus is currently playing a home game, but our best players, the spring and the vaccine, still need to come onto the field. In the end fortune will turn in our favour. Today, I’m posting some graffiti that I came across during yesterday’s corona walk – Ghent, Belgium.

1 February 2021: In the week to 28 January on average 2,259 people tested positive each day. The figure is up 9% on the week. The number of hospitalizations and deaths from the virus continues to fall slightly. The Vaccination Task Force reported yesterday that good progress is being made with the vaccination program and that Belgium is among the group of countries at the head of the race when it comes to the percentage of people already vaccinated. The Task Force is still awaiting advice from Belgium’s High Council for Health on which groups can best be vaccinated using the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine. Some EU countries such as Germany and Italy have said that they won’t use the AstraZeneca vaccine to vaccinate older people as there is still too little test data for this group. They nevertheless confirmed that it is still the intention to start the final phase of the vaccination program (the vaccination of people under 65 with no underlying medical conditions) before the summer. They anticipate that in addition to AstraZeneca there will be large quantities of the Pfizer vaccines and probably the Janssen (Johnson&Johnson) vaccine from April. Let’s hope they are right. Today’s picture is a vignette of yesterday morning’s walk downtown Ghent – Ghent, Belgium.

20 December 2020: Update on The Corona Pandemic – The coronavirus infection numbers continue to rise. Over the last week an average of 2,519 people tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 each day. There is also a slight rise in the 7-day rolling average for the number of people being hospitalised with the virus. The question that we all are posing is when will it end and when will we be able to get on with our lives? The rapid progression of COVID-19-vaccine candidates over the past several months has been a historic scientific accomplishment but will we be able to throw everything open once we have vaccinated the vulnerable groups or will we need to wait until everyone has been vaccinated before the measures to curb the spread of the virus can be significantly relaxed? Once we have vaccinated care home residents and emergency service workers and carers, we will be occupied with the whole group of over 65’s until long after March. We also should not forget that not only very old people are lying in hospital, but that there are also the people in their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s with underlying conditions. It is clear the current strategy of shutting down large parts of society is not sustainable in the long-term. The social and economic damage would be catastrophic. So, when is the day we should be looking forward to? If you ask Erica Vlieghe, one of our lead virologists it will take until Easter before the measures can be relaxed. A couple of more months to go… Meanwhile, I continue you to enjoy the Christmas decoration downtown Ghent. On display today is a modern version of the “Adoration of the Mystic Lamb” projected on the belfry – Sint-Baafsplein, Ghent, Belgium.

7 March 2021: In the week to 3 March on average 2344 people tested positive each day. This figure is down 2% on the week. It looks like that the figures are again plateauing on a level that is way too high to justify any form or deconfinement. Nevertheless, the relaxed measures on outdoor gatherings were welcomed by the general public. Let’s cross fingers that people will keep distance and wear face masks where necessary. Yesterday’s good news was that the Flemish authorities announced that the vaccination campaign in Flanders is set to move up a gear during the next two weeks. During the course of next week 97,413 people will be vaccinated. This will increase to 139,846 people that will be vaccinated during the week from 15 to 22 March. Elderly people that live at home and those with underlying conditions will be first up for a jab. Of course, all of this is subject to the availability of vaccines. I hope this time around they will have all their ducks in a row. I know these are geese…:-) Emile Clauslaan, Ghent, Belgium.

25 September 2020: The second wave of coronavirus infections gathers momentum across Europe. Belgium is recording a daily average of over 1,400 coronavirus infections over the past week, as well as a rising number of patients admitted to hospital every day.The evolution of the health situation in our country is definitely not favourable. At times that it’s key that the messaging from the government is clear, concise and consistent we’ve seen just the opposite. The day after the National Security Council announced relaxed coronavirus measures in Belgium, Prime Minister Sophie Wilmès said that it was likely that extra restrictions would be implemented soon, universities have asked its students to ignore the relaxation of the coronavirus rules and virologist are are openly criticizing the government’s guidelines. If we continue like this, the chances that Belgium pulls itself out of this second wave without a major healthcare and economic crisis is lower than this skateboarder is landing on both feet – Ghent, Belgium

