this Netherlands According to Dutch media reports, it will become the first Western European country to implement a partial blockade since the summer. Faced with a record number of new Covid-19 infections, strict new measures will be taken from Saturday.
Public Broadcasting Corporation Prime Minister Mark Rutte will announce these restrictions on Friday night and will continue for at least three weeks, including the closure of bars, restaurants and non-essential shops starting at 7pm. NOS says.
The broadcaster stated that although schools, theaters and cinemas should remain open, gatherings at home will be limited to a maximum of 4 people, all sporting events will be held behind closed doors, and work from home is strongly encouraged.
The lockdown will be longer than the 14 days recommended by the government’s epidemic management team this week. The team also recommends strict restrictions on access to public places for those who have been fully vaccinated or who have recently recovered.
At present, it can be proved that people who have recently tested negative for the coronavirus can also enter certain public places. NOS stated that ministers are divided on whether to abandon the test option and the final decision will be made later on Friday.
The move comes amid the record number of new cases in the Netherlands, which abandoned most preventive measures in late September-although the government again mandated the wearing of masks in shops and other public places last weekend.
The hospital in the southern province of Limburg warned this week that in the worst-hit areas of the country, the entire health system is “stuck at a standstill”, adding: “We believe the rest of the Netherlands will soon follow suit.”
On Thursday, the Dutch Institute of Public Health announced the country’s highest number of new infections per day since the pandemic began. It recorded 16,364 new positive tests within 24 hours, an increase of 3,688 from the previous day.
Until last month, the government had insisted that the Netherlands’ relatively high vaccination rate-69% of the population was double-injected, compared to the EU average of 65.8%-which meant it could relax the remaining restrictions before the end of the year .
However, as the fourth wave of epidemics accelerates in Europe, it is not just it that has been reintroduced in stricter control: Austria’s worst-affected province of Upper Austria, Say It plans to lock down millions of people who have not been fully vaccinated within a few days.
Several German states report Record the daily rate of new infections An average of 7 days since the start of this week, people who have been vaccinated or recently recovered from Covid are also restricted from entering bars, clubs and restaurants.
