Netherlands Reenters Lockdown for the Holiday Season

Countries throughout Europe are reintroducing stricter measures to curb a new surge of COVID-19 cases fueled by the highly contagious Omicron variant, with the Netherlands taking the lead by implementing a nationwide lockdown.

Effective Sunday, December 19, all non-essential shops, bars, and restaurants in the Netherlands will close until January 14, as stated by caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte during an emergency press conference on December 18. Schools and universities will also be closed until January 9, he added.

In a significant disappointment for many, the lockdown rules will also restrict private holiday gatherings. Residents will be allowed only two visitors, except during Christmas and New Year’s, when four can visit, according to Rutte.

"The Netherlands will go into lockdown again starting tomorrow," he stated, stressing that this action was "inevitable due to the fifth wave driven by the Omicron variant that is approaching us."

It wasn’t only the Dutch taking measures to curb the Omicron spread. Concerned ministers in France, Cyprus, and Austria have also tightened travel regulations. Paris has canceled its New Year’s Eve fireworks. Denmark has shuttered theaters, concert halls, amusement parks, and museums. In Ireland, an 8 p.m. curfew on pubs and bars has been imposed, along with limits on attendance at both indoor and outdoor events.

London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan highlighted the serious concern regarding rising cases and their threat to the healthcare system by declaring a major incident on Saturday, December 18. This declaration enables local councils in the British capital to work more effectively with emergency services.

Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin expressed the prevailing sentiment across the continent in a national address, stating that the new restrictions were essential for safeguarding lives and livelihoods against the resurgent virus.

"None of this is simple," Martin remarked on Friday, December 17. "We are all weary from COVID and the accompanying restrictions. The continual challenges, disappointments, and frustrations weigh heavily on everyone. Yet, this is the reality we face."

On December 18, the World Health Organization announced that the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been found in 89 countries, with COVID-19 cases involving this variant doubling every 1.5 to 3 days in areas with community transmission, rather than just among travelers returning from abroad.

Significant questions about Omicron remain, particularly regarding the effectiveness of current COVID-19 vaccines against it and whether the variant causes severe illness in a large number of those infected, according to the WHO.

However, due to Omicron's "substantial growth advantage" over the Delta variant, it is expected to soon surpass Delta as the primary strain of the virus in regions where the new variant is spreading locally, stated the U.N. health agency.

In the Netherlands, anxious shoppers flooded the commercial districts of Dutch cities earlier on Saturday, fearing it might be their final opportunity to purchase Christmas gifts. Rotterdam's municipality tweeted that the city center was "too busy" and advised people: "Don't come to the city." Amsterdam also cautioned that its main shopping street was crowded and urged adherence to coronavirus guidelines.

"I can hear the entire Netherlands exhaling," Rutte remarked during his lockdown announcement. "All of this comes just one week before Christmas. Another holiday season that is far from what we desire. This is dreadful news for all the businesses and cultural institutions that depend on the festive season."

Jaap van Dissel, head of the Dutch public health institute, characterized the lockdown as a preventive strategy intended to "buy time" for more individuals to receive booster vaccinations and for the healthcare system to brace for a potential surge in infections.

In the U.K., where confirmed daily cases have reached unprecedented levels this week, the government has reinstated a mandate for masks to be worn indoors and requires individuals to present proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test when entering nightclubs and large events.

These measures sparked public outrage. Critics of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's latest coronavirus restrictions took to Oxford Street, a busy shopping area in London, on Saturday, December 18. The unmasked demonstrators blew whistles, shouted "Freedom!" and encouraged passersby to remove their masks.

Hundreds of protesters obstructed traffic while marching with signs that read slogans like "Vaccine passports undermine our freedoms" and "Don’t comply." Some signs featured the faces of Johnson and U.K. health secretary Sajid Javid, with messages saying, "Give them the boot."

Scientists are urging the British government to take more extensive measures to prevent hospitals from becoming overwhelmed. Leaked minutes from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies indicated a need for a ban on indoor gatherings and hospitality, according to the BBC.

Britain and other countries are also ramping up the rollout of booster shots following initial data suggesting that two doses of the vaccine are less effective against the Omicron variant. Shopping centers, cathedrals, and soccer stadiums in Britain have been transformed into mass vaccination sites.

Omicron has become the predominant coronavirus variant in London, prompting intensified efforts to reach those who remain unvaccinated or unboosted. During a visit to a mass vaccination pop-up at Chelsea's stadium, the mayor warned that public services, including ambulances and police, could be hindered by the rapidly spreading variant.

"The primary concern we face is the number of Londoners infected with this virus, which is causing significant issues related to staff shortages and the capacity of our public services to operate effectively," Khan stated in an interview with the BBC.

In France, the government announced plans to start vaccinating children aged 5 to 11 beginning Wednesday, December 22. Prime Minister Jean Castex indicated on Friday that due to the Omicron variant spreading rapidly, the government is considering requiring proof of vaccination for individuals entering restaurants, cafés, and other public venues, pending parliamentary approval.

Thousands of protesters against vaccine mandates and mask requirements gathered on Saturday in cities like Hamburg, Berlin, and Düsseldorf, among others. In Austria, local reports indicated that the number of demonstrators swelled to tens of thousands.