Anti-racism protests took place over the past days in The Hague, Breda and Groningen, where protestors were able to keep 1.5m distance from each other.

On Monday, thousands of people attended an anti-racism protest in Amsterdam. It aimed to draw attention to police brutality and institutional racism in the US and EU. However, because of the unexpected level of support for the protest, protestors were unable to keep 1.5m distance from each other at the centre of the gathering. The vast majority did wear face masks, but nonetheless there was considerable public concern about the protest’s potential to cause an increase in coronavirus infections.

Luckily, the protests in The Hague and Groningen yesterday managed to keep to the 1.5m rule. In The Hague, protestors gathered on the Malieveld, with plenty of space to keep a distance from each other. In Groningen, 800 protestors gathered on the Grote Markt. Crosses on the ground marked where they could sit, and again, the 1.5m distance was kept to. Further protests are expected throughout the week, with Rotterdam holding one this evening and Utrecht one on Friday. The protest in Breda took place on Monday, but photos were only shared by the organisers yesterday. There too the 1.5m rule was observed.

These protests in the Netherlands are accompanied by many more across the world, after a video of a police officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd in Minneapolis circulated on social media.

Have you attended one of these protests? What was your experience? Let us know in the comments below. 

Feature Image: Vlad Moco Grama/Supplied. 

The cabinet is likely to announce tonight that travel advice for most European countries will be relaxed from 15 June onwards.

This will bring the Netherlands in line with most other European countries, who have also been planning to relax travel restrictions from that date forth. It is not yet clear if this will apply to the United Kingdom, or how the Netherlands will choose to deal with countries that still ban tourists from the Netherlands.

According to political reporter Fons Lambie, if another European country does not permit Dutch tourists, the Netherlands will probably also not relax travel restrictions to that country. “If another country does not allow Dutch people, it makes no sense to relax the travel advice.”

Press conference this evening with more details

There will be a press conference this evening, from PM Rutte and Health Minister de Jonge, which will give more detail on this. Sources who spoke to RTL Nieuws say that most European countries will probably be given a yellow travel advice rating, which means that people can travel there, but are advised to pay attention and be aware of the safety risks.

Travel outside of Europe will probably still only be possible when absolutely necessary, though travel from the Netherlands to its Caribbean territories will probably be allowed. It is possible that later in the summer, travel restrictions to some non-European countries could be relaxed.

Where are you most excited to travel? Let us know in the comments below.

Feature Image: corgaasbeek/Pixabay

Following the protest on the Dam yesterday in Amsterdam, there will be more anti-racism protests in The Hague and Rotterdam today and tomorrow.

The protest in The Hague will take place this evening at 6pm on Malieveld. You can find the Facebook event here. The protest is kept short, only one hour, to minimise the chance of spreading the virus. There will be markers for the 1.5m distance rule, which protestors should stick to.

The organisers encourage anyone with symptoms to stay home, and everyone should bring a face mask.

The protest in Rotterdam may only be able to accommodate 80 people, following the mayor’s decision not to let more than 80 people gather on the Schouwburgplein. Other options are being discussed.

Tips on protesting safely

Now, not everyone may feel comfortable going to a protest, and tomorrow we’ll post an article about what you can do without protesting physically. But if you do want to go to a protest in the Netherlands in these times, then here are some tips that might be helpful.

First of all, observe the coronavirus rules as much as possible. Keep 1.5m from other people. You should also wear a face mask and carry hand sanitiser, or wear gloves. Try to come to the protests by car or bike or on foot, and not by public transport. Follow the directions of the volunteers who are there to guide you.

Some general protest tips include: wear comfortable clothing that you can move easily in, and especially wear comfortable shoes. If the weather is changeable, layers are a good option. Bring snacks and water. Make sure your phone is fully charged.

Will you be going to a protest over the coming days? Let us know in the comments below.

Feature Image: Gosse Bouma/Supplied. Gosse also shoots nice pics of Amsterdam and the Netherlands, be sure to check out his profile on Instagram. 

The latest figures on coronavirus in the Netherlands today have been released by the RIVM.

102 people have tested positive for coronavirus today, the day after the Netherlands opened up testing to anyone with symptoms. We will probably see a spike in this number over the coming days as more people get tested.

5 people sadly passed away from coronavirus today, bringing the total number of deaths to 5967. The number of hospitalisations today was also low, with 6 people admitted to hospital.

Here’s the number you can call to get tested for coronavirus

As we all know, 1 June was a big day for the Netherlands: terraces, cafes and restaurants could reopen. From 1 June, even more importantly, anyone with symptoms of coronavirus can be tested. You can call this number to get a test: 0800-1202. It’s open between 08:00 and 20:00. (It has apparently been pretty busy yesterday and today, so be ready for a bit of a wait).

