Prime Minister Xavier Bettel made a knackering return trip to Luxembourg from the ongoing EU summit in Brussels late Sunday evening to attend an extraordinary government council meeting.
After postponing the meeting three times at Senningen Castle, a press briefing was scheduled for 10pm, which we covered live on our site with English ticker translations. Here is a summary of the most important topics discussed.
The main measure proposed, which will have the largest influence on everyday life, is that the number of people allowed to gather in the private sphere will drop to a maximum of 10 people. This will apply both indoors and outdoors, Bettel clarified, that is to say, both in private homes and gardens.
The Chamber will discuss new legislation on Monday morning following Sunday's meeting. Minister of Health Paulette Lenert added that the restriction was a step backwards, but absolutely necessary to reduce the risk of infection.
Bettel reiterated that the main point of quarantine was to isolate, and this must be respected at all costs. He also explained the government would mount a larger campaign to raise awareness of the situation, particularly aimed at workplaces.
Police checks would be increased, and other government branches would also take on some of this work. The government does not want a state where police officers knock on doors to check up on residents.
However, if a private residence is observed with more than the maximum number of guests, Bettel said it could be feasible for police to issue a warning or a fine.
Throughout the whole crisis, Bettel said, he had asked for solidarity, and those who deliberately chose to flout the rules were not acting responsibly to the whole population. The fact the government now has to draft legislation to stop such breaches, was a disappointment.
"It's egocentric not to stick to the rules. We're seeing consequences for businesses, restaurants, and people that cannot go on holiday. This is not an appeal to you as prime minister, but as human to human." - PM Xavier Bettel
Businesses which do not observe social distancing regulations and closing times may lose all eligibility to government financial aid. Fines of up to €8,000 can also result in forced closure of three months.
The problem primarily arose from people misunderstanding or forgetting the ground rules issued by the government, particularly distancing. Lenert said this was most likely due to deconfinement measures and the sense of a return to normality, but contact tracing analysis had confirmed that a small percentage of the public were not necessarily observing hygiene regulations.
The virus had strongly established a presence in Luxembourg once again, which the minister of health described as "active".
The virus is present across the whole country, according to data gathered recently, and is continuing to spread. The proportion of the population carrying the virus has remained stable, which Lenert said was a good sign and meant there was still some modicum of control.
The goal is to live as normally as possible in this phase of the crisis, and in order to do so, Lenert said it was vital to identify and isolate each new infectious case.
Contact tracing was crucial to help stop the virus spreading. Luxembourg is currently discussing its version of the tracing app with the German Robert Koch Institute.
Paulette Lenert said hospitals were currently fine in terms of capacity, otherwise other measures would have been taken. The government will, she said, act according to the data.
Bettel said he felt business owners should act responsibly with regard to their employees, allowing teleworking where possible. He acknowledged that each business was different, and smaller businesses with fewer employees might be better able to work normally, whereas others would have to continue working from home to allow safe distances.
