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This article will be updated throughout the day. View the corona news here Tuesday, May 18th.
- New ones relaxations of corona measures take effect
- Princess Margriet reopens Artis which was closed for five months
- Belgian virologist in hiding Marc Van Ranst calls Willem Engel ‘crazy’
- Kabinet has gone wrong in spending billions during corona crisis
14.21 – Will secondary schools reopen without 1.5 meters?
On Saturday, the cabinet will consider whether secondary education can be fully reopened, without students having to keep a distance of 1.5 meters. That said Corona Minister Hugo de Jonge on Wednesday.
Pupils in secondary education currently receive limited physical lessons. The restrictions of the job are only for graduation students, the rest of the students can only go to school to a limited extent.
The Outbreak Management Team (OMT) was asked whether, and under what conditions, the restrictions that still apply could be lifted in secondary schools. That advice should be there at the end of the week, so that it can be discussed on Saturday, according to De Jonge.
The next step in the cabinet’s opening plan is scheduled for 9 June. De Jonge acknowledges that the figures are now falling sharply, but warns against too much optimism. Compared to other European countries, “we are not in very good shape yet,” said the minister. In addition, many postponed operations have to be made up for in the near future. “If we want a carefree summer, the numbers have to keep falling very quickly.”
12.33 – Five new fast testers drawn for admission tests
From June onwards, five new companies will be conducting extra rapid tests for Stichting Open Nederland (SON) that will provide access to all kinds of events, activities and attractions. Together with a German company that already provides free rapid test capacity in the central Netherlands, they must guarantee 105,000 rapid tests per day.
This means that 225,000 rapid tests per day can be administered from June onwards. The test locations of seven test providers that were drawn in last month have been operational since Tuesday. Together they now provide 120,000 tests per day. In July, the cabinet wants to be able to administer 400,000 rapid tests every day. XL test lanes will also be used to achieve that number.
Twenty-two parties responded to the second public tender, of which fourteen met the set conditions. For example, candidates had to have demonstrable test experience and their digital infrastructure in order. Because several parties turned out to be suitable for all seven regions in which SON divided the land, a notary was drawn.
The new providers are Alegria Health (North Netherlands), Esculink (East Netherlands, part North Holland), Speed Covid Test (Haaglanden, Hollands Midden), Virusspeedcheck (part Brabant, part Gelderland, Limburg) and Hestia (part Brabant, Rotterdam-Rijnmond, South Holland South). The German Ecolog will increase its testing capacity in the central Netherlands, where it is already active.
11.43 – Cabinet invested nearly 9 million euros in corona campaigns last year
Last year, the cabinet set aside nearly 9 million euros for corona spots on television, radio and online. The campaign ‘Only together can we get corona under control’ was the most expensive government campaign of the past year.
In total, the national government spent 33.2 million euros last year on a total of 27 information campaigns. In 2019, this was 32.2 million euros for 35 media campaigns. Due to corona, some were postponed, or even expired altogether.
The review states that 2020 was an “atypical campaign year”, with the need for “high media spending.” Not only the corona campaign was an outlier, but a relatively large amount of money was also allocated for information about the new donor register with almost 3.5 million.
Now that corona rules have been relaxed, the national government will come up with new spots from Wednesday. These mainly revolve around observing the basic rules: washing your hands, keeping your distance and staying at home and testing in case of complaints.
11.16 – Macron celebrates relaxation of corona rules with coffee on the patio
French President Emmanuel Macron celebrated the relaxation of the corona rules on Wednesday with a cup of coffee on a terrace near his workplace. Macron, along with Prime Minister Jean Castex, can be seen on a video on the president’s Twitter account.
French President Emmanuel Macron enjoys a coffee on the terrace.
Ⓒ Dutch Height / AFP
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“Here we are! Terraces, museums, cinemas and theaters. We are rediscovering the things that make life beautiful. But with respect for the applicable rules, ”writes the president with the video on Twitter.
People all over France were happy to enjoy the freedoms again. Restaurants, museums, cinemas and theaters have been closed for six months due to the corona measures in France. It is the intention that society will be fully reopened on June 30.
11.01 – Indian corona variant now found eight times in the Netherlands
The Indian variant of the corona virus has so far been found eight times in the Netherlands, the RIVM reports. In the last report from the institute, this was four more times.
The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment examines about 1500 random samples of the virus every week, which are supplied by laboratories from all over the Netherlands. A total of 20,175 samples were analyzed from the random samples. The vast majority of those samples contained the British variant.
The Brazilian variant of the virus has surfaced 169 times in the Netherlands and the South African variant 394 times so far.
10.22 – With ‘book basket’ and mouth mask back to the library
Going to the library to find a book for a rainy day? It is possible again from Thursday. Then the libraries reopen after months of closure due to corona and visitors are welcome again. They must, however, strictly adhere to the corona measures, such as a mouth mask and the use of a ‘book basket’.
“We can allow one person per 25 square meters. At the entrance there are access items such as a basket that visitors must take with them. When the baskets are gone, no one can access it for a while ”, says Toon Kets of the Association of Public Libraries (VOB). “We strictly adhere to the rules. So no more people inside than allowed and with a mouth mask. They must also register. We don’t want a corona eruption in a library, ”said Kets.
Visitors who want to browse the bookcases with their basket can simply enter. People who want to study at a study place in the library must make a reservation in advance. Once they are in their workplace, the mouth mask can be removed.
09.32 – Prijsvrij takes over D-trips
Prijsvrij takes over some of the shops from D-Reizen. CEO Marc van Deursen reports this to De Telegraaf. It concerns approximately one hundred to 150 stores.
07.07 – India reports more than 4,500 new corona deaths, highest number so far
The Indian Ministry of Health reported 4,529 new corona deaths on Wednesday, the highest number of deaths from the virus in 24 hours in the country to date. India has also identified 267,334 new infections.
The total death toll comes with the new figures to 283,248. The infections have passed 25.5 million. India passed the 25 million infections on Tuesday. The country has the second highest number of confirmed infections in the world, after the United States. The death toll is the third highest, after the United States and Brazil.
Experts suspect that the actual number of infections and deaths is significantly higher than reported. Hospitals in India have been under severe pressure since the outbreak of the country’s second corona wave. At the same time, cemeteries and crematoriums are also overloaded.
6.01 – Red Cross is going to inform non-native speakers about corona
The Red Cross starts an information campaign in six languages to better inform people who speak little or no Dutch about corona. The information on testing, vaccines and prevention is primarily intended for migrant workers, refugees and undocumented migrants. Research by the aid organization shows that people who have difficulty with the Dutch language are extra vulnerable during this corona pandemic.
“Everyone in the Netherlands is entitled to a vaccine. But not everyone gets the same information. In this way we try to make reliable information accessible to all people, ”says Marieke van Schaik, director of the Red Cross Netherlands. The Red Cross not only provides information, but is also present at many vaccination and test locations for support.
The information is published on special internet pages with animations in English (www.rodekruis.nl/english), Turkish (www.rodekruis.nl/turkish), Arabic (www.rodekruis.nl/arabic), Portuguese (www.rodekruis.nl / portuguese), Chinese (www.rodekruis.nl/chinese) and Polish (www.rodekruis.nl/polish). These pages also contain WhatsApp helpline numbers in these languages. People can easily pass on this information to each other via the mobile phone.
Employees of the Red Cross who answer questions via WhatsApp have noticed that people are unclear about the corona vaccination. For example, they do not know whether and how they qualify for vaccination. “In order to get and keep the coronavirus under control, it is important that everyone in society is aware of the most essential, reliable information about corona and vaccinations. So that everyone has equal access and opportunities to get vaccinated and feel safe, ”says Van Schaik.
03.31 – France relaxes more corona rules and opens terraces
The French government is accelerating on Wednesday in the program to lift the corona restrictions step by step. Curfew starts two hours later and then starts at 9 p.m. and patios and non-essential businesses reopen. This is admittedly with limitations with regard to the number of people and the available surfaces.
Museums, cinemas, libraries, theaters, casinos and concert halls also open their doors after being closed for nearly half a year. They have to operate at 35 percent of normal capacity. Recreation parks and zoos also provide access. There are maximum numbers of visitors or participants, eight hundred people inside or a thousand outside. These limits also apply to sporting events.
The cafes and restaurants can also reopen indoors from 9 June, under certain conditions, and the number of people who may gather at sports competitions or cultural events and performances will go to 5000. In addition, indoor sports facilities will also reopen, exhibitions can be held again and healthy tourists come. On the last day of June, the curfew will be canceled altogether and other restrictions on being together in public spaces will be removed.
03.20 – Cabinet reports on spending in corona year 2020
The caretaker cabinet will present its annual financial report for 2020 on Wednesday, the year in which the national budget could already be thrown away after three months due to the corona pandemic. Tens of billions of euros were spent extra to support the economy and save businesses and jobs.
The third Wednesday in May has been known in the House of Representatives as Accountability Day since 2000, and is also referred to as ‘minced meat day’. Not only does the cabinet open a book about the financial ins and outs of the various ministries, the Court of Audit also gives an opinion on the policy pursued.
The Court of Auditors does not mince words in this regard. Last year, Minister Wopke Hoekstra (Finance) was scolded because in 2019 insufficient account was given to the House of Representatives for too much of government expenditure. The commission also warned that the corona crisis should not be a license to disregard the supervisory task of parliament.
In previous years, the Court of Audit had sharply criticized the inadequate data security at the government, the chaos at the Tax and Customs Administration and the lack of strength at Defense. The Commission also doubted whether additional expenditure, for example, for improving air quality, or relieving the workload in education, had actually ended up properly.
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