28 March 2021: The coronavirus figures continue to rise albeit at a slower pace. On average in the week to 24 March, 4,635 new cases of coronavirus were confirmed each day. The figure is up 26% on the week. There are currently 2,499 patients with COVID-19 in our hospitals and 664 patients are on intensive care wards. By Thursday 25 March 1,152,481 people in Belgium had been given their first dose of coronavirus vaccine. This is 12.5% of the adult population. Almost 480,000 people have already received a second dose of coronavirus vaccine. Whilst vaccine scarcity remains a big issue in Europe the US government is debating how to handle looming surpluses as the supply of vaccines is anticipated to outstrip US demand by mid-May if not sooner. Whether they decide to keep or redirect those doses is a question with significant implications for how soon the pandemic can be brought to an end. Let’s hope that with the Biden administration the US is taken a more holistic view on the pandemic and the world in general. Meanwhile, in Ghent the city is treating us with additional chalk circles in the parks. The circles should allow us to enjoy the spring sunshine safely whilst sticking to the corona measures that restrict gatherings to only four people – Zuidpark, Ghent, Belgium.

13 February 2021: In the week to 9 February on average 1987 people tested positive each day in Belgium. The figure is down 15% on the week. Given the difficult context with the cold winter weather, the schools being open and the presence of the more contagious mutants of the virus this number is encouraging. During the last week of January 20% of people that became infected with coronavirus contracted the more contagious British variant and 3.2% of coronavirus infections were with the South African variant of the virus. In summary, despite the positive trend we are still at a high plateau and the risk of an upsurge remains high. Despite the brass-monkey weather, I carry on with my daily walks documenting live as it unfolds before my eyes during these unprecedented times – Citadelpark, Ghent, Belgium.

With no grounds maintenance the grass is going to grow and grow. Soon we'll have meadows and all sorts of floral surprises.

Away from the pavement

Dublin - Ireland

11 April 2021: The average number of infections continue to go down. During the week to 7 April an average of 3,599 people tested positive for SARCoV-2. The figure is down 21% on the week but the pressure on health services is still considerable, especially in intensive care units where 96% of beds are currently occupied by COVID and non-Covid patients. The reproduction rate of the virus is now 0.96 and the percentage of tests performed that are positive is 8,2%. The WHO recommends that the positivity rate needs to remain below 5% for at least two weak before any relaxations should be considered. We’re moving in the right direction, but the road is still long. Therefore, subject experts suggest postponing the reopening of restaurants, bars and cafes to mid-May. The good news is that vaccinations are moving into high gear. In Flanders 18% of the adult population has received their first jab. Belgium has now entered the top-10 tier of countries that have administered at least one jab to people aged 18 years or older according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Nevertheless, empty outdoor terraces and face masks are here to stay for a while – Nieuwpoort, Belgium.

19 April 2021: During the week from 9 to 15 April an average of 3,529 people tested positive each day. This is 1% down on the week. However, during the same period the number of tests was also down 14% on the previous week. Of those, 10% tested positive for the virus. Any positivity rate above 5% is considered to give cause for concern according to the WHO. The reproduction ratio for the coronavirus in Belgium currently stands at 0.94. The number of COVID patients in Belgian hospitals is back below 3,000, but pressure on ICU’s remains high. There are currently between 100 and 200 ICU beds free in the whole country. COVID and non-COVID beds included. There are traffic accident victims, people that have to undergo major operations, people that have had heart attacks or cerebral haemorrhages, but also organ transplantations and cancer operations. All these patients need to be accommodated in these few available beds. In summary, the situation on ICU’s remains a major concern. The good news is that during the next two weeks Belgium can expect to take delivery of more than 1.2 million doses of coronavirus vaccine. The extra deliveries of Pfizer could possibly compensate for J&J in sheer numbers, but Pfizer requires two doses. Also, the amount of time between the vaccines being delivered here and them being used continues to shorten. A month ago, it took an average of 19 days between a vaccine being delivered and it being used. Currently this is 9 days. The Vaccination Task Force says that the aim is to shorten this period still further. Meanwhile, it’s the second time we’re enjoying the cherry trees in bloom during this unprecedented crisis – Ghent, Belgium.

