The government has recently asked for advice from all kinds of sectors, from shops, schools, events to driving schools, the travel industry and public transport. They don’t like closing. According to the minister, this could be counterproductive, because people would then have a home hairdresser come by or visit illegal parties. Shortening opening hours is also not good: “Extended opening hours are important for shops, for example, in order to be able to spread the crowds over the day.”
According to Kuipers, the sectors are also prepared to use the corona admission ticket (ctb) “in exceptional situations” to check whether visitors have recently been vaccinated, tested or recovered. “The cabinet will continue to discuss this with the sectors and will investigate the legal basis of the CTB.” For some time now, the ctb, the CoronaCheck app, is no longer necessary to visit a cinema, theater or football stadium, for example. Kuipers says that he “does not have the intention for now” to use the CoronaCheck again.
Preventing school closures ‘at all times’
The cabinet wants “at all times” to prevent schools and daycare centers from having to close if the corona virus flares up again. The consequences of a closure are too great, including on “the development of children and young people”, says Minister Ernst Kuipers. Closure only comes into play as a possible measure “if we are dealing with a virus (variant) in which pupils, students and staff in schools and educational institutions are directly at risk.”
At the end of 2020 and early 2021, many primary schools, secondary schools and universities were closed to prevent infections. The last Christmas holiday lasted a week longer for the same reason. At that time, parents had to arrange childcare, for example from grandfathers and grandmothers, or take leave.
Possible new round of vaccinations
People may be able to get vaccinated against the coronavirus again in a while. The Ministry of Health “takes into account that new rounds of vaccinations will be needed in the coming months.” If necessary, there are enough doses available “to offer the entire Dutch population a repeat vaccination,” says health minister Ernst Kuipers.
The GGDs now have the capacity to vaccinate 300,000 people per week. Kuipers calls this a pilot light. According to the minister, this can be expanded to 500,000 shots in three weeks, and to 1.5 million vaccinations per week in six weeks.
Jolande Sap leads a team that advises on the consequences of corona rules
Jolande Sap, in the past leader of GroenLinks in the House of Representatives, is the intended chair of the Social Impact Team (MIT). That committee must advise the cabinet on the consequences of corona measures for society and the economy. “The Social Impact Team is also free to give unsolicited advice,” said Minister Ernst Kuipers (Public Health).
MIT will be located next to the Outbreak Management Team (OMT). That team advises what is medically necessary to prevent the spread of the coronavirus as much as possible. In recent times, the role of the OMT in the fight against the pandemic has been criticized. For example, the OMT would not have paid enough attention to the consequences of measures and support among the population.
Suppose the OMT will soon advise the introduction of a lockdown and MIT advises against doing so, Kuipers says, “will listen to both, and the decision depends on the situation at the moment. The cabinet attaches great importance to broader advice.” According to Kuipers, the advice of the OMT is “an advice, and not a sacred guideline that must be followed.”
It is not yet known who will be on the team with Sap. She must set up the committee and approach potential members.