‘A very difficult announcement’. This is how Kenny Meesters of Tilburg University typifies the message that the government will have to bring to people in the Netherlands now that the corona figures have risen sharply for a few days. “Many people have already counted themselves rich or even tasted the ‘new life’ with festivals, going out and vacations. It is difficult to put the genie back in the bottle at the moment.”
The corona outbreak in the Netherlands seemed to have calmed down in recent weeks. Since the end of April, the number of positive tests has fallen rapidly and the government has been preparing for a quiet summer. But last week, the virus suddenly took on new life. In the last seven days, 16,153 people have tested positive, almost as many as the three weeks before. On Thursday, RIVM reported 5475 positive tests, almost seven times as many as a week ago. Mostly in their twenties. Many people have contracted the coronavirus in the catering industry.
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Weather forecast
Due to the rising corona figures, the cabinet has requested urgent advice from the Outbreak Management Team (OMT). It is taken into account that the cabinet will decide to close clubs and discos for the time being and to cancel multi-day events for the time being.
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Kenny understands that the government also wants to offer people a positive outlook with these kinds of annoying messages. But he emphasizes that you should avoid having to come back to this again. “The more you promise, the greater the risk. It’s like weather forecasts. People know there are uncertainties in that, but we’re still disappointed when they don’t turn out to be quite right.”
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In a small group
He would therefore advise outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Minister Hugo de Jonge to avoid promises ‘that things will be better in two weeks’ during a new press conference. “You lose more and more trust by promising things you can’t deliver. I hope they will encourage people to help each other and look for alternatives.”
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He points to the festivals that could take place again last weekend for the first time in months, including in Erp and Breda. Ten thousand visitors were admitted there. “Try in a small committee to seek that social contact,” he emphasizes. “So that it remains manageable.”
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Kenny gives an example: “If you think social contact with your friends is important, there may be opportunities to exercise outside together. Then you don’t get together in a club, at a party with alcohol, but you invent outdoor activities. a safe distance.”
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