What a day it was yesterday — we celebrated the birthday of good ol’ King Willy, gazed at a stunning supermoon (did you see it?!) and before the night was over the Dutch curfew was lifted.
For the first time tonight, people in the Netherlands can go outside after 10 PM without an exemption. That means if you want to:
Take a midnight walk? Go for it!
Dance in the street at 3:00 in the morning? Be our guest!
Drink on a terrace until the sun rises? Ah, not yet.
First curfew since WWII
For the first time since January 23 people will be able to leave their homes at any time. The curfew was originally a “last resort” from the government because of fears it would bring up memories of the last time the Dutch were under curfew, during the German occupation in WWII.
Saying goodbye to the curfew isn’t the only thing Dutchies will be doing today. Relaxations of coronavirus restrictions are coming into play.
Non-essential shops are allowed to reopen without appointment slots, and terraces can open between limited hours. We can now have two visitors at home each day, and the number of people allowed at funerals has doubled from 50 to 100.
The full range of measures announced at last week’s press conference. Image: DutchReview
Are you happy to say goodbye to the curfew? Tell us in the comments below!
Were you hoping to catch a train this week? It may be more difficult than you think. Members of the FNV Spoor trade union will go on strike against ProRail from Wednesday to Saturday. As a result, the country can expect a number of train delays this week.
ProRail is a governmental train organization responsible for the maintenance of the national railway network and infrastructure. Its employees include traffic controllers who are responsible for the train timetable. As you can imagine, without a timetable and traffic control, train travel will get very tricky, very quickly.
What’s the strike about?
Members of the FNV Spoor, along with other trade unions such as CNV Vakmensen and VHS Rail Professionals, have been trying to get ProRail to agree to a new labour agreement under which employees would see a wage increase and an earlier retirement.
ProRail’s final offer became an ultimatum — which members of CNV Vakmensen and VHS Rail Professionals agreed to. However, the FNV Spoor trade union is holding its ground. Its members will continue to strike this week.
When and where will the strikes be?
Traffic control employees will strike on different days depending on their location, the NOS reports. Utrecht, Amsterdam, and Alkmaar will be the first to see strikes on Wednesday, followed by The Hague, Rotterdam, Dordrecht, and Roosendaal on Thursday. On Friday, Eindhoven, Maastricht, Arnhem, Zwolle and Groningen will take their turn.
However, regardless of where the strikes will be held, their effects will be seen across the Netherlands. A spokesman for ProRail explains the issue to the NOS, “the Dutch railways are so intertwined that actions at a single traffic control station can already have a major impact on the entire country” — yikes.
In terms of when the strikes will occur, it will be when we most need the trains — the morning rush hour. Officially, the strikes will last between 6 AM and 8 AM. However, train traffic will likely be disrupted until 10 AM as a result.
24-hour strike on May 1
As for May 1, you’ll be lucky to get anywhere on a train. Members of the FNV Spoor will strike for 24-hours starting from 5 AM. The result? No trains for the entire day, according to ProRail.
Where you hoping to hit the tracks this week? What are your thoughts on the strikes? Let us know in the comments!
King Willem-Alexander is turning 54 this year and since the early morning, birthday wishes from people around the world have been coming in.
One of the first people to congratulate the Dutch king is none other than the US President Joe Biden, who wishes the king a happy birthday “on behalf of the American people.”
In his message — which he shared via the American embassy in the Netherlands — he doesn’t forget to add wishes to the residents of the Kingdom of the Netherlands for a healthy and joyful King’s Day, reports ND.
Dutch-American friendship
Joe Biden also reflects on the long-lasting and uninterruptedly peaceful relationship between the Netherlands and the United States.
The Dutch-American friendship started back in 1782 when John Adams became the very first US ambassador to the Netherlands.
Today is Dutch-American Friendship Day! On April 19, 1782, future President John Adams became the 1st U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands. #DAFD21 🇺🇸🇳🇱 pic.twitter.com/Ls79nPxPun
According to the US president, the shared values of human rights, religious freedom, tolerance, and diversity are what forms the basis of this strong friendship.
What are your thoughts on this wholesome exchange? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
It’s not long until terraces open, and there’s even more bright news for Koningsdag (literally). It promises to be a bright and sunny royal holiday in the Netherlands.
Despite the change to the usual celebrations for King’s Day, you can still enjoy a day off in the sun. We can expect dizzying highs of 17 degrees in the south of the country. Thomas Vermeulen of Buienradar tells RTL Nieuws “there is also not too much wind, which makes it quite pleasant.” ☀️
Supermoon on King’s Day
No, it’s not a crime-fighting vigilante-moon 😂 (although that would be cool). A supermoon is when the moon is about 17,000 miles closer to the earth than usual. Even if there are a few clouds, you will still able to spot this hella big moon on the evening of King’s Day.