21 January 2021: Biden is president and all key indicators for the pandemic are lower. Yesterday was a good day! In the week to 17 January on average 1,972 people tested positive for coronavirus each day. The figure is down 6% on the week. Also, the number of hospitalisations and deaths linked to coronavirus continue to drop. The only bad news was that the planned vaccination of hospital staff in several hospitals was halted. The decision was taken after Pfizer announced it would supply fewer doses while changes were made at its plant in a bid to upscale production – Ghent, Belgium.

18 December 2020: Update on The Corona Pandemic – The average daily number of people testing positive for coronavirus continues to rise. The figure is up 12% on the week. Later today the Belgian government is meeting to assess and discuss the current measures in place to curb the coronavirus. Despite initial calls to ease measures for the festive period, the meeting will most likely focus on enforcing the rules. As a matter of fact, nobody expects spectacular change in the measures over the next few months. Changes can only be expected, thanks to the vaccine, and thanks to the end of winter in particular said one of the lead virologists. It more and more starts looking that also 2021 will not be a normal year, but hopefully little by little we will be able to do more things. To ease the pain the European commission president Von der Leyen announced yesterday that the vaccination campaign across the EU will start on 27 December. Said that, any delivery of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in December will be symbolic and limited and will be shared equally between member states. Other miscellaneous news worth mentioning was that the prime ministers of Belgium, the Netherlands and the German Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia urged the people in a joined address not to cross the border and to stay at home. As both the Netherlands and Germany closed its non-essential shops one wants to avoid that people leave their hometown to come shopping in Belgium and by doing so are spreading the virus. This once again underlines the need to develop a coherent European policy. Last, the Belgian police are training sniffer dogs to detect coronavirus. The dogs, normally used to detecting explosives, should be ready by January and will most likely be deployed at airports, nursing homes and other busy places. Another proof that calamities can spur creativity. On display today is another vignette of Ghent during these unprecedented times – Ghent, Belgium.

Letras que risquei no último rolê de 2018. Mais uma vez pude comparecer no Jd. Zaíra em Mauá, a convite da Lela Punk e UDR (FGM). Vários escritores de muitas épocas que pude reencontrar nesse dia. Faço questão de descrever na descrição, não apenas a localização e a parte técnica da obra, mas também, a experiência positiva ou negativa daquele momento. Esse encontro foi pra fechar o ano de maneira bastante positiva. No mesmo muro segue também o personagem do mano Igor DG - Black Spirit Gang. A foto do personagem segue na caixa de comentários.

Florence, Italy, 2020

12 May 2021: With a Reproduction number of 0.90 the pandemic is shrinking in Belgium but the fall in the number of new recorded cases is increasing again. Between 2 May and 8 May, an average of 3,029 new coronavirus infections were detected per day, the figures is up by 2% compared to the previous week.

There are 711 patients being treated in intensive care for Covid-19 and a total of 2,255 people hospitalised with a coronavirus infection. The positivity rate stand at 6.5%. On 9 May 38.8% of the adult population had received at least one shot of the vaccine. Clearly, during the past seven days the number of recorded cases has reached a plateau around 3,000 cases a day and it looks like we will stay around this figure in coming days. Hospitalisations among people in their 40s and 50s are on the increase. This group represents 34% of hospitalisations. Despite these concerning data the government has agreed several target dates that each should allow further relaxations: 9 June, 1 July, 30 July, 13 August, and 1 September. Starting 9 June restaurants and bars will be permitted to serve customers indoors. Fairs, fitness centres, cinemas, theatres, etc. will all be allowed to reopen on this date. Events indoors may welcome 200 participants, outdoors 400. Also starting 9 June households will be able to invite 4 people into their home. Starting 1 July people who are vaccinated will be able to travel abroad using the European green corona certificate. More people will gradually be permitted to attend big events too in July and August. A lot of promises whilst there are still a lot of unknowns. Meanwhile, we’re seeing the first tourists back in Ghent – Korenlei, Ghent, Belgium.

