Coronavirus: EU Commission orders home work for staff

BRUSSELS

The European Commission orders employees to work from home next week, it announced Thursday among a series of measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The Commission had already encouraged staff to choose telework solutions because of the outbreak of the virus.

There will be exceptions for officials in critical positions who are required to go into the office but work in shifts.

The so-called European schools teaching staffers’ children will also be closed beginning Monday.

Officials are asked to reschedule meetings with colleagues coming from overseas, or have conference calls.

Only absolutely necessary foreign trios will be allowed.

The move follows the European Parliament announcement of preventive measures Wednesday for the next four weeks. Staffers are asked to work from home next week and only the most important meetings will be held.

The next plenary will be organized in Brussels and reduced to two days, instead of an official four-day session in Strasbourg.

Belgian universities will be closed for six weeks beginning Friday as at least 399 people there were diagnosed with the virus.