With street commerce closed in the Netherlands, consumer plans for Christmas went down the drain after the country started, this Sunday (19), a blockade with the aim of limiting an increase in covid-19 cases because of the variant Ômicron.
Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced the sudden lockdown on Saturday night (18th), ordering the closure of all but essential stores, as well as restaurants, hairdressers, gyms, museums and other public places, starting this Sunday until at least January 14th.
The news came as a shock to many Dutch as they prepared for the Christmas and New Year period. Many people rushed to stores on Saturday, amid press rumors about the lockdown, to buy gifts and food and get a haircut at the last minute.
Hotel workers demanded compensation for the loss of income during the holiday season, while gym owners emphasized the importance of exercise during a health crisis.
“Closing all bars and restaurants in such an important month is incredibly painful and dramatic. We need compensation and an exit strategy,” said the Dutch Association of Hotel Services.
All schools will close the week before the Christmas break on Monday and must remain closed until January 9, and it is recommended that families receive up to two visitors, as well as get togethers.
Coronavirus infections in the Netherlands have dropped to record levels in recent weeks, following the adoption of a nightly lockdown late last month. However, cases involving the Ômicron variant have increased rapidly since early December and the strain is expected to become dominant before the end of the year.
This will pose a major problem for hospitals, which have been canceling regular care for weeks, in an attempt to avoid a shortage of beds due to the high number of patients with covid-19 in their wards.
The government said on Saturday that it will speed up the application of booster doses of the vaccine, after a slow start to the campaign, and by the end of the month, it intends to provide extra doses for everyone over 60 years old.
Although more than 85% of the Dutch adult population is vaccinated, less than 9% of adults have so far received the booster dose, one of the lowest rates in Europe.
