Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced on Tuesday that it will close primary schools next week and extend the current health restrictions through January 14 to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic due to a new omicron variant.
Schools will close from December 20, that is, a week before the start of Christmas break, because children at the age with the highest covid-19 levels will be able to infect their older family members. Rutte at a press conference in The Hague.
“This is certainly not the good news we were hoping for as Christmas draws near. But this is not a surprise, ”he continued. “We cannot ignore the warnings about the omicron option,” he added.
The government will also extend current sanitary restrictions until January 14, including the closure of non-essential shops, bars and restaurants daily from 5:00 pm to 5:00 am, as well as a restriction on the number of guests to four Dutch citizens. can be obtained at home.
The measures went into effect on 28 November for an initial period of three weeks.
Covid-19 cases are higher among elementary school students, according to health authorities. The Dutch leadership decided to close the schools because “there is great concern about the emergence of a rapidly spreading version of the omicron.” “Since the Christmas holidays start right on Christmas this year, children can infect their older family members without realizing it, which will put too much pressure on hospitals,” the government said in a statement.
The health restrictions imposed by the Dutch government to tackle the covid-19 pandemic are becoming increasingly unpopular, prompting unrest in cities like Rotterdam and The Hague for several nights in November.
