Coronavirus: Global situation
No more distancing, Dutch can soon be social again
Netherlands to lift almost all curbs by Feb 25 although wearing of masks is still advised
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
THE HAGUE • The Netherlands will lift almost all anti-coronavirus restrictions by Feb 25 and return to normal life as cases and hospitalisations fall, the Health Minister has said.
"The country will open again," Health Minister Ernst Kuipers told a press conference on Wednesday. "We will go back to normal closing times we had before corona, you don't have to keep 1.5m away anymore," he added.
"Masks are obligatory only on public transport and in the airport. Keeping your distance and wearing a mask remain sensible, but there is no obligation.
"Everything will open, not in one go, but in steps," Dr Kuipers said at the televised briefing. "We are more resistant to the virus thanks to vaccines and booster jabs and thanks to the immunity that people have built up when they were infected."
Under a roadmap unveiled by the Dutch government, cultural venues, bars and restaurants will from tomorrow have their daily closing time extended to 1am from 10pm.
The second step of easing the country's restrictions will take place on Feb. 25, with all venues returning to normal hours of operation.
Social distancing measures will be dropped in public places by the end of the month, but visitors will need to show proof of either vaccination, a recent recovery from Covid-19 or a negative coronavirus test.
The Dutch government had imposed some of Europe's toughest restrictions in December after a surge in Omicron cases, but has been lifting them in stages.
Mr Kuipers warned, however, that the pandemic was "not over" and that vulnerable people still had to take care.
"We have just passed the peak (of new cases), that is why we insist we all should remain careful," he said.
The Health Minister took office as part of Prime Minister Mark Rutte's new government in January and quickly signalled that he wanted to start getting society back to normal.
The Netherlands suffered two spates of rioting last year over coronavirus restrictions, with police shooting and injuring several protesters in Rotterdam in November.
Last Saturday, nightclub operators protested against the restrictions by opening to the public beyond the permitted time. They claimed they were able to offer a safer alternative to illegal gatherings that have become popular during the pandemic.
REUTERS, BLOOMBERG, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE