Due to an increasing number of positive tests, the cabinet decided to hold another press conference on Friday evening about the corona situation in the Netherlands. Prime Minister Mark Rutte was firm and emphasized that the virus is making a comeback. Minister Hugo de Jonge of Public Health spoke of a second wave.
Coronavirus is making a comeback
Prime Minister Rutte started his press conference with the announcement that the corona virus is making a comeback. Last week, the daily record for the number of positive tests was broken several times. This prompted the Outbreak Management Team (OMT) to advise the cabinet to take new measures.
The reproduction rate (the average number of people who infect an infected person) has also risen to 1.4. According to Rutte, this is worrying, because in this way the number of daily infections can grow to ten thousand per day within a few weeks.
Many infections in the workplace and in student houses
Rutte emphasizes that it is important for people to continue to work from home as much as possible. According to the prime minister, 10 percent of the corona clusters can be traced back to the workplace.
In student houses too, things still go wrong too often. Rutte emphasizes that it is a rotten time for young people and that it is difficult to keep your distance within student houses. The cabinet will consult with student organizations to emphasize the urgency of keeping a distance among students.
Especially regional and local clusters
Most positive tests have been found in the west of the country. Especially in the regions around the major cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague and in the student cities of Leiden and Utrecht.
Minister of Health Hugo de Jonge announced regional measures. Broadly speaking, the same rules will apply, but there may be (small) differences per region.
These new measures will be announced by the safety regions of Amsterdam-Amstelland, Rotterdam-Rijnmond, Haaglanden, Utrecht, Kennemerland and Hollands Midden. They take effect on Sunday, September 20 from 6 p.m.
Child up to thirteen years old with symptoms of illness is allowed to go to school
Because the number of people undergoing testing has increased significantly, a capacity problem has arisen at GGDs and laboratories. Minister de Jonge has therefore decided, in consultation with the OMT, to advise against testing by children up to the age of thirteen. “If they have a cold, they can just go to school,” said De Jonge.
In this way, the cabinet hopes to relieve the pressure on the GGDs. Primary school children also do not need to miss school days unnecessarily. Children can still be tested. This rule previously applied to children up to the age of seven.
Catering industry closed earlier, also consequences for pick-up
Most positive tests have been found in the west of the country. Especially in the regions around the major cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague and in the student cities of Leiden and Utrecht. The cabinet is therefore taking extra measures in those regions.
The catering industry in particular will receive new measures. No new guests are allowed in from midnight and the music must also be turned off. A catering facility has to close at 01:00.
Things will also change when meals are taken out. Takeaways must close by 2:00 am and may no longer sell alcohol after 1:00 am.
Limit on number of people in catering and at weddings
There will also be a ban on staying in groups of more than fifty people. This applies to the catering industry, as well as weddings and other parties. Exceptions have been made by the cabinet for demonstrations, religious gatherings, funerals and dance and theater practices. The limit on fifty people applies to both indoors and outdoors.
There will be a duty to report for events where more than fifty people will be present. There are exceptions to this measure for the catering industry, religious gatherings, (supermarkets) markets, shops, libraries and cultural institutions.
Additional measures are being imposed per region. These will be announced by the security regions on Friday evening.
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