COVID-19 update The Netherlands
Nearly all locations can be open until 10pm.
As of Wednesday 26 January, most locations in our country can once again be open, under certain conditions. This means that restaurants and bars, cinemas, theatres, music venues, museums, zoos and amusement parks can reopen tomorrow. Shops, educational institutions, and contact-based services such as hair salons have already opened, and participating in indoor and outdoor sports activities and artistic and cultural activities has already been permitted. In addition, sports competitions and matches between different clubs will again be permitted as of tomorrow, as will spectators at all sports competitions and matches. The advice on self-quarantining for children under 18 will be relaxed.
- Read the coronavirus measures in brief.
The number of new cases is high, and many people are self-isolating or self-quarantining at home. The easing of restrictions will probably cause the number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals to increase. But despite the risks and uncertainties, the government believes it is responsible to take this big step. Because prolonging the measures that so restrict our daily lives is also harmful to people’s health and to society as a whole.
On Tuesday 8 March the government will decide if more restrictions can be eased.
General measures and guidance
- In general, all locations may be open from 5am to 10pm..
- Always stay 1.5 metres apart.
- Receive no more than 4 visitors aged 13 and over a day. Visit no more than 1 household a day.
- Do a self-test before visiting others or receiving visitors, and before going to a location where there are a lot of people.
- Face masks are mandatory for everyone aged 13 and over on public transport, at stations, on platforms and at bus and tram stops. You must also wear a face mask when walking around in public indoor spaces such as shops, museums, cinemas and hospitality venues. You can take your face mask off when seated in cinemas, theatres and hospitality venues.
- Wearing a face mask is advised wherever it is not possible to stay 1.5 metres apart, such as busy shopping streets.
- Assigned seats are mandatory in public indoor spaces such as restaurants, bars, theatres and cinemas.
- Everyone aged 13 and over must show a coronavirus entry pass at locations where this is mandatory, such as restaurants, bars, theatres and music venues, museums, cinemas, zoos, amusement parks, saunas and casinos. At sports facilities, a coronavirus entry pass is required for people aged 18 and over.
- At locations where there is a continuous flow of people, such as museums, capacity is limited to 1 visitor per 5 square metres, up to a maximum of 1,250 in each space.
- Maximum capacity at locations with assigned seating is equal to the number of visitors that can be accommodated 1.5 metres apart. (This is around 1/3 of normal capacity.)
- No more than 1,250 visitors are allowed at indoor locations for sports, events, culture and the arts.
- Events without assigned seating, such as festivals, are not yet permitted.
- Large events (with more than 1,250 visitors) with assigned seating may only take place outdoors.
- Work from home. If that is not possible, always stay 1.5 metres apart at work.
For a full overview, please visit this website:
https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19
For similar information on Belgium, please visit this website:
https://www.info-coronavirus.be/en/faq