The new government of the Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, is expected to move to relax the lockdown measures on COVID-19 that have been in place for a month as fewer and fewer citizens are in favour of them despite pressures on hospitals and record numbers of new infections.
According to the national NOS network, citing government sources, most shops, hairdressers and gyms will be allowed to reopen. Restaurants are expected to remain closed and only offer takeaway services. Rutte, whose cabinet took office on Monday, is expected to deliver a televised address to the Dutch people at 8 p.m. ET.
His caretaker government imposed the lockdown in mid-December as the wave of the Delta variant strain caused health units to postpone dealing with non-emergencies and while it appeared that rising cases of Omicron would overwhelm the health system.
Infections continued to rise despite the lockdown, which called for a ban on all public gatherings, with a record number of more than 200,000 cases in the week to 11 January, according to the Netherlands Institute of Health (RIVM). However, hospitalisations fell marginally. A Hart van Nederland poll published today showed that 89% of citizens are in favour of reopening shops and a majority in favour of reopening restaurants and cultural venues.
Over 86% of adults in the Netherlands are fully vaccinated and almost 50% have received a booster dose. Among the changes expected today, the new health minister, Ernst Kaupers, is expected to shorten the mandatory quarantine period for someone who has been exposed to the virus but not infected.
Primary schools opened on January 10 after a winter break that was longer than originally planned, but classes are often closed when students or teachers have been exposed to the virus. Cowpers may also call for mask use to be expanded. Compliance with rules, such as supermarket use, is flawed."
Source: CNA
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Times
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
Source