Fourth wave of sars-cov2 in Hanoi!

9 January 2021: Update on The Corona Pandemic – I’m continuing down memory lane. This very day exactly 4 years ago we arrived in La Paz, Bolivia. The breathtaking view on display is taken from El Alto (4000 m above sea level) looking down over La Paz with a backdrop of the snow-capped mountains Huayna Potosi and Illimani. In Belgium, today, statistics show that for the first time in a while there is a slight increase in the number of infections. During the week from 30 December to 5 January an average of 1,720 people/day tested positive for the coronavirus. This is up 3% on the 7-day rolling average for the previous week. The numbers of hospitalizations and fatalities albeit is still going down. Are these the early signs of the impact of the festive period and the returning holiday makers? The good news is that after the criticism that things were not moving quickly enough the government announced yesterday a revised vaccination program. By the end of this month all residents of care homes should have received their jab. From the end of this month the vaccination of health care professionals will commence. The vaccination of the over 65s and people with underlying complaints that put them at a high risk if they become infected with coronavirus will get under way in March. The rest of the population will be able to get vaccinated from June. In order to facilitate the mass vaccination programme 200 vaccination centres will be opened across the country. The aim is that all those that wish to will have been vaccinated by the end of September. Net-net, there is hope. We just need to get through the next couple of months.

10 January 2021: The downward trend in the number of people testing positive for Covid-19 - based on the rolling average for 7 days - has been stopped. 1,776 people tested positive for coronavirus on average each day between 31 December and 6 January, a 10 percent rise on the week. This increase does not come as a surprise. However, there is no reason to panic, experts say. The number of Covid tests is 9 percent up on the week, standing at 30,100 per day. This is because fewer people had themselves tested during the Christmas holidays, and because many returning holiday makers are obliged to take a test when returning from a red zone abroad. Therefore, virologists have suggested that it may be better to look at the number of hospitalisations these days, since these are not subject to changing testing numbers. These numbers are still okay, with an average of 130 patients taken to hospital each day on average between 2 and 8 January. This figure, which is 3 days more recent, is 11 percent down on the week. However, the real test is still coming in the next two weeks, when we will see the full impact of returning tourists and the reopening of our schools. The key question is will it get worse before it will get better. To forget about the Covid saga we went for a long, corona proof, walk on the beach yesterday – De Haan, Belgium.

18 January 2021: Generally, the increase in infections has slowed down in recent days, and both hospital admissions and deaths continue to decrease. On average during the week to 14 January 2,010 people a day tested positive for the coronavirus, that is an increase of 9% on the week. However, around noon yesterday, news broke that an outbreak of the UK strain had been detected in a little village in the Western part of the country with 128 persons infected, 63 of them in a nursing home. While only a minority of samples in Belgium have tested positive for the new strain, the number could shoot up, according to our subject experts. The British variant of the virus was already present in our country, but we’ve noted an increase since the new year. Did the movement of tourists open the doors to the spread of the mutation? We’re anxiously waiting to see how the situation will evolve in the coming weeks – Ghent, Belgium.

30 April 2021: The corona statistics continue to edge lower. On average during the last seven-day observation period, the week to 26 April, 3,309 new cases of coronavirus were confirmed each day. The figure is down 7% on the week. Also, the number of patients being hospitalised continues to fall. 2,808 patients are currently in hospital with Covid, 886 of them are in intensive care. The positivity rate and the reproduction rate are respectively 8.8 and 8.9. Hoping that the worst is over I continue to document life as it unfolds around me. What I’m seeing is sometimes beautiful, surreal, ugly, paradoxical and complex. It’s a little bit of everything and a little bit of nothing but I hope it’s unique. Today’s post is a mural from Super A called “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” – Australië straat, Ghent, Belgium

