Senate approves entrance tests and quarantine obligation | Inland

Although the measures have already been passed by the Lower House, the cabinet still had to make an effort to convince the senate. Various parties, including the PVV and the PvdA, believe that the law for access tests in particular still leaves too much room for interpretation.

GL proved indispensable to get the test law through. The party voted in favor in the House of Representatives, and could also help it to obtain a majority in the Senate. The party attached a number of conditions to this. For example, the test law had to be disconnected from the corona law. GroenLinks also wanted the measures not to apply in places where sufficient distance could be kept or at locations for flow through. This means that people do not need a test for a café or museum, for example.

Self-testing

GL also asked outgoing minister Hugo de Jonge (Public Health) to see whether self-testing could be allowed in areas where there is no test location nearby. They may be a little less reliable, but they do make it less likely that people will try to pass a test, is the idea. The party supported a motion by D66 in which the cabinet was asked to draw up hard criteria for when testing is still necessary at all. Motions to the laws won’t be put to a vote until next week.

The test law is intended to be able to reopen certain sectors earlier or further if those present can show a negative corona test. This would mainly be used for larger meetings, the cabinet promised. De Jonge is thinking about festivals, for example.

The quarantine law obliges people who have been in very high-risk countries to stay at home for ten days. If they test negative after five days, they can go outside again. Those who do not comply with this risk a fine of 435 euros. Several parties wondered whether this would work in practice, because there may be too little control. The minister thinks that due to the high fine, the duty is being observed.

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