THE HAGUE, WILLEMSTAD - The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has changed its travel advice for Curaçao to color code "orange" due to an increase in the number of infections on the island. The ministry therefore advises traveling to the island only when necessary.
People who are currently in Curaçao do not have to return immediately, according to the RIVM, according to Foreign Affairs. However, you are asked to go into home quarantine for ten days when you return home.
After Prime Minister Mark Rutte's press conference at the beginning of last month, there was a run on vacations to Curaçao. Rutte then gave an “urgent” negative advice for traveling abroad until mid-January, but he also indicated that Dutch people can still go on vacation to Curaçao and Bonaire. Code yellow still applies in Bonaire.
Curaçao has seen a significant increase in the number of infections for several weeks. Last week, parliament passed an emergency law, which allows the judiciary to issue fines for violating the corona measures. This was not possible before. In Curaçao a curfew applies.
Enforcement of the emergency law had been on the agenda for six months, but was delayed by protests from the opposition. Ultimately, the law was passed in a heavily amended form. For example, parliament must meet twice every 24 hours about how long the state of emergency may last.
According to Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath, the government "needs the tools of the emergency law to fight the corona crisis."