18 February 2021: In the week to 14 February on average 1791 people tested positive each day in Belgium. The figure is down 17% on the week. In the same period 119 patients with Covid were hospitalised and 38 fatalities a day were linked to Covid. The figures are down respectively 10% and 7% on the week. As Belgium’s coronavirus infection and hospitalisation figures are decreasing and the vaccination campaign is slowly but surely picking up steam, conversation have turned to which measures could be relaxed next, and when. Experts, however, remain very cautious about possible relaxations in the near future. They want the figures to decrease further before they are willing to recommend any form of deconfinement and even than they stress that it is going to be key that measures are lifted in a gradual manner. I’m wondering what the Belgium government will decide when they meet again on Friday, 26 February to discuss the roadmap for the next phases of the pandemic. In the meantime, I continue to focus on documenting daily life or what draws my attention during my daily corona walks in my hometown. On display today are students hanging out on the St. Peter's Square, located in student neighborhood. The image that I shot late yesterday afternoon suggests that more and more people are fed up with the lockdown and are not respecting social distancing. Now that spring is knocking at the door it’s going to become harder to drive compliance to the measures that were put in place to curb the spread of the virus – St. Peter’s Square, Ghent, Belgium.

Florence, Italy, 2020

16 December 2020: Update on The Corona Pandemic – The coronavirus reproduction number has risen above 1 again in most of Belgium’s provinces. Also, for the second day in a row the corona figures show a rise in the number of patients being hospitalised with Covid-19 and the number of people testing positive for the virus is increasing with 8% in the Flemish speaking part of the country. The rise in the number of positive tests is greatest (+21%) among children under the age of 10. In absolute figures the number of people testing positive is highest among people in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s. Some subject experts say that the curve has flattened out at a level that is still too high others tweet that we are at the start of the third wave. Whatever you want to call it, the current trend is, saying the least, deeply worrying. The good news is that yesterday it was announced that fines for people attending lockdown parties will triple. The fine for people attending a lockdown party will be raised from €250 now to €750. Organisers will risk a fine of €4,000 in future, instead of €750. By doing so, the prosecutors want to suppress a “clear disregard” for the rules. Personally, I do not think that this alone will do the trick. We all need to limit the number of contacts we have, both at home and at work. In summary, the current trend opens up the potential need for further measures on the run up to the festive period. In an attempt to cheer you up I’m posting another vignette of Ghent dressed up for a very different Christmas – Emile Braunplein, Ghent, Belgium

7 October 2020: Update on The Corona Pandemic – The new Belgian federal government announced yesterday tighter measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. As of Friday, bars and cafés will have to close at 11pm and groups of no more than 4 per table will be permitted regardless of whether they are sitting inside or outside on a terrace or in a garden. Close social contacts will be limited to 3 people in addition to those with whom you share your home. In addition, you will only be allowed to invite 4 other persons into your home provided that social distancing is upheld. Last, no more than 4 people will be able to congregate together on the streets or in a park. The announcement comes as the number of infections are continuing to rise and as we are facing steadily increasing numbers of hospitalizations and deaths. More than 2,300 new people per day tested positive for Covid-19 over the past week and 937 patients are currently in hospital. The new Prime Minister (Alexander De Croo) and the Minister of Health (Frank Vandenbroucke) did an excellent job in delivering the message; the new measures were announced in a clear and emphatic manner and, therefore, were well received by the majority of the population. Today’s picture is from yesterday’s corona walk and displays the Saint Bavo Cathedral from a less common viewpoint – Ghent, Belgium

