Yesterday, 08:23 • 8 minutes reading time
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REGION – Follow the most important news about the coronavirus in our overview of the weekend of September 25 and 26.
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‘Little problems at catering Square’
Despite the reports of problems with the CoronaCheck app, there seems to be little going on at the Plein in The Hague for the time being. According to our reporter, the queues at catering businesses continue well on Saturday evening. For example, various catering establishments, including Cloos and Millers, say that checking visitors’ corona proofs goes smoothly. “Some people who were turned away from here had to leave because they forgot to bring their ID along with a corona certificate,” said our reporter.
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‘Failing government technology’
Koninklijke Horeca Nederland receives ‘several signals that there are many malfunctions’ when retrieving a QR code with the CoronaCheck app. Since Saturday, catering visitors have to show a corona certificate to enter the catering industry. ‘It is finally a bit more free, but now failing technology from the government is making exploitation more difficult,’ says a spokesperson for the Zuid-Holland-North Region department. It is not yet possible to say exactly how big the problems are, according to the spokesperson.
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DDoS attack on CoronaCheck app
The server of the coronacheck app has to deal with so-called DdoS attacks on Saturday evening, which causes overload. That is what a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) said. Some people who have yet to create their QR code or have not used the app for a while are experiencing problems. According to the spokesperson, people who have downloaded the QR code before have no problems. “We advise everyone to try again at a later date.”
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The ministry also advises people to download the code at home before they go somewhere where they need a corona pass. It is then available offline.
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‘No incidents of corona ticket for cinema visitors’
The first day that a corona ticket for cinema visitors is mandatory, goes smoothly. ‘There is understanding among the visitors and there are no incidents’, says Gulian Nolthenius, chairman of the NVBF cinema umbrella. The dome cannot yet say anything about the visitor figures from the first day with the corona tickets. According to the chairman, it is still too early to say anything about this. He wants to wait the coming week ‘to form a good judgment’.
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Since Saturday, everyone from the age of 13 must have a corona ticket with them for a visit to a catering business, sports event or an art and cultural institution. At the door, someone must be able to demonstrate that they have tested negative for the coronavirus, have recovered from Covid-19 or have been fully vaccinated against it no more than 24 hours ago. This is possible, for example, via the CoronaCheck app.
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Corona average drops for 15th day in a row, 1625 new cases
The number of new corona cases continues to fall. 1625 positive tests were recorded between Friday morning and Saturday morning. As a result, the average falls for the fifteenth consecutive day.
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Last Saturday, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) reported slightly more than 2000 positive tests, the Saturday before more than 2200 and the Saturday before there were more than 2700 new cases.
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In the past seven days, RIVM registered 11,743 positive tests. On average, that equates to 1,678 new cases per day. That is the lowest level since July 7, the start of the fourth wave.
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Cabinet dismisses State Secretary Keijzer after criticism
Outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte has taken the exceptional step to fire State Secretary Mona Keijzer (Economic Affairs) after criticism of the introduction of the corona ticket.
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“The statements (…) made in today’s interview with De Telegraaf are not compatible with decisions recently taken by the Council of Ministers, which are of an important and weighty nature,” the prime minister said in a statement.
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Number of corona patients in hospitals is steadily declining
There are currently 470 corona patients in Dutch hospitals. That is 21 fewer than Friday, according to figures released by the National Coordination Center for Patient Distribution (LCPS).
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There are 173 patients in intensive care units with Covid-19, the disease caused by the corona virus. That is two less than a day earlier. Since Friday, 19 beds have become available in the nursing wards. There are now 297 patients.
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On Friday, the number of admitted patients fell below 500 for the first time since July 23. The number of occupied beds in the nursing wards has not been this low even since July 19.
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Virologist: the effect of new corona rules difficult to predict
The effect of the new corona measures is difficult to predict, says Anne Wensing, medical microbiologist and virologist at UMC Utrecht, in the NOS Radio 1 Journaal. ‘As long as there is little virus circulating, you also have less risk with releasing measures. But if that increases, there will still be a good group that has not been vaccinated or that does not respond well to vaccination, and is therefore insufficiently protected.’