Weather stays nice as terraces open
As the terraces open on Wednesday, we will finally be able to have those biertjes in the sun! It’s a pure stroke of luck, as it promises to be mild spring day on Wednesday. Highs of 16 degrees can be expected in parts of the country, with the odd bit of cloud hanging around.
Sadly the pleasant spring weather won’t last long, with temperatures dropping down to 10 degrees come Thursday. So get out those sunglasses and enjoy the national holiday while you can! 😎
What are your plans for a sunny King’s Day? Let us know in the comments!
The Netherlands may see an influx of Americans in the coming months. President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has said that American tourists who have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus will be free to travel throughout Europe this summer.
Americans who have been vaccinated will able to visit the Netherlands for more than just essential travel, the border will also open up for tourists. While the president of the EU commission is certain of this, she didn’t indicate exactly American tourists can enter the EU, telling the New York Times only “this summer.”
Why is this allowed?
The first reason for why this will be allowed, comes down to the vaccines being used by the US. Von der Leyen told The New York Times that “as far as I can judge, Americans only use vaccines that are approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Therefore, all Member States of the European Union will admit travelers who have been vaccinated.”
The success of the US vaccination strategy is another factor. Von der Leyen explains that at the rate the US is vaccinating, the country can expect group immunity by mid-June.
Vaccination certificates to be decided
However, before the country can open its doors to Americans, a decision must first be made about vaccination certificates. The EU Commission must reach a decision on what these certificates should look like/what is necessary for freedom of travel. This is currently still under discussion.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you think the Netherlands is ready for the return of American tourists? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
As of 6 PM tonight, passenger flights coming from India will not be allowed into Dutch airports. This is due to India’s high number of cases of coronavirus.
Since the Netherlands has not yet reached the peak of the third wave, the cabinet has decided to implement a flight ban on India. The peninsula has reported over 300,000 cases a day for the last four days.
The flight ban is set to last until at least May 1.
Cargo flights allowed
Despite passenger flights not being permitted, flights carrying cargo or medical personnel will continue be allowed into the Netherlands. Around seven flights from India arrive into Schiphol Airport every week, according to the NOS.
Not the only flight ban
India is not alone in the flight ban. Already, passenger flights to the Netherlands from South Africa and countries in South America are barred. A general entry ban for non-EU residents also applies, in addition to a double test obligation for travellers from high-risk countries.
Dutch aid to India
Along with a number of other countries, the Netherlands has pledged aid to India. Yesterday, the Minister for Development Cooperation (Sigrid Kraag) pledged €2.5 million to the red cross, €1 million of which will go directly to India.
The Netherlands has also provided an extra €40 million to the international Covax program. This program regulates vaccines for developing countries — aid from this campaign is already being used in India.
What do you think of the flight ban? Let us know in the comments!
Put down your beers and raise your eyes to the sky: a supermoon will be visible tomorrow evening, just in time for King’s Day celebrations.
It’s the first time since 1909 that a supermoon and a royal holiday occur on the same day. The next “super king moon” won’t happen again until 2127, reports WeerOnline.
Is a supermoon not enough for you? Then let’s level it up! Some “veil clouds” may pass over creating a circle around the moon: a super king’s moon halo.
What is a supermoon anyway?
Sadly, a supermoon is not a crime-fighting moon with a fabulous lycra outfit. However, the moon is more than 27,000 kilometres closer to the earth, appearing about 7% larger and 14% brighter than normal.
How can I see the supermoon?
Step outside and look up! For once in the Netherlands, the weather is on our side with clear skies predicted. Supermoons are best seen when the moon is low in the sky, rising in the southeast around 9:40 PM — right before the final curfew hits at 10:00 PM.
Will you be venturing outside to take a look at the supermoon? Tell us in the comments below!
Ever heard of a man called Jan Zwartendijk? We didn’t think so, but you should definitely know his name.
Walking around the Netherlands, it’s common to see statutes celebrating hereditary rulers and agents of colonialism. Yet, Dutch history remained suspiciously quiet about the Dutch man who saved more Jews than Oskar Schindler — eternalised in the Oscar-winning classic, Schindler’s List.
That is, until 2018 when Dutch writer Jan Brokken wrote “The Just”, plucking Jan Zwartendijk out of anonymity. In 2020, the first and only monument in The Netherlands in his memory was unveiled in Eindhoven.