10 May 2021: Between 30 April and 6 May, an average of 2,983 new coronavirus infections were detected per day, the figure is down by 2% compared to the previous week. There are 706 patients being treated in intensive care for Covid-19 in Belgium and a total of 2,168 people hospitalised with a coronavirus infection. An average of 49,303.1 tests were carried out daily, with a positive rate of 6.7%. The reproduction rate continue to stand at 0.87. The figures are encouraging, unfortunately not all that glitters is gold. Yesterday it was announced that five residents of a care home have been infected with the so-called Indian variant of Covid-19 and one fatality was reported. The mutation is thought to be more transmissible than previous variants and the effectiveness of existing vaccines is still being studied. Clearly, vaccination against Covid-19 never offers 100% protection of becoming infected, and the success in the case of new variants is likely to be lower but subject experts stress that vaccination protects substantially against developing symptoms, the more serious outcomes, including ICU care and even death. Although we’re not yet out of the danger zone life downtown Ghent slowly but surely is returning to “normal”– Korenlei, Ghent, Belgium.

27 July 2021: There is no explosion of infections in Belgium like in the Netherlands, where all brakes are off, but the figures are still going up. Between 17 and 23 July, an average of 1,472 new coronavirus infections were detected per day, a 10% increase from the average of the previous week. While there is no reason to panic about the increase in Belgium’s coronavirus measures, everyone has to remain vigilant and leave the “empire of freedom” for after the summer, according to Federal Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke. We now have been told that more freedom will be possible after the summer, when the number of fully vaccinated people has gone up from 50% to at least 70%. In summary, we are not there yet, so for now, we’ll keep our distance and put on our face masks. Meanwhile, almost the entire map of France turned orange again. Despite the rising number of infections in France, we have not been asked a single time for our European corona passport or a negative PCR test nor have we been stopped at the border to show our passenger locator form when we returned to Belgium late yesterday afternoon…

8 October 2020: Update on The Corona Pandemic – More and more people are coming down with the coronavirus in Belgium. On average, 2,466 people a day tested positive over the last week. In Brussels the situation is derailing. In a ranking of European capitals, based on infection levels, Brussels is now second, only behind Madrid and just ahead of Paris. The latest figures showed that there were now 500 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants, a figure towering well-above the alarming threshold of 50. Also, the 15% of beds set aside for corona patients have been filled in all hospitals in Brussels. In two hospitals over a quarter of beds are occupied by corona patients. In an attempt to curb the soaring numbers of infections and to enable hospitals to continue to offer regular services to non-Covid patients the city is further tightening its coronavirus restrictions one day after our new federal government announced stricter rules. All bars in the Brussels are shutting down as of today. In addition, drinking alcohol in public will be banned and amateur sports events and competitions will be allowed to continue but without a public. Today’s picture was taken 5 years ago on the “Grand Place” in Brussels. The waiter, just like all of us, had no idea what was coming – Grand Place, Brussels, Belgium.

16 January 2021: On average during the week to 12 January 2,037 people a day tested positive for the coronavirus. The figure is up 17% on the week. The recent rise in the number of people testing positive for the virus is flattening off a little bit but with the fall in the number of people with COVID-19 that are being admitted to hospital slowing, it could be some time yet before the government will start considering a relaxation of the measures designed to curb the spread of the virus. Experts said that this won’t be before the beginning of March. Meanwhile, nearly 50,000 people in rest and care homes have been vaccinated with the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine and as of Monday Belgium will start administering the Moderna vaccine in hospitals. The two vaccines will most likely be joined by that of AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford at the end of January as the EMA has received a formal application for authorisation. An interesting fact that came to my attention yesterday was that the EU is considering a Covid-19 passport/certificate allowing holders to be able to travel around Europe freely. An interesting thought but I’m wondering if the proposal will survive the political and legal challenges associated with it. Anyhow, we will limit ourselves to walking the Belgian coast – De Haan, Belgium.

