THE HAGUE - It is not that bad, but it's not going well enough either. Prime Minister Mark Rutte said this during a press conference. That is why extra measures are being taken and negative travel advice has been given for abroad. The Caribbean part of the Kingdom is not covered by this, according to Rutte.
The cabinet is calling on everyone in the Netherlands not to travel abroad in the coming months. That means not during the Christmas holidays, but also not in the first half of January. "The Caribbean part of the Kingdom is not treated as foreign," said Rutte.
In the first corona wave, many infections could be traced back to winter sports holidays. The cabinet wants to prevent that from happening again next winter.
The cabinet will also close libraries, cinemas, theaters, museums, amusement parks and zoos for the next two weeks. The maximum group size on the street goes from four to two. The number of people who are allowed to attend a wedding or funeral will also decrease to 20 and 30 respectively.
Gyms remain open because sport is too important a physical and mental outlet for people, the cabinet says. But people are not allowed to exercise in group sessions. And all saunas and swimming pools must be closed.
The measures will take effect tomorrow from 10 p.m.
This week, the Curacao hotel association CHATA already said that the consequences of such a negative travel advice would be dramatic for our island. Many hotels are in financial trouble and had pinned their hopes on around Christmas and New Year's Eve.