The cabinet has extended the lockdown until Tuesday 9 February. The Outbreak Management Team (OMT) is of the opinion that the number of infections is still very high at the moment, the Rt value has only just dropped below 1, and the uncertainty surrounding the possible consequences of an increased infectivity of the new variant coming from the United Kingdom, which pops up in several places in the Netherlands, big. In line with this, the OMT advises to postpone the consideration regarding the reopening of childcare and schools by at least two weeks. The OMT currently sees no reason to tighten the lockdown, except to seize all options such as enforcement, communication, etc. to ensure that the current measures are followed up promptly.
Probably as a result of the physical closure of the schools, the current figures for children show a slight decrease in the number of reports, in recent weeks this was the case, for example, for children aged 13 to 17 years. There are also far fewer tests in this group, possibly because there are actually fewer young people with complaints due to a decrease in transmission in this group or because there is less need to test because the schools are closed; several explanations are possible here.
We are very concerned. The images from London and Ireland are alarming, and that's putting it mildly. Almost everyone understands that there was no other choice but to extend the lockdown by several weeks.
According to Rutte, the cabinet has again thought about a curfew and the cabinet asked the Outbreak Management Team (OMT) for advice on the introduction of the curfew. Hubert Bruls, the chairman of the Security Council, has no objections in principle to a curfew, but does believe that there must be a convincing answer to the question whether the means helps to contain the spread of the virus. This goal could be achieved in several ways. Countries around us have opted to impose a curfew in this regard, but alternatives might be possible.
Also read: Curfew possibly as an extra measure in the Netherlands
