Two months following strict confinement, the government of Mark Rutte wants to abandon the corona pass as well as most health measures. The peak of the Omicron wave seems to have passed, and the group of experts advising the authorities has come out in favor of broad relaxations.
From February 18, cafes, restaurants, nightclubs and cultural venues will be able to open until 1 a.m., without masks or distancing, but with a QR code. A week later, on February 25, the corona pass will be put away, except for travel. Access to events gathering more than 500 people will require a Covid test.
On March 15, the rest of the measures will be assessed, including the obligation to wear a mask on public transport, the mandatory test for access to events and the recommendation to work from home.
“The country is opening up once more,” Health Minister Ernst Kuipers told a news conference. “Keeping your distance and wearing a mask remains prudent, but there is no obligation,” he added. Mr Kuipers, however, warned that the pandemic was “not over” and vulnerable people still needed to be careful.
The health minister took office in Mark Rutte’s new government in January and was quick to signal that he wanted to bring society back to normal. The Netherlands has seen violent protests in 2021 once morest coronavirus restrictions, with police shooting and injuring several demonstrators in Rotterdam (southwest) in November.
