All new measures will take effect on June 1
As of 1 June, the Dutch government will relax its Coronavirus measures further than expected, with residents soon able to drink on a pub terrace, catch a movie or go back to school. So, what exactly do the easings mean for Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe? As reported by the GIC.
June 1: the hospitality industry is open (with limitations) from 12:00
The terraces and restaurants have been empty for months, but on June 1 you can have a snack and drink outside the door. Though the industry asked to open earlier, the cabinet decided that restaurants and cafes should only open at 12:00 on 1 June.
No more than thirty guests can sit inside, no matter how large a restaurant is. A new feature is that staff no longer have to be included within that number of thirty. There is no maximum number of visitors on pub terraces, but everyone must sit at a table and keep a distance of 1.5 meters from others, unless you’re from the same household. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, if you show any symptoms you should not leave home
June 1: libraries, museums, cinemas, and concert houses may open
Museums, cinemas, theaters and other cultural institutions are also allowed to open their doors again. A maximum of thirty visitors per theater will apply and the 1.5-meter rules will also apply to cinemas and theaters. For the Forum Groningen, this means that the various functions in the building may be reopened. In practice, a few hundred visitors could be in the building at the same time. The Forum will therefore create a separate queue and entrance for visitors with a ticket for a film or other activity.
More than thirty people may also be present in museums, such as the Groninger Museum. The maximum number of visitors in museums depends on the size of the building, so it is not entirely clear how many people may be in each museum. Visitors must buy a ticket for a certain time slot in advance, and there will also be fixed walking routes. The Groninger Museum has extended its exhibitions on the liberation of Groningen, the designer Mendini and the Vera posters of Willem Kolvoort. A large exhibition about the Rolling Stones will also take place this autumn.
The maximum number of thirty visitors per performance will prevent many large shows from going ahead, but actors and companies are adapting by holding smaller-scale performances.
June 1: buses and trains to run according to a normal timetable
From 1 June, public transport will run according to its normal timetable. Passengers have to keep their distance, which is why the capacity of the buses and trains has been reduced to forty percent. The Dutch Government has therefore asked that people only use public transport if they have no other option. “Take the bicycle or walk as much as possible,” said the Cabinet. Moreover, a face mask in public transport wil be mandatory, and anyone not wearing one can be fined 95 euros.
June 2: resumption of secondary education
Secondary education can be resumed from June 2, however all students must keep 1.5 meters away from eachother. School buses will not be re-started, and students must therefore come to school on foot or by bicycle.
June 8: primary education resumes normally
Primary education and childcare are can be resumed in a normal manner, though some pupils are already back, they can only attend school in half-size classes and this will no longer be the case after June 8.
June 15: more visits to nursing homes and practical lessons in vocational MBO courses
A test with visits to nursing homes is already underway, and these tests will slowly be expanded. On June 15, it should be possible to allow visits to all nursing homes. Quite a few measures will be in place to prevent any further outbreaks of the virus, or spread amongst residents.
Vocational education will again be allowed to hold practical classes or demonstrations, but students will have to keep a 1.5 metre distance.
July 1: holiday parks open, more visitors allowed in museums, cinemas, etc (unconfirmed)
On 1 July, the holiday parks may open their doors again to anyone, and washing or toilet blocks can be used again. The maximum numbers for all facilities will also be increased from thirty to one hundred, although rules for a distance of 1.5 meters must be observed. The relaxations from 1 July are still subject to new insights into the spread and development of the virus.
September 1: sports with fans, saunas and casinos open (unconfirmed)
From September 1, all sports will in principle be allowed again. Saunas and casinos should also be allowed to re-open. Gyms may also open on 1 September, although Prime Minister Rutte has indicated that he is in talks with the sector to see if this can be done earlier. The relaxations from September 1 are still subject to the development of the Coronavirus.
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