The outgoing cabinet does not want a national fireworks ban around the turn of the year this year. It will make a decision on that proposal tomorrow, insiders report.
The corona situation is currently no reason to ban the sale and setting off of fireworks, just like last year, the cabinet believes. Municipalities can still designate fireworks-free areas or issue a ban for the entire municipality.
Earlier this month, the cabinet asked the OMT for advice. But the experts cannot make a statement about whether or not to introduce a fireworks ban, they said. Whether it is necessary to relieve the burden on care should be investigated and the OMT does not have the relevant data. The government therefore sees no basis for a ban.
Last year’s ban came about because the pressure on healthcare should not increase even more. The reasoning was that hospitals and general practitioners could not cope with the more than a thousand injuries that normally occur during a New Year’s Eve as a result of fireworks. The ban was a success: there were only 108 firework victims in hospitals and 275 at general practitioners.
No major burden on healthcare
Immediately after the turn of the year, Mayor Bruls van Nijmegen, chairman of the Security Council, called on the cabinet to impose a ban this year as well. GroenLinks and the Party for the Animals in the House of Representatives are also pushing for this.
Nevertheless, Ernst Kuipers, chairman of the National Network Acute Care, said in the briefing for MPs last Monday that the fireworks victims do not constitute a major burden on healthcare. These are limited numbers and usually they only stay in hospital for a short time. He is more concerned about new infections if people gather in large groups on New Year’s Eve.
Fireworks shows canceled
Amsterdam has already announced that there will also be a fireworks ban there next year. Firework displays would be held in various places in the city instead, but these have already been canceled due to the increasing infections. called off.
Professional fireworks shows are also canceled in Rotterdam, the first city to announce a local fireworks ban.
NOS op 3 explains in this video how fireworks policy has changed in recent years:
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