Faced with a surge in Covid-19 cases, the Dutch government announced on Friday that it would resume health restrictions. The Netherlands announced more than 16,000 new cases in the past 24 hours on Thursday, a record since the pandemic began.
In response to the record number of Covid-19 cases, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced on Friday, November 12, that a series of health restrictions will be re-implemented, particularly affecting the catering industry.
Mark Rutte said at a press conference in The Hague that this series of new measures is “a major blow for a few weeks, because the virus is everywhere, across the country, across all sectors and all age groups.”
With the announcement of these measures, demonstrators protested in The Hague. These measures will take effect on Saturday night and will last for at least three weeks.
Between the rally, about 200 people clashed with riot police and mounted police outside the Ministry of Justice and Security, where the Prime Minister’s press conference was held.
“Fortunately, the vast majority (population) have been vaccinated, otherwise the pain in the hospital will be immeasurable,” Mark Rutte said.
Essential shops such as bars, restaurants and supermarkets must close at 8pm (7pm GMT), and non-essential shops must close at 6pm.
Dutch citizens are required to accommodate up to four people at home and work remotely, “unless this is really impossible,” Mark Rutte said.
Public protests were cancelled and football matches will be played empty, including next week’s World Cup qualifiers between the Netherlands and Norway.
However, the school is still open and outing activities are approved.
According to local media reports, before the press conference, the government described these measures as “partial containment.”
82% were vaccinated
The government is also preparing to restrict access to dining and leisure facilities after three weeks, restricting only those who have been vaccinated or cured of Covid, and will no longer restrict those who test negative.
The new restrictions are politically sensitive. Thousands of people demonstrated in The Hague on Sunday after the government announced the reintroduction of masks in some public places.
The Netherlands announced 16,364 new Covid cases in the past 24 hours on Thursday, breaking the record of 12,997 cases set in December 2020.
>>Read: Covid-19: The fourth wave in Germany, a warning to the rest of Europe?
Since the beginning of the pandemic, this country of 17 million people has recorded 2.2 million cases and 18,612 deaths.
The hospital warned that under current conditions, they would not be able to survive the winter.
Although 82% of Dutch people over the age of 12 are fully vaccinated, the peak of Covid has arrived.
People who have not been vaccinated account for the majority of intensive care cases (69%) and hospitalized cases (55%), but the effectiveness of vaccines has declined, especially among the elderly, which is also implicated.
The Dutch government has announced that vaccine enhancement activities will begin in December.
Agence France-Presse