Okay, any Friday is almost by default a good day. But today, February 18, is an especially good day in the Netherlands — Dutch society is taking the second step in its grant reopening plan.
At Tuesday’s press conference, Dutch Health Minister Ernst Kuipers announced that the Netherlands would ease coronavirus measures in three steps.
Cue: collective sigh of relief. 😍
The first step was taken immediately as the Dutch government withdrew the advice to have a maximum of four visitors at home and encouraged people to go back to the office for up to half of the working week.
Now, it’s time for step two. 🎉
Longer opening times
Starting today, the catering and cultural sectors keep their doors open past 10 PM. In fact, all locations in the Netherlands are allowed to extend their opening hours until 1 AM — so no need to call the carriage before the clock strikes midnight anymore.
Do you know what that also means? Dutch nightclubs are officially opening back up again, too! 💃
Yup, technically, you could celebrate the relaxation of measures by hitting the dance floor. Just remember to show your QR code — those will stay in effect until February 25.
Bye, bye fixed seating
Additionally, once you’ve entered a restaurant, café, concert hall, or football stadium (anywhere, really!), you’ll no longer be required to wear a mask, have a permanent seat, or keep 1.5 metres distance.
Only at locations with more than 500 people will you have to wear a mask when walking around and maintain social distancing.
Caught coronavirus? Check the new quarantine advice
If you’ve tested positive for coronavirus, first of all — we wish you a speedy recovery. Second, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel because the Dutch government has decided to shorten the required isolation time.
In the Netherlands, the official advice is now to isolate for five days instead of seven. So, provided you’ve been symptom-free for 24 hours, you can roam free on day six already!
Will you be enjoying any of these new relaxations tonight? Tell us in the comments below!
Feature Image: pressmaster/Depositphotos