COVID — 19: The case of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Situation in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Luxembourg is a relatively small, multicultural and multilingual country situated in the heart of Europe. On 17 March 2020, the Luxembourgish Government declared a national state of crisis. Considering the evolution of COVID-19 in surrounding territories, and the high percentage of workers who commute to Luxembourg from neighboring countries on a daily basis, it was particularly important to take additional measures to limit the spread of the virus and protect vulnerable population groups. More specifically, the Grand Ducal Regulation implemented a policy of risk mitigation through confinement, as of 18 March 2020. Looking at the total number of confirmed cases (Figure 1), as well as the total number of confirmed deaths (Figure 2), it seems that respecting the necessary distances in interpersonal relations has proven to be “one of the most effective measures in limiting the spread of the virus”, as stated by the Ministry of Health (Luxembourgish Ministry of Health, 2020).
Projects and Initiatives
As a response to this crisis, the Luxembourgish Government launched a campaign using the hashtag #bleiftdoheem, spreading the message to “stay at home” using digital and social media platforms (Figure 3), as well as flyers, posters and banners. In addition, the government created a separate page on their website, providing information on the virus and guidelines for the various domains affected by COVID-19, as well as recommendations and referrals to resources, advising citizens on mental health, education, food safety and more. Furthermore, on the COVID-19 — Corona virus page on the Government’s website, under a #Solidarity campaign, citizens are able to access information on different initiatives that can help and assist the public. These include lists of restaurants that offer delivery/takeaway services, initiatives or platforms with educational, cultural, scientific activities, and more.
Another great initiative that has emerged in the face of the pandemic is #Aktivdoheem, which enables citizens to exercise at home, in a safe and restricted environment, fostering physical and mental health. The initiative includes a number of online short videos and challenges, tailored for specific target groups (parents, children, adolescents, and seniors).
Furthermore, as a response to the cancellation of numerous cultural events that were supposed to take place in the coming months, the Ministry of Culture and the Luxembourg Commission for UNESCO are working on a digital presentation of festive events, such as the Éimaischen (Easter Monday), the Octave (pilgrimage in honor of Our Lady of Luxembourg for two weeks in May), and more. This living and interactive project encourages the digitization of our heritage, and the sharing of personal photos and souvenirs using the hashtag #DigitalIKI.
Finally, the City of Luxembourg’s Photothèque is asking for help to create a photographic collection to commemorate this unique crisis. They are collecting documentation of the circumstances in which we currently find ourselves; personal images depicting everyday-life during the pandemic, photos of queues, empty streets, security measures or signs, unusual situations, postcards, etc.
Future Impact and Implications
The Government of the Grand Duchy has established an Exit Strategy to gradually phase out the restrictions imposed on Luxembourgish citizens, with measures to ensure sufficient hospital capacities, to monitor the evolution of the pandemic, foster testing capacities, support research, etc. (Government of the Grand Duchy, 2020). More specifically, the first phase of the exit strategy consists of the gradual continuation of a number of activities, such as the reopening of construction sites, the provision of assistance and psychological support services in education, the opening of some businesses, and more. Furthermore, Luxembourg has set aside €40 million for testing the population for the corona virus, in order to see how it is spreading across the country. Education minister Claude Meisch said: “We must live with the virus and control it. More testing will give people more freedom.” Testing began on 28 April on children, who are supposed to return to school starting 4 May (Oglesby, 2020).
Urban Lifestyle during the pandemic
In light of this situation, urban dwellers have changed the way they use and move in public spaces. Individuals tend to behave differently depending on their personal traits, habits, culture and social tendencies. However, people are taking similar precautionary measures to keep and maintain the safety distances, either by wearing masks, or by crossing the street whenever they spot another person from afar.
Nevertheless, there is a noticeable increase in the use of spaces such as parks, fοrests, and recreational sites, while a decrease in the use of more “common” public spaces such as plazas and squares. This could be attributed to the fear, or general conception, that the latter kind of urban spaces are more prone to attract higher numbers of people. It’s interesting to see this shift, and this innate need for people to be closer to nature, and further away from concrete. Consequently, it is a justified assumption that the solution to this crisis, as well as other urban-related shocks and stresses, could lie in nature-based solutions and biophilic design; the integration of natural elements and processes into the built environment.
Despite everything, there is a glimpse of positivity and “#solidarity” in the air. People are using public spaces to send messages of hope, by writing notes on the pavement using pine cones and flowers (Image 1–3), and by hanging up self-made posters on their doors and windows (Image 4). As most of these messages are left by children, it raises the question of how much children are taken into consideration when planning and designing cities.
Even though most districts in Luxembourg have foreseen the provision of playgrounds, the protectiveness of parents towards their children influences the design of neighborhoods, a protectiveness which is only increasing in the face of this global pandemic. After all, a child-friendly urban environment should go beyond schools and playgrounds, especially since these “safe” spaces have been closed during COVID-19. So where are children going now? And how child-friendly are these new “playgrounds”?
Urban Planning after COVID-19
Countries are starting to take measures to transition into the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic; one of the first steps includes children returning to school. This highlights the significant role children play in our society; they are the future. We can teach children and youth through our education systems, as well as through the way we plan our cities, showing in practice what kind of measures are necessary for sustainable and resilient development. And we need children to be a big part of the equation, as it can be argued that “an urban environment that is healthy and livable to children, would also be healthy and livable for all” (Lin, 2018).
As a response to this pandemic, some exit strategies and schemes aim to reduce car use after lock-down, and give more space to pedestrians and cyclists. Not only for the environment, but for our own safety, since bicycles can help ensure safety distances. However, how is one expected to cycle to school or work, if there is no infrastructure to do so? If we live in car-dominated cities, how are we expected to choose the healthier, greener option?
We need to use the momentum of this pandemic as an opportunity to send the right messages. We all need to fight for a world where respecting nature is the norm, not the exception. Where the safety and freedom of children goes beyond schools and playgrounds. Where using bicycles instead of cars is a habit. Where clean canals, cleaner air and less air travel is just the way things are. A world where animals are able to roam more freely in the natural habitat we have so forcefully dominated. Where helping your elderly or disabled neighbor is something you always do. A world of hope.
Konstantina Vidou is an Urban Planner from Greece, with a degree in Spatial Planning and Development Engineering, from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She is currently a Local Pathways Fellow at the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) — Youth, working on localizing SDG 11: Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