From business director to consul
When World War II broke out in 1939, Zwartendijk was the head of the local Philips branch in Lithuania. As the Dutch consulate in the region was unoccupied, he was offered the job. Zwartendijk accepted the position, imagining he would only have to assist a few countrymen. Soon, however, he found himself in a position to help many escape a macabre fate.
Escaping Nazi persecution
After the Nazis invaded Poland, thousands of Jews fled to Lithuania. When the Baltic country was occupied by Germany and the Soviet Union 10 months later, Jewish refugees frantically looked for a way out.
A couple of Jews approached Zwartendijk asking him to make a note on their passports that travelling to the Dutch island of Curaçao required no travel document. This was only partially true, as permission from the island’s governor was also required.
But who was going to check the travel requirements for an obscure island, right? Luckily, nobody, so their bet paid off.
A hand signed visa by Jan Zwartendijk. Image: Huddyhuddy/Wikimedia Commons/CC 4.0
Distracting officers with technology
The success of these visas in enabling Jewish refugees to leave Lithuania spread the news about “Mister Radio Philips”, says The Guardian . The lines in front of Zwartendijk’s office grew so large that a Russian officer accused him of endangering public safety.
After being gifted the first-ever electric razor created by Philips, the officer let Zwartendijk carry on with his work. 🪒 During the demonstration, the officer is said to have declared it “a miracle” and gone his merry way.
Mortal danger
Russian officers weren’t the only risk Zwartendijk faced. In 1940, when he returned to the Nazi-occupied Netherlands, he found himself in mortal danger. During those years his secrecy was a matter of life and death.
Later on, it was modesty plain and simple. His son was quoted by The Guardian saying that his father never spoke about his deeds, and when it came up, he’d say that anyone in his position would have done the same. Unlikely. 🙅♂️
An unsung hero
Zwartendijk was never celebrated. Not even after the war ended and the horrors of the Holocaust were revealed to the larger public. Much to his frustration, he was actually reprimanded in 1964 by the Dutch government for not acting in accordance with consular rules.
The reproach came as the Dutch Foreign Ministry was annoyed when reports about the “Angel of Curaçao” started to circulate. Yes, you read that correctly.
Mr Philips’ final days
Zwartendijk spent his final days wondering whether the thousands of Jews he had given visas to managed to reach safety. In total, he had issued 2,139 visas, but in those days women and children travelled on male relatives’ documents. It is estimated that his work helped between 6,000 and 10,000 Jews escape.
You may have heard rumours that the Dutch are pretty innovative. What you’ve heard is true! The same goes for their research into battling coronavirus. Whether it’s to do with living a more sustainable life or cutting edge technology, the Netherlands has contributed a lot to the world of science for such a small country.
During the global pandemic, many countries have been putting more funding into projects to help combat this deadly disease. The bright side is, after a year of getting to grips with a new version of reality (with a new language such as “nice to e-meet you” 🤦♀️ ), there has been huge progress on this front.
We are proud to say that a lot of these innovations in science have come from the lowlands themselves. So here is a list of five Dutch innovations that are helping to combat coronavirus:
1. The Janssen vaccine
The Janssen vaccine is the only one-shot vaccine on the market so far. Image: New York National Guard/Flickr/CC2.0
The Jansssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine has been in the news a lot recently with the first doses having just been given to Dutch health workers. The first lucky souls to get this one-shot vaccine were in Leiden, but did you know that this is the same place that the vaccine was developed?
Janssen may not have been the first coronavirus vaccine available on the market, but so far it is the only one that doesn’t require two shots for a high level of protection against coronavirus. That means that all 11.3 million doses that the Netherlands has ordered can fully vaccinate a huge chunk of the Dutch population!
Now, this isn’t a competition of which country has made the best vaccine, after all, anything that protects the population against coronavirus is a plus in our books. But the fewer doses one person needs to be immunised means we can spread this invaluable medicine much further. That’s got to be good news! (Thank you, Dutch researchers! 🙌 )
2. A bracelet that detects coronavirus
Scientific and fashionable. Image: UMC Utrecht/Supplied
Epidemiologists in Utrecht have developed a bracelet that detects the early stages of coronavirus by detecting changes in temperature, respiration and skin moisture. The wearable was able to be developed at super-speed because researchers used a model recently created to indicate if a woman is ovulating.
As you can see, this already has the potential for far-reaching applications, beyond coronavirus. Even during the pandemic, this bracelet could be used for those in high-risk groups and healthcare workers. Like any illness, the quicker you detect the virus, the faster you can get the right treatment.