29 November 2020: Update on The Corona Pandemic – The latest figures on the coronavirus pandemic in Belgium show a continuation of the positive trend. For the first time since 28 October the number of patients on intensive care wards has fallen below 1,000. On Friday 27 November there were 229 hospital admissions, while 326 COVID-19 patients were discharged from hospital. All good news but hey, here is another bummer. Yesterday I learned that there is a good chance that people who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 will still have to quarantine. We know that the vaccines that are coming to market will protect us against the disease, however, according to virologists and health officials it is not yet clear whether the vaccine will also protect us against an infection. Hence, vaccinated people might still carry the virus. If this statement is backed up by sufficient data it would mean that we’ll have to wait until sufficient people are vaccinated, fewer virus is circulating, and herd immunity is reached before we can go back to our normal lives. I understand the scientific rational, but for sure it doesn’t make me a happy camper. To cheer us up Ghent has decorated the city with Christmas trees and thousands of lights. The eye-catcher this year is a large luminous dragon on the Graslei. The light construction makes reference to the golden dragon on the Belfry that has been protecting the city since 1377 – Ghent, Belgium

Regensburg: Neniuj turistoj videblas - la KORONAVIRUSO malplenigas la sidlokojn.

Silberhalogenid-Gelatine-Negativfilm Fomapan 100 21° DIN;

Zeiss Flektogon 4/25 an Vollformatkamera Exakta Varex IIb (Bj.ca.1965);

Digitalisiert mit NIKON D90 Nikkor 1,8/50 und Pentacon Diakopiervorsatz.

Umkehrentwicklung und Gradationsanhebung mit Lightroom

29 April 2021: The number of patients being hospitalised each day is falling. 2,858 patients are currently in hospital with Covid. The figure is down 8% on the week. Though the number of patients in critical care still stands at 892. On average during the last seven-day observation period, the week to 25 April, 3,481 new cases of coronavirus were confirmed each day. The figure remains stable on the week. Despite the numbers are plateauing at a very high level and the number of ICU patients is precariously high, the government confirmed yesterday that terraces will reopen on 8 May. Besides the reopening of the terraces, the other elements of the outdoor plan will also take effect from then on: the curfew will be lifted, and be replaced by a ban on gatherings of more than three people. Events, cultural performances and worship services will also be able to take place outside with a maximum of 50 people. Amusement parks will be able to reopen and professional flea markets will again be allowed, as will organised outdoor activities for up to 25 people. Today’s post is for those who forgot how life looked like in the pre-corona era. These “die-hard” cycling fanatics are waiting for the 2016 Ghent – Wevelgem to finish. The world champion Peter Sagan won the race! - Wevelgem, Belgium

19 January 2021: The 7-day rolling average for people testing positive for the virus stabilizes and the number of people being hospitalised with the virus continues to fall slowly but surely. The same is true of the number of people with the virus that are dying. On average during the week to 15 January 2,017 people a day tested positive for the coronavirus, that is down 1% on the week. Meanwhile, several outbreaks of the British mutation of the virus have been reported. In one case it has been confirmed that the source of the infection is people that had travelled during the Christmas holiday and not stuck to the rules concerning quarantine on their return. The result is that thousands are quarantined due to the negligence by a few. The question of how to keep out more contagious coronavirus variants of the virus is what is now preoccupying the country’s politicians. Waiting for the beneficial seasonal impact on the spread of the virus and the effect from groups immunity via people who have had the virus and via vaccinations I continue my corona walks. On display today is a pleasing urban alignment that I pictured alongside the river Scheldt – Ghent, Belgium.

8 December 2020: Update on The Corona Pandemic –The 7-day rolling averages for positive coronavirus tests, hospitalisations and deaths of people with the virus still show a fall, however, the figures for the past few days show a flatting off. After a long period of good news, the number of hospitalisations has not fallen at all during the past three days. All good reasons to be mindful of limiting our number of contacts. Unfortunately, there are still people that are breaking the lockdown measures imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus to rave in secret at night. Over the last couple of weeks police had to break up lockdown parties across the country. In Antwerp partygoers will stand trial in a first dedication court session next week. Sentences that can be passed in these cases range from prison sentences of between 8 days and 3 months and fines of between EUR 300 and 4,000. Let’s hope that next week’s court proceedings will serve as a deterrent, particularly with Xmas and New Year just around the corner. Talking about Xmas, whilst the historical city center of Ghent is gradually metamorphosing into a winter landscape also our neighborhood is going the extra mile to create a cheerful and magical atmosphere. The eyecatcher is a private initiative of one of our neighbors who set up a wonderful and spectacular nativity scene behind her window. Congrats Ana! – Ghent, Belgium.

