Two years after the outbreak of the corona crisis, with the one and a half meter rule, lockdowns, the curfew, mouth mask obligation and corona pass, the Netherlands will say goodbye to practically all corona measures in the coming weeks. “The country will open again,” said Minister Ernst Kuipers (Public Health, CDA) about the far-reaching relaxation that will be implemented in three major steps in the coming week. From February 25, the one and a half meters away, the corona ticket and the early closing times will be abolished – on March 15 the cabinet hopes to release all measures.
That also goes beyond the relaxation of last September, after the initial vaccination campaign. At that time, the corona ticket and the early closing times still applied – these are now also disappearing. The OMT even proposes to drastically adjust the testing policy once this wave is behind us: a self-test would suffice for non-vulnerable people, while having a test taken at the GGD would no longer be necessary. The government is still considering that advice.
The situation is now more favorable than then, claims Kuipers. More people have built up immunity through vaccination, boosters and previous infection, and the Omikron variant is less pathogenic. The number of positive tests has never been as high as it is now – around 80,000 a day – but the number of hospital admissions remains low. About 13 corona patients are admitted to the ICU every day, compared to almost 50 in December.
Two more lines
The press conference was therefore marked by a new era. Kuipers stood alone, because Prime Minister Mark Rutte (VVD) had a more important appointment for the first time: he defended the Government statement in the Senate. Kuipers already dared to look back on the past two years, in which strict measures were in place. That had been “a difficult time”, said Kuipers. “Corona made us lonely, sometimes divided us to the bone. Fortunately, we are now in a completely different phase.” Not everything is about virus control and accessibility of care anymore. “Other interests weigh more heavily. We cannot do without care, but also not without each other,” says Kuipers. Culture, entrepreneurship and nightlife are also ‘indispensable for a healthy society’, he says.
The first relaxations will take effect immediately. There is no longer a maximum number of visitors for home and the advice to work from home is also being relaxed. From Friday, among other things, the catering industry can remain open until 1 am and the classes in education can be full again. From February 25, only two rules will apply: at events indoors with more than 500 guests, everyone, vaccinated or not, must take an entrance test, and there is a mask obligation in public transport and at airports.
There is also a number of advice, such as staying at home and testing in the event of complaints and ventilation. Kuipers emphasizes that it remains sensible to keep a distance and to wear face masks, even in places where this is no longer necessary.
Protect the Vulnerable
Letting go of the rules is not without problems. The number of positive tests seems to have reached its peak, says Kuipers. But the OMT warns that the number of infections could rise again due to the new relaxation. That can cause major problems because people with a positive test still have to be in isolation. According to Kuipers, this is now “the greatest concern”, because it can disrupt society. There have been problems recently due to the loss of staff, including in public transport and in healthcare. The quarantine rules are therefore being relaxed: those who are infected must remain in quarantine for at least five days. Those who are symptom-free can then go outside again. Previously it was seven days.
In addition, there are concerns about protecting vulnerable people, such as the elderly, residents of nursing homes and people with immune system problems that prevent the vaccine from working properly. “It will be a difficult time for them,” Kuipers acknowledges. There are now so many contagious people around that the chance of being infected is high for the vulnerable. They must protect themselves, with masks, by keeping their distance and avoiding crowded places. Kuipers also hopes that the environment will help with this. “Be extra careful when you go to a vulnerable person. Do a self-test.”
Responses to relaxation page 2-3
A version of this article also appeared in NRC on the morning of February 16, 2022