Why doesn’t the Netherlands report how many people have recovered from coronavirus?

Dutch figures can look particularly overwhelming: we’re well on the way to breaching 40,000 cases. But when it comes to recoveries? Nada. Is it because the Netherlands is a black hole where everybody who catches coronavirus lives with it forever? Definitely not. But while figures are released daily on the number of positive tests, hospitalizations, and deaths, information on recovery rates is silent. Why?

NS says they don’t want to fine travellers for not wearing a mask

The start of this week brought with it some major relaxations of the coronavirus measures. Part of the easing involved public transport resuming its normal scheduling. However, a new rule is that passengers must use face masks, or else risk receiving a fine. The NS has nevertheless stated that giving out fines on trains is not the starting point. 

You can follow DutchReview on Facebook for more updates on coronavirus in the Netherlands. 

Feature Image: DutchReview/Canva.

Dutch figures can look particularly overwhelming: we’re well on the way to breaching 40,000 cases. But when it comes to recoveries? Nada. 

Is it because the Netherlands is a black hole where everybody who catches coronavirus lives with it forever? Definitely not. But while figures are released daily on the number of positive tests, hospitalizations, and deaths, information on recovery rates is silent. Why?

Other countries aren’t shy about publishing these figures. In Australia, out of over 7000 cases, more than 6,600 have recovered. In the United States, there are a staggering 1.85 million infections, but more than 400,000 Americans have successfully bid the virus farewell. The reporting of these numbers offer the public a more accurate understanding of the current situation in their country.

The numberless Netherlands

But for the Netherlands, the ‘number of recovered persons’ is a blank box. According to the RIVM’s Harald Wychgel, it’s because the Dutch healthcare system is not set up to record recoveries. While COVID-19 cases must be reported by local health authorities, they don’t need to report when someone has beaten the virus.

The world is racing to find an effective coronavirus vaccine and treatment — but Dutch scientists say that we could have an available treatment within six months.

Frank Grosveld, a professor of cell biology at Erasmus University, said the impact of the drug could be enormous. He and several other scientists were among the first to discover antibodies against coronavirus in March.

“You can use it as a medicine if you are already infected and as a preventative for high-risk groups,” he told NPO Radio1.

What is the treatment, and when will it arrive?

After the discovery just before the Dutch lockdown, scientists had to wait for animal testing. Now, Grosveld says the amount of progress made means “the drug will be there in five, six months.”

READ MORE: Coronavirus in the Netherlands: all you need to know (updated daily)

“This antibody responds to SARS1, it also works for the current coronavirus, which is also known as SARS2. If there is a SARS3, it is likely to respond well to it,” he explained. Grosveld made the discovery of the antibodies with fellow scientists Berend Jan Bos (Utrecht University) and Bart Haagmans.

An American pharmacy company will develop the drug for release. But, the identification of the company is so far a well-kept secret. Grosveld said he received huge subsidies from the cabinet for the research.

The start of this week brought with it some major relaxations of the coronavirus measures. 

Part of the easing involved public transport resuming its normal scheduling. However, a new rule is that passengers must use face masks, or else risk receiving a fine. The NS has nevertheless stated that giving out fines on trains is not the starting point, reports NU.

Document drafted explaining to NS employees how to deal with the new measures

All travellers will now need to wear face masks and keep a distance of 1.5 metres from each other. Train conductors and stewards have the power to fine those who do not respect the measures.

However, a spokesperson from the NS stated that “We are and remain a service company. A fine is a means for us, but it is never the goal. Of course, we will address travellers where necessary.”

To raise awareness of the new rules, stickers have been placed in stations reminding travellers of the different measures, such as wearing a mask. The fine for not wearing a face mask is 95 euros.

The NS does also put its trust in the individual responsibility of travellers, stating that “What we are seeing now is that most travellers really do respond to the calls and therefore follow the rules.”

Have you stocked up on face masks for your daily public transport travels? Let us know in the comments!

Feature Image: Natydphoto/Pixabay

Yesterday, protests against police brutality and institutional racism took place in Amsterdam on the Dam Square. Several thousand people attended, NOS reports. 

This protest was in solidarity with those that have taken place over the past days in the US, sparked by the murder of George Floyd by the police. He died after a police officer kneeled on his neck for several minutes. Many protests in the US have been met with yet more police brutality.

Solidarity protests have been popping up all over the world, and yesterday’s gathering in Dam Square is the first of at least three anti-racist protests that will be taking place in the Netherlands: there will be another in The Hague today, and one in Rotterdam tomorrow.

