Netherlands: School closes a week earlier for Christmas

The Dutch government is considering closing schools a week earlier for Christmas this year as new coronavirus cases remain high and hospitals are struggling to cope with a wave of COVID-19 patients.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte is expected to announce an extension of the restrictions that have entered into force on November 28 at a press conference to be given at 20:00 Greek time.

The new measures that will be announced include the closure of all restaurants, bars, shops with unnecessary items and other public spaces from 17:00 to 05:00, the banning of all spectators at sporting events and the recommendation as much as possible more teleworking.

Outbreaks of the new coronavirus in this country of 17.5 million have fallen from record levels reached after the introduction of night lockdown, but remain relatively high at around 85 per 100,000 inhabitants.

The number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals remains at the highest level of the year and hospitals across the country have been ordered to postpone all non-emergency surgeries for weeks to free up beds in intensive care units.

As infections remain at an all-time high among young children, experts have advised the government to close schools a week earlier than scheduled, on December 17, to better protect elderly family members over Christmas.

The government has repeatedly announced that it will do everything it can to prevent the closure of schools, but today announced that this option is back on the table.

“It is a difficult decision,” Education Minister Arie Slob told reporters ahead of a government meeting to decide on the measure. “We have to look very carefully again at what is necessary,” he added.

To date, the Netherlands has recorded almost 2.9 million cases of the new coronavirus and 20,140 deaths from COVID-19.

Source: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