WILLEMSTAD - The government has announced new measures to prevent the spread of the omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. From December 23, dance parties and events with more than a hundred people, i.e. high-risk events, are not allowed.
On Tuesday, the government held an emergency meeting with representatives of the nightlife sector. The party organizers have been informed of the new measures.
The omicron variety spreads very quickly. The rapid advance is leading to an increase in the number of corona patients in hospitals and ICUs. This makes an overload of care increasingly real.
In addition, the corona vaccine offers lower protection against the virus. This makes the QR check at the door less effective. Citizens who are fully vaccinated can also become ill and end up in hospital. The government will therefore accelerate the booster injection process, so that many more citizens are protected against this variant.
The government is also looking at whether it can compensate the entertainment sector for the investments that have already been made for parties that can no longer take place due to the tightened measures. Government accountancy firm SOAB is being called in for this.
Today at 11.30 am, the government announced all measures that will come into effect from 23 December.