Fancy some Coronavirus-scepticism with your beer?
Translated by Thomas Ansell
The Dutch (caretaker) PM Mark Rutte will again take to his podium this evening to announce new Coronavirus rule changes; and one mooted plan could be the introduction of ‘Coronavirus passports’. The idea is that people wanting to enter a pub, bar, or somewhere like a cinema or theatre would have to prove their vaccination status (or evidence of a negative test).
In countries like France the scheme has not only allowed the safe opening of bars and restaurants, but also pushed more people to take up a Coronavirus jab.
However, the grandstanding owner of De Drie Gezusters in Groningen, Laurens Meyer, has decided that the plans are “untenable and an idiot plan”, reports RTV Noord. The multi-millionaire owner of around 50 pubs and restaurants across the Netherlands, Meyer is worried that having to have staff check people’s Coronavirus status would impact upon his bottom line, and further worsen his personnel shortage.
The catering sector boss’ association, Koninklijke Horeca Nederland says that lot of its members intend not to check for people’s vaccination or test status, even if the Dutch government makes it law. The owner of the confusingly named Hotel Café Restaurant Duinzicht on Schiermonnikoog, Gilles Harthoon, says that he also “certainly won’t police this policy, not before they get everyone on the same level”.