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Although the one and a half meter rule is an effective means of combating the virus, according to the virologist, she is optimistic about the adjustments. ‘It gives us back a bit of freedom’, says Wensing. ‘Of course, nothing is one hundred percent safe, but the one and a half meter rule definitely had a major effect on transmissions, which is also apparent from studies. As a virologist, it is in itself a pity that this is being abandoned, but as we all understand as part of this society, at some point we really have to take steps.’
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Corona admission ticket required
Everyone aged 13 and over must have a corona ticket with them from Saturday to gain access to a catering business, (sports) events or an art and culture institution. This means that visitors must be able to demonstrate that they have tested negative for the coronavirus, have recovered from Covid-19 or have been fully vaccinated against it no more than 24 hours ago.
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They can show this in the CoronaCheck app. Visitors from the age of 14 must also bring a valid ID. Employees have to scan the QR code of visitors and compare the data with the ID. The corona admission ticket applies to locations where, according to the government, the release of the one and a half meter measure will make it busier.
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This is required in catering establishments, casinos, cinemas, theaters and concert halls and for (business) events. Furthermore, the QR code is needed for the public at professional sports competitions. For example, for terraces, campsites and museums, no corona tickets are required.
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State Secretary Mona Keijzer questions the corona pass
Outgoing State Secretary Mona Keijzer (Economic Affairs) has reservations about the introduction of the admission ticket, she says in an interview in De Telegraaf. She points to the high vaccination rate and finds it ‘inexplicable’ that people must show that they have been vaccinated or tested via the pass in order to gain access to a cafe or restaurant. “If you’ve ended up in a society where you have to be afraid of each other, unless you can show proof, then you really have to scratch your head and ask yourself: do we want to go this way?” politics.
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She points out that most people have no or mild corona symptoms and the vaccination rate is about 85 percent. ‘It is also a fact that the full opening of schools and universities at the end of August did not lead to a large influx into hospitals and ICUs. While the vaccination rate among students is low. Then I think: yes guys, are we going to continue this way or are we going to organize it differently?’
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‘Keijzer’s statements do not help’
Chairman of the Dutch Boa Bond Ruud Kuin says that the statements of outgoing State Secretary Mona Keijzer of Saturday morning do not help. This is reported by the NOS. ‘If people don’t speak with one voice in politics, this will be at the expense of public support,’ says Kuin. ‘If that support is not there, you will notice it immediately on the street. This further fuels the discussion and we shouldn’t have that, it doesn’t make enforcement any easier.’
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Kuin said on Saturday that he has not yet received any reports from boas about enforcement. ‘The day is still young, but I haven’t received any spontaneous reports yet. At the end of the day, the federation members inform me.’
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Neighbor day in sign of neighbor contact
The Netherlands will celebrate Burendag again on Saturday for the sixteenth time. The initiative of Oranje Fonds and Douwe Egberts this year is all about neighborly contact. Coincidentally, September 25 is also the day on which the mandatory one and a half meters away.
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This year a record number of more than 6300 neighborhoods registered. Last time there were 4000, in 2019 there were 6000 neighbourhoods. There are drinks, parties, DIY activities, games and coffee drinking meetings. ‘Neighbours’ Day originated from the idea that neighborhoods become cozier, more social and safer if neighbors know each other. Now that we have had to spend even more time in our own neighborhood due to the corona crisis than before, that has become even more important,” the organizations say.
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Released one and a half meters
The one and a half meter society has come to an end. From Saturday you can stand close to each other again during a chat and that also without a mouth cap, which was already abolished earlier. Society, as the cabinet calls it, will open again. But beware, that is not the case everywhere.
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Opponents demonstrate corona pass
People who do not want the corona admission ticket to be introduced will demonstrate in The Hague on Saturday, on the day the ticket is introduced. At the beginning of the afternoon they walk from the Malieveld along the Hofvijver to Plein 1813 and then back to the Malieveld.
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The ‘march against the Covid passport’ is organized by, among others, the Netherlands in Revolt. Protesters do not have to keep a distance of one and a half meters, because that rule will no longer apply from Saturday. They also do not have to show a corona ticket to participate in the protest against the corona pass.
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Coronakaart
Check here how many infections there are in your municipality.
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