Face mask compulsory from 5 August in parts of Amsterdam and Rotterdam | NOW

Amsterdam and Rotterdam will oblige the use of a mask in busy places from Wednesday 5 August, the municipalities announced on Thursday afternoon. The measure applies to everyone aged thirteen and older.

The mouth mask obligation is not at the expense of current corona measures, such as the one and a half meter rule, but is an addition. The obligation is part of an experiment that investigates how the use of a mouth mask affects people’s behavior.

In the areas where the mouth mask obligation will apply, mouth masks will be distributed on Wednesday. Those who do not comply with the measure will be called to account and may be fined or asked to leave the area.

The municipality of The Hague announced on Thursday afternoon that in the Haaglanden region a mouth mask requirement is not yet being introduced.

Face mask mandatory on Red Light District and Coolsingel

In Amsterdam, wearing a face mask will be mandatory from 5 August in the Red Light District, the shopping streets Kalverstraat and Nieuwendijk and in the markets on Plein ’40 -’45 and Albert Cuypstraat.

In Rotterdam, this applies to the shopping areas in the center (Lijnbaan, Meent, Nieuwe Binnenweg and Coolsingel) and the markets on the Visserijplein, Afrikaanderplein and the Binnenrotte. Wearing a mask is also mandatory in the covered shopping centers Alexandrium and Zuidplein. The Keizerswaard and Binnenhof shopping centers may be added to this.

In places where other national measures already apply, such as in catering establishments, gyms and museums, the mouth mask requirement will not apply.

‘Face masks can increase urgency’

Mayors Ahmed Aboutaleb (Rotterdam) and Femke Halsema (Amsterdam) have previously called for mandatory wearing of a mask in certain places. The mayors have seen a significant increase in the number of coronavirus infections in their city in recent weeks.

On Wednesday evening, the cabinet decided that there will be no national mouth mask obligation. It did, however, give mayors room to make the use of a face mask compulsory locally.

Aboutaleb is delighted with the additional measure. “In my view, masks can increase the urgency in some places, in addition to the golden rule of 1.5 meters, hygiene measures and enforcement. We are ready to start the pilot and hope that it helps people to safely to stay in the city and keep enough distance from each other. “

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