Craving a sit-down meal in your favourite restaurant? Want to take a stroll with people from two different households? Don’t hold your breath — the OMT thinks March will be the earliest that coronavirus measures could relax. 

Last night, Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Minister for Health Hugo de Jonge formally announced the extension of the lockdown period.

The current lockdown was scheduled to end next Tuesday, January 19, but is extended until February 9.

Of course, we kindly suggest marking that date in your agenda in pencil — not pen. The Outbreak Management Team (OMT) believes that lockdown will extend all the way into March, at the earliest.

Numbers don’t lie

In the official weekly figures released yesterday, 1,503 people were admitted to general wards, an average of 214 per day. An average of 42 people were admitted to ICUs each day.

In the OMT’s advice to the Dutch cabinet, experts wrote that reaching the goal of 10 hospital admissions and 10 IC admissions per day will only be possible by early-March.

The number of admissions to hospital and ICUs has stabilized in recent weeks and we’ve begun to see a decrease, reports the NOS.

If the same rate of decrease continues the Netherlands could see three IC withdrawals each day by March 30. At that point, the coronavirus outbreak can be described as under control.

How do you feel about potentially being in lockdown for another six weeks? Tell us in the comments below!

Feature Image: Alex Green/Pexels