With new cases in the Netherlands rising at an ever-increasing rate, the Dutch government are unlikely to change any regulations (including the curfew)
Translated by Thomas Ansell
Ahead of a Coronavirus press conference tomorrow evening, the Dutch cabinet met at the Catshuys in The Hague on Sunday. As is becoming traditional, a significant amount of their discussion leaked to the press shortly after. These ‘Hague Sources’ suggest that tomorrow’s Coronavirus press conference will not see any easing of the regulations announced. Two weeks ago the Dutch cabinet had said that it might be able to open pub terraces if infection numbers fell, however with numbers rising quickly this will not be the case, reports the NOS.
Yesterday saw over 7,000 new Coronavirus cases confirmed in the Netherlands, less than the day before but way up on daily figures in mid-February (per the Coronavirus dashboard).
In the last few days, various members of the Outbreak Management Team (OMT) poured cold water on the idea of re-opening pub terraces. Virologist and OMT-member Marion Koopmans yesterday said that “we must have patience, and we hardly have any room for relaxing the rules”.
However whilst nothing is likely to be loosened, at the same time there is unlikely to be a stay at home order or similar stronger regulation announced. Today and tomorrow the Dutch cabinet will have a series of meetings with Mayors, the Ministerial Commission for COVID-19, and so on. These could change any announcements to a small degree, but it is unlikely anything further will change.