View this post on Instagram

Amsterdam Solidarity Protest. #blacklivesmatter #sayhisname✊🏾

A post shared by Gosse Bouma (@gosse_bouma) on Jun 1, 2020 at 9:43am PDT

Protests in the times of social distancing

Concerns were raised by members of the public and politicians yesterday about the potential impact of having a gathering during the coronavirus crisis. Most protestors did wear masks, and it seems that it was only at the very centre of the protest that people did not keep a distance from one another. No fines were given out.

Foto van afstand en dichterbij.
1 ze houden geen rekening met corona
Foto 2 hee toch heel andere beeld.#BlackLivesMatterNL pic.twitter.com/vsVbSokHhR

— Amterdammer (@amterdammer) June 1, 2020

A lot of pictures are misleading because of the camera angle. Everyone was wearing masks and there was distancing except at the very centre of the square. This wasn’t even the very edge: pic.twitter.com/VjHCTGVAbD

— Enzo Rossi (@enzoreds) June 1, 2020

On Twitter, people have expressed their concerns about the potential for the protest to increase infections again. Coronavirus has had a massive impact on the livelihoods and daily lives of many people around the world, so some frustration with this protest is to be expected.

Ouderen, in verzorgingshuizen, eenzaam, gescheiden van familie. Zelfs partners van elkaar gescheiden. Boetes. Dodenherdenking op een lege Dam. En nu dit??? Onvoorstelbaar. #halsema pic.twitter.com/EHNy1OHt8R

— Paul Slettenhaar (@Paulslettenhaar) June 1, 2020

Much of the criticism is aimed at mayor Femke Halsema

The mayor of Amsterdam, Femke Halsema, joined protestors in the square. In response to comments from CDA, VVD and PVV politicians about the perceived inappropriateness of the protest, she said that people should be responsible for themselves, and that this protest was too important to be banned or otherwise intervened with and that breaking up the protest could have only done by force by the police. Something which is of course very unwelcome these days.

Halsema also stated that the local authorities only expected a couple of hundred and protesters and that they didn’t see the influx of thousands of people happen until late into the day. She has advised protestors to quarantine themselves for two weeks to minimise the public health impact they have.

What are your thoughts on the protest? Let us know in the comments below.

Feature Image: Gosse Bouma/Supplied

The RIVM has released the latest numbers for Sunday, May 31. Over the weekend, the total Dutch number of confirmed coronavirus infections has climbed to 46,442, with 131 positives tests reported yesterday, and a further 185 today. 

To date, coronavirus in the Netherlands has officially claimed the lives of 5,956 people, with 25 reported over the past 48 hours. In the same time period, 13 people have been admitted to the hospital.

Residents warned to avoid taking the train to the beach

Trains between Amsterdam and Zandvoort have become so busy that people cannot keep their 1.5 metre distance. Dutchies are flocking to the beach in droves, but NS is asking people to find an alternative activity or transport.

Belgium surprises and angers the Netherlands by reopening borders

The Netherlands has been caught by the surprise decision of Belgium to almost completely reopen their borders. Belgians are now permitted to cross borders for tasks as little as shopping. But the mayors of Zeeland fear crowds of Belgians coming to their province and are deploying additional BOAs and police officers in response.

“We would have liked to prepare for the opening. That the Belgians suddenly do this Pentecost weekend is very clumsy,” says Jan Lonink, mayor of Terneuzen. “We would have liked to prepare better. Moreover, we were not aware of this decision at all.”

The Belgian border was previously only open for family visits, but the latest decision marks a return to the open borders that make up the Schengen zone.

Bells for coronavirus victims ring in Amsterdam

Four minutes of bell ringing at noon today commemorated the victims of coronavirus. The bells rang in Amsterdam churches throughout the city. The churches also ring in support of the next step in the coronavirus restriction period which begins on Monday, and in hope that the numbers can continue to decrease.

As the Netherlands gears up to further lift coronavirus restrictions from Monday, RIVM released the latest figures for coronavirus in Holland. 

The latest count shows a further 176 people have tested positive for coronavirus. This is expected to dramatically increase from Monday, when everyone with mild symptoms can be tested.

Over the past day, 28 people have sadly been confirmed dead from COVID-19. It brings the total Dutch death toll to 5,931.

Meanwhile, 9 people have been admitted to the hospital.

Here’s what you can and can’t do from Monday in the Netherlands

On Monday, the Netherlands enters the next phase of the gradual lifting of the intelligent lockdown. While the basic measures of social distancing and hand washing still apply, cafes, bars, restaurants, public transport, museums, theatres, cinemas, high schools and some other areas will begin the transition to the ‘new normal.’

Find out what to expect from Monday.