Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Minister Hugo de Jonge (Public Health) held a press conference on Tuesday evening in which a number of relaxation has been announced, and the date on which wearing a mouth mask in public indoor spaces will be mandatory in the Netherlands. In this article, we provide answers to the most frequently asked questions that arrived on our response platform NUjij.
Can or not group lessons be given at the gyms?
Yes, group lessons are starting again. The lessons were temporarily suspended, but Prime Minister Rutte and Minister De Jonge see no reason to postpone the “hard expiry date”.
Must mouth masks also be worn in churches and theaters, and is this enforced?
A mouth mask must be worn in theaters, shops, museums and catering establishments from December, when the temporary measures COVID-19 act will come into effect. Nothing is yet known about a possible masking obligation in churches, but the cabinet has stated that it will provide additional information.
Establishments can enforce themselves from December onwards, but agents and boas can also strictly control due to the legal requirement.
Why is the Netherlands relaxing measures while neighboring countries are locked?
The policies of countries cannot actually be compared with each other because each country is very different. In addition, each country has opted for a different approach against the corona virus. For example, Germany is taking various measures faster than the Netherlands, because its eastern neighbors are focusing on other characteristics of the pandemic.
Are more than thirty people allowed to attend a funeral from Thursday?
Yes. A maximum of 100 people may be present at funerals. A maximum of thirty people applies in other indoor spaces where those present can sit.
Why does the government not strictly adhere to the self-developed roadmap?
According to Prime Minister Rutte, the roadmap is not designed to “determine an exact moment for each package of measures”. If the road map were to be followed closely, nothing would be possible until mid-January, says Rutte. “It is not necessary.”
What about the legal obstacles to the masking requirement, and how does the measure relate to the Partial Prohibition of Face Covering Clothing Act?
The “legal tug of war”, as Prime Minister Rutte previously called the process, had to be resolved by the cabinet before the duty to mask the mouth would take effect. It has not become clear exactly what steps have been taken.
More information will follow about how visible masks should be and all locations where the masks should be worn.
There is a negative travel advice: why are Belgians and Germans still allowed to come to the Netherlands?
The cabinet has reserved an exceptional position for border traffic. Students and people who have to cross the border for their work should be able to do so without additional difficulties, the argument goes. Planning unnecessary trips across the border, such as shopping, is not recommended by the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium.
How many people are allowed in the car? Has that changed?
Prime Minister Rutte and Corona Minister De Jonge said on Tuesday evening that the country house may again be formed into groups of up to four people who consist of different households, while three guests may be invited at home. Nothing has been said about how many people are allowed to sit in one car.
What is a public interior space, and does the rule also apply if someone does not move within that space?
The cabinet has, among other things, scaled shops, schools, supermarkets, museums, restaurants and theaters under public indoor spaces, i.e. locations where people can walk in freely. The cabinet wants to release more information about the mandatory mouth caps soon.
Currently, the urgent advice is to wear the mouth mask continuously. This rule will probably not be changed with the introduction of the national obligation.
I have asthma and cannot always tolerate a mouth mask, what should I do?
The government states that wearing a mouth mask is not always possible, for example for medical reasons. An exception is therefore made for people who are unable to wear a mouth mask due to their (visible or invisible) disability.
To what extent can the drop in corona numbers be explained by the use of commercial test labs?
In short, that is not clear. Providers of commercial corona tests are required to report positive corona tests to the GGDs, but previous research by One today it turned out that this is not yet centrally arranged and that the process is difficult.
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