Dutch face three-week, partial lockdown as COVID-19 cases soar

Record ID: 1645953

  • Title: Dutch face three-week, partial lockdown as COVID-19 cases soar
  • Date: 12th November 2021
  • Summary: BREDA, NETHERLANDS (NOVEMBER 12, 2021) (REUTERS) CANAL / CYCLISTS ON CYCLE PATH BIKE PARKED ON SHOPPING STREET PEOPLE WEARING MASKS WALKING DOWN STREET VARIOUS OF SHOPPERS IN STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Dutch) PASSER-BY, CORRIE JANSEN, 70, SAYING: "I think all these little things can help and I think it makes sense to have a (lockdown). As long as people aren't vaccinated... You can be tested but if people don't want to be vaccinated too, eventually you need stricter rules. So I am completely in favour of it, even though it's a shame to have a lockdown as it gets closer to the festive period. And that really is sad, particularly if you have a big family." WOMAN WALKING WITH MASK IN STREET MEN PUSHING BIKES SHOPPERS LOOKING THROUGH SHOP WINDOW SIGN ADVISING PEOPLE TO WEAR MASKS (SOUNDBITE) (Dutch) PASSER BY, TON HOOGERWERF, 74, SAYING: "As for the people responsible, we need to deal with them better. We can't let things be measured against people who aren't vaccinated or who don't want to be vaccinated, that's not how it should be." CHURCH SPIRE PEOPLE SITTING EATING OUTSIDE RESTAURANT BAR WORKER MICHELLE YPELAAR STANDING BEHIND COUNTER VARIOUS OF YPELAAR BRINGING DRINKS TO CUSTOMERS PATIO HEATER (SOUNDBITE) (Dutch) BAR WORKER MICHELLE YPELAAR SAYING: "I think it's a real shame (if there is a lockdown). I think it's a real shame that bars and restaurants will probably have to close early. We're using the QR codes (health pass) and I think they're working well. Everyone's going along with it. I think it's a real shame that it looks like there's going to be another lockdown." PEOPLE WALKING IN STREET CHEESE STAND SIGN ADVISING PEOPLE TO RESPECT SOCIAL DISTANCING
  • Embargoed: 26th November 2021 14:56
  • Keywords: COVID-19 Netherlands lockdown reactions
  • Location: BREDA, NETHERLANDS
  • City: BREDA, NETHERLANDS
  • Country: Netherlands
  • Topics: Europe,Health/Medicine
  • Reuters ID: LVA001F3AMU6F
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Bars and restaurants in the Netherlands will close early and sporting events will be held without spectators under a three-week, partial lockdown expected to be announced on Friday evening (November 12).
    The measures are meant to contain a rapid surge in COVID-19 cases that is straining hospitals across the country.
    New infections topped 16,000 for the second day in a row on Friday, beating the previous record of just under 13,000 confirmed cases in a day set in December last year.
    Dutch broadcaster NOS said the first lockdown measures in Western Europe since the summer will go into effect on Saturday evening.
    People will be urged to work from home where possible, and no spectators will be allowed at sporting events in the coming weeks, including the Dutch team's World Cup qualifier against Norway on Tuesday.
    Schools, theatres, and cinemas would remain open.
    Caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte's cabinet is set to take a final decision at a cabinet meeting on Friday and will announce the new measures at a televised news conference scheduled for 1800 GMT.
    Most shoppers in the southern city of Breda said they would welcome the new measures, blaming the unvaccinated for a spike in cases.
    "I am completely in favour of it, even though it's a shame to have a lockdown as it gets closer to the festive period," Corrie Jansen, 70, said.
    It was unclear whether the government would adopt a politically sensitive recommendation by its leading pandemic advisory panel to limit access to public places to people who have been fully vaccinated or have had COVID-19 after the lockdown period.
    A new lockdown would mean a drastic turn in policy for the Dutch government, which until last month thought that a relatively high vaccination rate would allow it to further ease measures towards the end of the year.
    But it is not alone in considering strict measures as infections spike to record levels. Austria on Thursday said it was days away from placing millions of unvaccinated people in lockdown.
    Around 85% of the adult Dutch population has been fully vaccinated. Booster shots have so far only been provided to a small group of people with weak immune systems and will be offered to people aged 80 years and older in December.
    (Production: Christian Levaux, Johnny Cotton)
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