3. A nasal spray with 24 hours of instant protection
Nasal sprays can help with more than just hay fever. Image: Diana Polekhina/Unsplash
Another feat for Dutch virologists is this innovative nasal spray. Once sprayed up your nozzle, it provides you with up to 24 hours of protection against the virus by preventing the virus’ cells from entering your nose. If they can’t get up there, then they can’t get to your lungs and do their dirty work.
Developed by researchers at Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, it’s hoped that the spray can be used by travellers and people attending large events like concerts and festivals. The sprays haven’t hit the market yet, but we have our fingers crossed!
Since it was developed in February, the Dutch start-up Leyden Labs has already invested €40 million into the nasal spray. The hope is that this spray can not only combat coronavirus but help to prevent future pandemics. If that isn’t groundbreaking, we don’t know what is!
4. 3D printed oxygen masks
An innovative way of getting more masks. Image: mockup graphics/Unsplash
Remember back to the beginning of the pandemic when everyone was getting to grips with a new app called Zoom and thought we would only be working from home for a month or two? (oh how naive we all were) Well, at that time, on a much darker note, there was a huge scramble for breathing devices.
Since the virus affects your respiration, oxygen masks and ventilators are vital in treating those with serious cases of coronavirus. So, when a Dutch doctor started making more oxygen masks, it came as a welcome relief.
Trauma surgeon, Mike Bemelman in Tilburg started using 3D printers to make the masks. He also made the blueprint for the design available to other hospitals and companies wanting to make disposable masks. Even at the beginning of a pandemic, there were those using everything at their disposal to help. 🙏
5. Urban Sun: using light to combat coronavirus
When art and science come together. Image: Daan Roosegaarde/Supplied
Innovation hasn’t just been happening in the lab, but also in the art studio. In the deserted streets of Rotterdam, Studio Roosegaarde launched their art-installation-cum-science-experiment entitled “Urban Sun”.
Developed with the help of Dutch, US, and Japanese scientists, the project uses a specific type of UV light to kill bacteria and viruses. This “far-UVC” light deactivates the virus when it’s shone onto a surface, proving to kill 99.9% of coronavirus cells in a localised area. That’s pretty epic news!
Head designer of the studio, Daan Roosegaarde, urges governments to invest in this project and implement it on a large scale. Seems like a pretty good way to see some cool art — and save lives.
So there we have it, five innovative ways the Dutch have come up with to combat coronavirus. Let’s hope that thanks to all of these innovations (and many more from other nations) that we’re coming to the tail end of the pandemic.
If not (please say we are for the love of God), we’re confident there will be more advances from the Netherlands to help us on the way.
Have we left any cutting edge technology off the list? Let us know in the comments below!
It’s springtime, and you know what that means? Breeding season is upon us! Lots of little chicks and baby birds are waddling around. Unfortunately, many of these birds won’t be able to spread their wings for the first time as they are killed prematurely by domestic cats.
To some of us, cats are fine furry friends, keeping us company and providing much-needed cuddles in lockdown. However, the local wildlife will tell you a very different tale. To winged creatures, cats are fearless fury frights, killing up to 18 million birds a year in the Netherlands.
An end to nighttime killings
To try and put an end to this killing spree, experts are calling for a cat curfew. Ecologist Diny Tubbing told RTL Nieuws that “as humans, we can take this into account by keeping the cats indoors at night.” She agrees that cats shouldn’t be kept permanently under lock and key. However, she does suggest that keeping them inside at night will be beneficial to the Dutch bird community.
During the day, birds have a better chance against the frightful felines. Titus Sijmonsma of the Federation of Frisian Bird Guards (BFVW) tells RTL Nieuws that “during the day, birds hear and see a cat approaching. They give a signal or fly away.” However, he says that at night birds are more vulnerable to cat attacks in the dark while they are asleep.
What can I do as a cat owner?
Turns out, you can’t teach an old cat new tricks. Don’t try and un-train your kitty from being a natural born killer (even if it is a cute one at that). So what can cat owners do to help protect Dutch wildlife?
Firstly, if you’re presented with a bird on your doorstep, check to see if it’s still alive. It might be in shock, so keep it in a warm and safe place. Scheurkogel says to call an animal ambulance if you think it might still be alive.
Tubbing has some fun advice to try and stop cats from wanting to hunt in the first place. Play with them more! (no, seriously). Tubbing says that cats playing with a ball or a toy mouse can satisfy the hunting instinct, and tire them out.
TIP: Help out the birdies by fitting your cat with a bell on its collar. If your cat is a bit more feral and resists a collar, you can also hide its food in different places so it has to “hunt” for it’s kibble.
Do you think a kitty curfew would help out the local wildlife?Let us know what you think in the comments!
