Netherlands Extends Quarantine For Three More Weeks to Curb Infections

THE Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, extends the quarantine period for three more weeks, until February 9, to curb infections.

The lockdown was due to end on January 19, however, in a televised press conference from The Hague, the PM said that the extension of the measures should not come as a surprise given the increase in cases, while he has shown his concern about the new strain of covid-19, detected for the first time in the UK.

However, contrary to Rutte’s statement, the measures appear to be working in the country, since the number of infections and hospitalisations have been reduced, according to the NRC Handelsblad newspaper.

Furthermore, the vaccination campaign began with a delay compared to other EU countries: only last Wednesday a nurse received the first dose. According to a poll released by local media, eight out of ten Dutchmen believe the lockdown is right.

The decision to extend it, according to Prime Minister Mark Rutte, is also based on the analysis of what is happening in the United Kingdom and Ireland due to the English variant of the virus. “The numbers are not dropping fast enough – said Rutte – and now we have to face the threat posed by this variant. It worries us a lot. The images coming from London and also from Ireland are alarming.”