The Netherlands will go into total lockdown as of Tuesday, with all but essential shops closing, as well as schools, museums, gyms and hairdressers.
In a televised speech Monday evening, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the country will shut down until at least January 18.
“We realize how intense this [announcement] is, certainly just before Christmas,” Rutte said, adding that “2020 is a year of mourning, loss and sorrow for many people.”
People are urged to stay home as much as possible and to avoid visitors, with no more than two allowed per day apart from at Christmas, when people can meet a maximum of three guests.
“The need to be together around the Christmas tree, especially after this year, is greater than ever,” said Rutte. “That’s why I would like to ask you to keep an eye on people who are having a hard time.”
Primary and secondary schools, as well as universities, will shut from Wednesday and will shift back to online teaching. Daycare centers will also close, but will remain open for parents who work in essential professions.
Libraries, swimming pools and zoos must also close their doors, but dentists and other medical professionals can continue to practice. Sex workers must also shut up shop until mid-January.
Rutte said the far-reaching lockdown is necessary to curb the rising number of coronavirus cases and the impact on the health sector. “More than one million regular treatments have been postponed,” he said.
The number of positive coronavirus tests has been rising steadily in the Netherlands, reaching almost 10,000 on Sunday. Hospital rates and deaths have also started to rise again — with 105 patients admitted to hospital on Monday.
During the live speech, protestors could be heard whistling and cheering outside Rutte’s office in The Hague. “We are not dealing with an innocent flu as some people — including the demonstrators outside — still think, but with a virus that can affect everyone,” Rutte said.