14 June 2021: Belgium is currently the fastest country in the EU when it comes to the number of coronavirus vaccines administered per 100 inhabitants. On average 1.27 coronavirus vaccines per 100 inhabitants were administered in the last week. The Netherlands is just behind us, with on average 1.18 being administered per 100 people. The Belgian government anticipates that by the end of the month, 70-75% of the adult population should have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and by August, the same percentage should be fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, the latest figures on the coronavirus pandemic in Belgium show further falls in the number of new infections, hospitalisations, and deaths. There are currently 721 COVID-19 patients being cared for in Belgian hospitals; of those hospitalised 285 are on intensive care wards. During the week from 4 June to 10 June an average of 882 people tested positive for the coronavirus. This is 40% down on the figures from the previous week. The positivity rate dropped to 2.9 and the reproductive rate fell to 0.77 – Kortrijk, Belgium.

15 May 2021: The latest figures on the coronavirus pandemic in Belgium show falls in the number of hospitalisations and the number of people testing positive for the virus. During the week from 5 to 11 May an average of 2,750 people tested positive for coronavirus each day, a fall of 7% on the previous week. There are 647 patients being treated in intensive care for Covid-19 and a total of 1,921 people are hospitalised with a coronavirus infection. The reproduction number increased to 0.94. On Wednesday 12 May (the latest date for which figures are available) 41% of the adult population had received their first shot of the coronavirus vaccine. In the US around 36% of the population is now fully vaccinated and the Biden administration announced last Thursday that fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing. The decision most likely is aimed at giving the vaccination campaign, which has been slowing down in the US, an extra boost. With only 10% of the Belgian population being fully immunized against the virus the situation remains too fragile to even contemplate to abandon the use of face masks. On display today is another skyline vista of Ghent from the Museum of Industry – Ghent, Belgium

4 June 2021: The downward trend of all key corona indicators continues. There are currently 1,122 COVID-19 patients being cared for in Belgian hospitals; of those hospitalised 377 are on intensive care wards. During the week from 25 to 31 May an average of 1,875 people in Belgium tested positive for the coronavirus. This is 8% down on the figures for the previous week. The positivity rate remains at 0.46 and the reproductive rate currently stands at 0.85. Even though the downward trend continues, albeit at a slower rate, healthcare professionals and academia are urging for great caution and are asking the government not to rush ahead with relaxations until everybody has received a second dose of the vaccine. Recent mathematical models predict a surge in new cases at the end of June if contacts like in September last year are allowed. In their letter to the government, they are referring to the deterioration of the situation in the UK and new variants like the Delta or Indian variant that is gaining ground in Belgium. Despite these flashing danger signals the summer feeling is slowly returning to the city – Groentenmarkt, Ghent, Belgium.

Objektiv Zeiss Flektogon 4/25 an SONY A5000

Bildflächennutzung ggü. Kleinbild: 43%

Bildflächennutzung ggü. Bildkreis << 25% (Makro)

7 December 2020: Update on The Corona Pandemic – While all coronavirus indicators continue to drop, the rate at which the numbers are going down is slowing. Nevertheless, the government is still cautiously optimistic that the coronavirus figures will be good enough for the current restrictions to be eased by mid-January. Queried on the request by some politicians for a review of the social distancing measures during the upcoming holidays and the closure of hairdressing salons to be tabled for discussion at the upcoming crisis meeting on18 December, our Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo said that the meeting was already programmed for other issues. These include details of the strategy on vaccination and the quarantining of persons returning from abroad but that relaxations are not in the cards. I hope we learned something from the situation last time round and I’m happy that the relaxation bit got a big thumbs down. On display today is another vignette of the fiery dragons warming up the city during this unprecedented crisis – Ghent, Belgium