Despite the Omikron wall: neighboring German country opens up gastronomy and culture - "a deliberate risk"

Created: 01/25/2022, 20:28

In the Netherlands, people walk past restaurants with guests sitting at their tables.

(Iconic image) © Peter Dejong/dpa

The Omicron wave is currently sweeping across Europe - nevertheless, some countries are relaxing the corona rules - including a neighboring German country.

The Hague - The Netherlands * take a clear step towards normality.

The country is now relaxing its Corona * measures despite the currently extremely high Corona numbers.

Restaurants, museums, theaters and cinemas can open again after more than five weeks from Wednesday until 10 p.m.

This was announced by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Tuesday evening.

The Netherlands continue to relax the corona rules

A limited number of visitors can also be admitted to sports competitions such as football matches.

There are still restrictions on public life, such as the obligation to wear masks and the Corona passport, with which visitors have to prove that they have been tested, vaccinated or recovered.

The quarantine rules are also relaxed.

"We are consciously taking a risk today," said Rutte, referring to the daily highs in new infections.

The omicron variant of the corona virus spreads much faster, but people didn't get sick as badly.

Health Minister Ernst Kuipers warned: "Omicron is not a small flu." The risk of the health system being overburdened is still great.

The tough lockdown of December 18 ended almost ten days ago, shops and schools were reopened.

The pressure on the government to lift the last tough restrictions was great.

Mayors also pointed out that everything is open in the neighboring countries of Germany and Belgium and that bans can therefore no longer be enforced.

Omicron explosion in the Netherlands

The number of new infections is now increasing rapidly.

More than 366,000 new infections had been registered in the past seven days, a good 50 percent more than in the previous week.

The incidence is more than 2,000 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants in seven days.

For comparison: In Germany, the corresponding value on Tuesday was 894.3