Curfews will most likely be extended until March 30, and larger easing may not be expected until the end of this month. Sources report that in response to the Catshuis Council on Saturday, where the most involved ministers were informed about the corona crisis by experts.
Decisions on this are not yet final. On Monday there will be a crisis meeting of the cabinet. After that, outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte and outgoing Minister of Health Hugo de Jonge will give a press conference again.
The current curfew and hard lockdown would now run until mid-March after previous extensions. But the current package of corona measures cannot be off the table next week, is the idea.
The figures for the number of infections are currently not good enough for easing, according to insiders. RIVM reported 5,378 new positive ones on Saturday coronatests. That is considerably more than the average in the past seven days (4,526).
In the past week, the number of new positive tests was always around four to five thousand a day.
Curfews will also remain in effect during elections
Should the situation suddenly improve, the government can still set a different date for easing, according to the sources. But for the time being, the ministers think that more can only be done in the last week of March.
Curfews will also be in effect on election days on March 15, 16 and 17. There is an exemption for people who have been to the polling station or people who participate in the elections and the counting of the votes. Prime Minister Rutte had already announced that this was a possibility.
Opening higher education and terraces are at the top of the bucket list
Easing, according to the sources, is the first to think of the reopening of higher education, the opening of outdoor terraces and the outdoor sports of people of all ages in small groups. Until now, only people up to the age of 27 are allowed to exercise outside in a team.
Relaxation is also in the works for larger retailers. Nowadays there may be two people per floor, but that is difficult for the large stores. It is now being examined whether a maximum number of people per square meter should be allowed in. It is not yet clear when that will take effect.
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