Due to the rising number of coronavirus cases in Curaçao, the government has announced stricter measures. As of today, restaurants and bars are closing early, non-urgent medical operations will be cancelled, and a curfew has gone into effect.
The popular holiday destination for Dutchies has been listed as “code yellow” for coronavirus — it’s one of the few places the Dutch cabinet has approved for holiday travel. This has led to a sharp rise in the number of flights booked to the island over the coming months, as Dutch holiday seekers try to make a break for it this Christmas.
But now, things have taken a turn for the worse on the small Dutch-Caribbean island. Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath told the public on Sunday that the record number of infections and the situation in the hospitals require that they take new measures.
New measures
Disappointed travellers will arrive at the island to find all shops and restaurants closing at 8 PM and a curfew from 9 PM to 4:30 AM.
A face mask mandate is also in place inside shops and other indoor public spaces for anyone over the age of 18.
Gatherings in groups of over four people are prohibited (including at the beach) and people are asked to stay home as much as possible. “If there is no reason to go outside, stay at home,” says Rhuggenaath.
For now, the country is remaining open for tourists, with restrictions. Visitors from lower-risk areas must submit a negative PCR test, while those from higher-risk countries will need to quarantine for fourteen days.
Do the new measures in Curaçao surprise you? Does this news interrupt any of your holiday plans? Tell us in the comments below.
Feature Image: Aurelien Romain/Unsplash