Covid-19: The Netherlands to drop most pandemic measures by end of month

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Dutch Cabinet is pushing for an end to many Covid measures by the end of the month. Sources in The Hague stress that final decisions are pending. Still, the Cabinet is considering eliminating covid- passports and the requirement to keep a distance of one and a half meters and wear a mask.

Festivals and other crowded places would be accessible with a negative test (“1G”) starting Feb. 25.

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Other relief would take effect earlier, next Friday. For example, restaurants, cafes, theaters, cinemas, and museums must close at 10 p.m., but sources say the government wants to change that time due to relatively good hospital numbers.

The new closing time has not yet been determined; there is talk of extending it to 23:00, midnight or 01:00. At the opening of the night gastronomy will be allowed only 500 people.

From the end of next week, customers in pubs will also no longer necessarily have to have a seat. In addition, the recommendation to work at home seems to be deleted, and the recommendation to receive a maximum of four people per day at home.

On Tuesday, the Cabinet will decide on next week’s relaxations. There will also be another press conference by Health Minister Kuipers alone.

RUTTE SAYS THE CHANCE OF RELAXATION IS VERY HIGH

A brief cabinet meeting on these measures was held yesterday morning. It was held entirely online. According to Prime Minister Rutte, as things stand, there is a “very good chance” that a relaxation of the regulations will be possible.

These could come into force before the weekend next week. However, he also stressed that the cabinet was still waiting for an OMT recommendation and wanted to consult with the mayors.

Kuipers would not comment on any relaxation of regulations, but like Rutte, spoke of “cautious optimism.” “The number of infections is very high, but fortunately the pressure on the health system is not as high as feared,” he stressed. On the expansion of opening hours, he said this is something “we are looking at very carefully.”

PETITION AGAINST COVID PASSPORTS REACHES 813,000 SIGNATURES

A petition launched last Friday in the Netherlands calling for the immediate abolition of Covid passports has received more than 813,000 signatures in five days.

The petition was initiated by Mona Keijzer, the former state secretary for economy and climate, who was dismissed from the government last year after she opposed the introduction of the Covid Passports.

After having its citizens who protested for freedom and against health apartheid and the authoritarian Covid passports brutally beaten up by the police only two weeks ago, the Rutte government is now doing a U-turn as this petition could be a major blow to those in power.

(protesting Dutch citizens brutally beaten up by the police)