March 14, 2020. Lock down in Belgium: stay in your room, the hospitality industry will be locked down for 12 weeks. August 18, 2020. The Netherlands reports 26 times more infections at home than in the hospitality industry. Now Prime Minister Rutte advises the opposite: ‘No parties or drinks at home, rather go to a catering establishment’.

14/03/2020: Catering is locked up, stay in your room

18/08/2020: Home party no, go to a pub

Of course this is good for the hospitality industry, so you get more people in your business. What’s going on?

76.3 % of the Dutch Covid cases get infected ‘at home’. Home means in a private home and by roommates, family, acquaintances and friends or a cohabiting partner. But 2.9 % get an infection in the hospitality industry. So there you have 26 times less infections than in the private sphere.

These figures from 04/05/2020 to 18/08/2020 can be found in the document ‘Epidemiological situation COVID-19 Netherlands 18-08-2020′. Source: RIVM

So Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte advises against partying at home. “Then you’d rather go to a catering establishment.” What is the situation in Belgium? Yves Stevens, of the Belgian Crisis Centre: “Most infections still take place in the domestic sphere”.

Although I haven’t found any concrete Belgian figures, this statement indicates that the situation in Belgium is similar to that in the Netherlands. There is no reason to assume that things would be different in other countries such as France, the United Kingdom, etc.

Why is this?

• In the hospitality industry there is more space, fixed seats, and it is easier to respect the distance of 1.5m than at home.
• In your private life it is more difficult. With friends and family you get closer faster, you are more inclined to give a hand, even a kiss or a hug.
• In the hospitality industry you end up in a professionally organized environment. Everything on Covid is organized there. At home that is not the case.
• The hospitality industry takes its responsibility. There you find only 2.9% of infections.

Conclusion: it’s safer to meet people in the hospitality industry than at home. So why doesn’t the Belgian government call on you to meet people in the hospitality industry?