Netherlands Resumes 'Lockdown' Amid Surge in COVID-19 Cases... Germany Also Considering Implementation

Netherlands Limits Restaurant Hours to 8 PM for 3 Weeks
Social Distancing Resumes, Home Visitors Limited to 4
Germany Reports 50,000 Daily Cases, Considers Entry Restrictions for Unvaccinated

Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Netherlands (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] As COVID-19 cases surge recently in Europe, the Netherlands is the first to reinstate a lockdown.

On the 12th (local time), according to AFP and other sources, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced in a TV speech this afternoon, "Tonight we will announce unwelcome extensive measures," signaling the reactivation of lockdown measures.

The lockdown in the Netherlands will be partially enforced for three weeks. From the 13th, all supermarkets, restaurants, and bars will be allowed to operate only until 8 p.m., and non-essential stores must close by 6 p.m.

Social distancing measures will also resume. Visitors to private homes will be limited to four people, and working from home is recommended unless absolutely necessary. Public events will be suspended, and the upcoming World Cup qualifier against Norway next week will be held without spectators.

However, schools will remain open, and no curfew will be imposed.

The number of confirmed cases in the Netherlands reached 16,000 on both the 11th and 12th, surpassing the previous record of nearly 13,000 set last December.

Other European countries are also considering lockdown policies. Germany, after surpassing 50,000 cases on the 10th, is considering restricting access to major events for unvaccinated individuals. Berlin plans to restrict entry for unvaccinated people to restaurants, cinemas, museums, and indoor performance venues starting next week.

The Austrian government also stated that lockdown measures for the unvaccinated are necessary. Vienna, the capital, announced plans to begin vaccinating children aged 5 to 11, the first in the European Union (EU) to do so.

The Czech Republic, where daily cases have recently approached record highs, plans to conduct COVID-19 testing for all students nationwide on two occasions, the 22nd and 29th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.