During a press conference today by Prime Minister Mark Rutte, new measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus were announced. The rules will come into force on December 15 and will last at least 5 weeks until January 19. Schools and most shops will close again. Entertainment and personal care (hairdressing, manicure, etc.) will also have to wait, at least until mid-January.
While almost all of the tightening measures will take effect in the near future, there will be exceptions for Christmas: from December 24 to 26, you can still host a maximum of three guests at home, just like now. This applies to people aged 13 and over; children under 12 years old are not included.
Non-essential stores are closing tonight. This applies, for example, to clothing stores, footwear and interior items. Supermarkets, pharmacies and petrol stations remain open.
People of contact occupations not related to medicine should stop working. Hairdressers, masseurs, as well as tattoo artists are prohibited from going to work from tomorrow.
Healthcare workers, such as physiotherapists, can continue to work – provided, of course, that all social distancing and hygiene rules are properly observed.
Education and childcare will also face tough lockdown measures. All primary and secondary schools will close on Wednesday 16 December. They would still be closed for two weeks next Friday due to the Christmas holidays, but these holidays will be rescheduled.
The closure of schools will last at least until the weekend of January 16-17. Online classes will begin in the first weeks of the new year. MBO, HBO, and university students will also have to take up distance learning.
Indoors and outdoors, you can be in groups of no more than two people from different households. A family of 4 can also safely walk on the street.
It is still highly recommended to travel as little as possible. The Cabinet of Ministers urges everyone not to book trips until mid-March.
The government recommends using public transport only for important travel.
The tightening of the lockdown is also a heavy blow to the culture and leisure sector. Museums that were allowed to reopen in mid-November must close again. Theatres, zoos, libraries, swimming pools and amusement parks such as Efteling must also be closed until at least January 19th - no exceptions. The same measures apply to the intimate services industry.
The new measures will also affect athletes. All indoor sports fields, including gyms, must be closed. Thus, sports are only possible outdoors in groups of no more than two people at a distance of 1,5 meters. This measure applies only to adults; children under the age of 18 can train more outdoors. An exception is also made by professional athletes, who can continue to compete, in contrast to amateur athletes.
Other measures currently in place will continue to operate. This means the food service industry will remain closed, but it will be allowed to offer takeout or delivery. A new limitation is that restaurants in hotels are also closing.
