The curfew that normally expired on Wednesday, February 10 at 04.30:XNUMX a.m. continues to keep politics busy. During last Sunday's digital Catshuis meeting, the advice was that downscaling would benefit from some slowness. The proposal is to give the measures time to have a visible effect. If it does not do so as expected, the extension of the measures has been useless. Perhaps the main rule of keeping curfews in place is that downscaling would raise the question of whether its use was necessary. The government assumes that there is now some degree of habituation, which means that persistence is perceived as less difficult than the moment a curfew is started.
freedom restriction
Still, curfew limits mobility in its highest form. The curfew limits individual freedom and therefore also has a negative symbolic value for part of the population. However, the cabinet has a different view, because from a social and economic perspective the damage of a curfew is relatively limited for them. In addition, it also appears that the curfew has proven to be enforceable, but it does cost a lot of police capacity. There is broad public support and compliance is very high. Confidence in politics and support for the measures is still high. People expect a clear and decisive approach with transparent communication about the reasons for tightening or easing.
receive visitors
The communication and the way in which measures are taken are well thought out. Impact on compliance is highly dependent on targeted, clear and intensive communication. About 94% of the population says they adhere to curfew rules. 75% support the curfew, 11% are neutral and 14% do not support the measures at all. The support base for the maximum number of visitors is lower for 1 visitor (52%) than it was for 2 visitors (71%) in the previous measurement.
The advice to the cabinet is now to consider keeping in touch with 1 household per day instead of 1 visitor per day, which in fact involves contact with 2 households per day: receiving one visit and one visit. According to the RIVM Corona behavioral unit, compliance decreases from 1% to 1%. The home visit measure was tougher than curfew. Explanation and support remained low. The measure cannot be enforced because it is an urgent advice, but is especially not enforced behind the front door.
matter of grouping
Opening up the retail trade is highly desirable for the local economy. However, in some city centers it is far too busy at the moment. Shopping may then become a day out again, which is not desirable. Documents from the consultation show that it is possible to open bookstores, but group them under the heading 'essential'. A number of municipalities argue in favor of using limited opening hours in combination with a strict door policy. Enforcement is a challenge here. The difference between retail trade on the one hand and dry catering and cultural sectors on the other is difficult to explain. It is therefore, anything that has a negative effect on public support, to be checked off as far as the advice to the cabinet is concerned.
Also read: Curfew means against Carnival in the south
