Covid: Dutch go into Christmas lockdown over Omicron wave | BBC News:
December 19, 2021 - "Netherlands has announced a strict lockdown over Christmas amid concerns over the Omicron coronavirus variant. Non-essential shops, bars, gyms hairdressers and other public venues will be closed until at least mid-January. Two guests per household will be allowed - four over the holidays. Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the measures were 'unavoidable'....
"The new rules in the Netherlands - the strictest to have been announced over Omicron so far - come into force on Sunday. Under the new rules, people are being urged to stay at home as much as possible.
"Strict limits will be placed on the number of people who can meet - a maximum of two guests aged 13 and over will be allowed in people's homes, and four on 24-26 December and on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Events are not permitted other than funerals, weekly markets selling groceries and professional sports matches with no spectators.
"All schools will be closed until at least 9 January, while other lockdown measures will remain in place until at least 14 January. Restaurants can continue to sell takeaway meals, and non-essential shops can offer click and collect services.
"The BBC's Anna Holligan in The Hague said the announcement was being met with disbelief and dismay.... Earlier on Saturday, people rushed to do their Christmas shopping amid reports that new measures were about to be introduced....
"The Dutch National Institute for Public Health ... says the Omicron variant currently still accounts for a minority of coronavirus cases in the Netherlands, but is spreading rapidly. Officials say it is expected to become the dominant variant by the New Year. The head of the Dutch outbreak management team, Jaap van Dissel, said the new measures would 'buy time', allowing more people to get booster shots and for the healthcare system to prepare for a possible rise in infections.... More than 85% of all adults in the Netherlands have been vaccinated, but so far fewer than 9% have had the booster shot....
"France, the Republic of Ireland and Germany have also announced measures designed to curb the infections.... France has imposed strict travel restrictions on those entering from the United Kingdom - the hardest hit country in the region, with nearly 25,000 confirmed Omicron cases on Saturday."
Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59713503
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