School children return to the classroom in Belgium

Belgium took the next step in its relaxation of the country's coronavirus lockdown on Monday with more students going back to school.

Schools were permitted to go through a dry run on Friday, but primary and secondary classes resumed for real on Monday with a limited amount of pupils to make sure social distancing was fully respected.

In many cases, though, distance learning on laptops remained the order of the day.

Les Magnolias primary school in Brussels usually has more than 600 students, on Monday only 24 school children attended classes, all in the 6th grade, the last one before entering secondary school.

School director Karima Mellouli said that classes have been rearranged to make sure each child has four square meters and each teacher eight square meters available.

Brussels education alderwoman Faouzia Hariche said it was important to resume classes for the children's social and psychological wellbeing.

Children will go to school only twice per week until the end of June.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

But the virus is highly contagious and can be spread by those with mild or no visible symptoms.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and could lead to death.