At this very moment the Dutch Government lost all her senses for the reality and convicted everybody in the Netherlands as prisoner of politics, this meaning that during the curfew people are not allowed to go outside after 21:00 CET, if you have a pet then you have a problem. This form of propaganda is called politics and till further notice the Netherlands will stay in a lockdown till the end of April, meaning that the country is already more than a year in lockdown, even communism was way better than the current restrictions during this lockdown.
You still remember Ebola, influenza, Sars and even the regular flue all viruses and nobody ever spoke out a pandemic during these times, now we have Corona or Covid-19 and we are in a lockdown from more than a year with all consequences, economy is dropping, shops been closed and factories running on 1/3 of their original capacity! If now for example you want to go shopping you have to call a central number of the company or shop four hours before you want to give them a visit, or when you want to buy some clothes you can tell what you like to have at the door and if the product is not good you bring it back and yes after making again an appointment!
The most recent survey conducted by the National Institute for Public Health and Environment (RIVM) has revealed that, while overall support for the coronavirus measures in place in the Netherlands has remained stable, many have lost faith in the Dutch government and its approach to the pandemic.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, the RIVM has conducted regular surveys in order to better understand the public’s response to the virus and any restrictions introduced by the government. The most recent survey was carried out between December 30 and January 3 among more than 51.000 participants.
The RIVM found that, especially over the Christmas period, people were less likely to adhere to the lockdown measures than they were in the spring. However, respondents said they were more likely to be tested and quarantine if they were suffering symptoms, were more likely to be vaccinated (80 percent versus 62 percent in November). The survey also showed that the emergence of the new, highly contagious mutation of the virus means the perceived urgency of the situation has also risen (47 percent are concerned versus 41 percent in the previous survey).
The most striking results, however, have revealed that the public’s trust in the government and its approach to the pandemic has slipped significantly since November (45 percent versus 58 percent). The survey also found that people were more likely to feel that the government didn’t weigh up all social interests properly and that their decisions weren’t explained properly (56 percent compared to 63 percent in November for both).
Coronavirus measures likely to stay until March
The most recent government press conference revealed that the current coronavirus lockdown was to be extended by three weeks, remaining in place until (at least) February 9. Prime Minister Mark Rutte also announced his plans to consider implementing a national curfew.
While the government does hope to be able to allow primary schools to reopen before the lockdown is fully lifted, it seems as though the rest of the measures will remain in place well past February 9. In their advice to the cabinet, the Outbreak Management Team (OMT) said measures could only be relaxed in March at the earliest.
Regaining control over coronavirus with local measures
The Netherlands’ approach is aimed at keeping coronavirus under control as much as possible in order to protect vulnerable groups and make sure the healthcare system can cope. In the run-up to summer, we saw how important it is to keep following the measures in place. The number of cases fell and, as a result, we were able to gradually relax measures.
Fortunately, many people are still complying with the basic rules. However, there are also lots of people who are not. This is a cause for concern and is reflected in the recent outbreaks that have been seen. If we cannot all work together to turn the tide, we run the risk of losing control over the virus again. We will also lose the progress we have achieved together over the past few months.
As a result, the government will be supporting local authorities in taking additional action to get coronavirus under control where necessary. This can include introducing extra, local measures in addition to the national measures already in place. We will also be implementing and strengthening certain nationwide measures.
These are the new nationwide measures:
1. Educational institutions should hold orientation activities online wherever possible. In-person activities can only take place in small groups and must be informative in nature.
Study associations (‘studieverenigingen’) and student sports clubs can only hold in-person activities if these are necessary to introduce students to their chosen programme of study or sport. Such activities can only take place in small groups and must end by 22.00 at the latest. No alcohol may be consumed.
The governing body of the educational institution in question and the head of the relevant safety region must give permission for such activities to take place. Student societies (‘studentenverenigingen’) are not permitted to hold in-person recruitment or orientation activities.
2. Restaurants, cafés and bars must use reservations (made either in advance or at the door), pre-entry health checks and assigned seating (at either a table or the bar). This applies both outdoors and indoors and regardless of the size of the establishment. Customers must be asked to provide their names and contact details so that the municipal health service (GGD) can contact them if an outbreak is traced to that establishment. Customers can voluntarily provide this information.
3. If a GGD traces an outbreak to a leisure establishment (for example a cinema, café, Amusement Park, theater or museum), the head of the safety region can close that establishment for up to 14 days.
4. Test centers will be created for travelers arriving in the Netherlands from high-risk areas. The first test center will be at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, with other locations following in due course. Travelers can get tested on arrival and must then self-quarantine at home. Travelers who do not get tested upon arrival, must self-quarantine for 14 days.
5. The heads of safety regions can now take steps to prevent coronavirus hotspots emerging and to gain control of these local outbreaks. These local and regional measures are intended to make sure people comply with the basic rules and to prevent overcrowding so that the virus cannot spread further.
The measures safety regions can take include:
- limiting the opening times of eating and drinking establishments
- introducing behavioral measures such as making face masks mandatory in outdoor locations
- closing places like parks or shopping centers
- closing off parking facilities, for example at beaches or in city centers
- managing crowds and traffic flow in busy areas
- enforcing the basic rules and ensuring compliance with sector-specific agreements
- banning large-scale gatherings, for example banning spectators at football matches or sports training sessions
They will also enforce rules more strictly where necessary.
Control over the virus
The most important thing is that we get the virus under control again. It is vital that we stay 1.5 meters away from others and continue to follow the basic rules, including at home. Especially at home, in fact. Don’t have more visitors than your home can accommodate under the 1.5 meter rule. Make sure your visitors follow the basic hygiene rules. Don’t hug each other and don’t sit next to each other on the sofa. Lots of people with coronavirus caught it at home or at someone else’s home.
Finally, everyone with symptoms should stay at home and get tested. This will help prevent the majority of further infections. If you test positive, the GGD will carry out source and contact tracing. This will allow us to gain a clearer picture of the virus in the Netherlands, so we can take fast, targeted action to prevent it spreading further.
As far things are looking now I will do a prediction.
The lockdown will stay till for sure the end of this year 2021, in the beginning of 2022 we finally see some progress towards the “old normal” keep however in mind that the current situation like working from home and social distancing will remain since everybody is afraid for any type of infection, this is in peoples mind forever.
I do hope one thing that Governments around the globe finally learning how not to treat a pandemic and not to act like a blind chicken in a round Ren without no emergency exits like we had to discover during this pandemic. Governments made millions of provide during this pandemic ad the cost of the working man.
