The Dutch are the first in the EU to re-enter Lockdown facing an Omicron surge

The Netherlands has been the first EU country to re-enter closed areas across the country, following the spread of the Omicron Covid-19 model which will block the economy until mid-January.

New restrictions on bars, restaurants, non-essential restaurants, movie theaters, and gymnasiums will run from Sunday morning until January 14. Expert games will be held without crowds and homes can accommodate up to four guests. at Christmastime, reduced to two after the holidays.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told reporters on Saturday that this was “inevitable” due to differences spreading “more quickly” than government officials expected. “We need to step in now so it doesn’t get worse,” Rutte said.

The closure, which has been the hardest hit by the Dutch government since 2020, was announced after an emergency cabinet meeting on Saturday following a tip-off from health officials in the country that a “difficult” closure is urgently needed.

The Netherlands has a mixed history of tackling the epidemic. The government initially opted for a simplified approach, dubbed the “smart closure” for the first time of the virus in 2020. But this year it has been forced to take some of the challenges that are seen everywhere in the EU in the face of a major crisis. prices and hospitals. The Rutte government was on fire for removing almost all restrictions in September, which led to an increase in disease in the autumn.

In the last 24 hours, the Netherlands reported 14,742 Covid-19 cases, which continue to decline last month. These figures have dropped from the risk of more than 24,000 people registered in November, but health officials have warned that more serious measures are needed to deal with the Omicron virus, which is highly contagious.

Dutch health officials (RIVM) estimate that Omicron will be the cause of the disease by the end of the year. Jaap van Dissel, chief medical officer at RIVM, stated that as of today, the new epidemic has caused “a small part of the disease. . . but we know that the share will increase ”.

The government is also increasing its chances of securing a shot after leaving its EU counterparts by providing additional levels that health experts say are essential for protection against the virus. The Netherlands has also slowed down more than most EU countries in providing vaccination to the population, starting with its vaccination program in January this year.

Protests have taken place with street protests and violence in recent months, especially the two-day night of riots in Rotterdam last month.

Rutte on Saturday urged the country to show unity: “We are already convinced that we can do more together. Together we will win this time. I believe with all my heart, ”he said.