Last year on March 18, just about a year ago, 38-year-old Gökmen T. shot and killed four people and injured several others in an Utrecht tram attack. A court in Utrecht has sentenced the perpetrator to life in prison today, NOS reports.
The prosecution team had demanded a life sentence against the perpetrator earlier this month, commenting upon the gravity of the attack’s impact: residents in Utrecht were told not to leave their homes – and it became evident that attacks could take place in any neighbourhood.
During his trial, Gökmen T. was disrespectful in Court, refusing to answer questions for four days, then showing his middle fingers to the judges, spitting on his lawyer and making kissing gestures to the prosecutors during the trial. Additionally, he laughed when the victims’ relatives spoke.
Impact of coronavirus on the case
Due to the coronavirus outbreak, typical court proceedings have had to be adjusted. In the Gökmen T trial, not all surviving relatives of victims and those injured in the attack were present in Court. Neither was Gökmen T for that matter (since his presence would mean a whole team of other people having to attend as well).
Overall, few were present. The only people in Court were: the judge, a prosecutor, eight surviving relatives as well as victims. The lawyers as well as several journalists, sat in separate rooms.
Were you in Utrecht at the time of the shootings last year? Tell us about your experience in the comments.
With lockdowns, self-isolation and quarantines, the coronavirus outbreak means less air-travel and road travel, which translates to less CO2 emissions worldwide. Although it’s difficult to find anything good in coronavirus, it is true that it has been giving our planet a break from humans, and the effects are already showing.
Since the Netherlands entered partial lockdown last week, people have been confined to their homes for well, everything. Since most are working from home nowadays, according to Ronald Kempen of Tamoil, of their 213 petrol stations in the Netherlands, 25% less petrol and diesel were refuelled in recent days compared to pre-coronavirus times, de Volkskrant reports. Furthermore, air traffic has decreased by roughly 80% here in the Netherlands as most flights have been cancelled or postponed.
Although more electricity has been consumed at home, less has been consumed in the office- which seems to balance out.
Not just due to the coronavirus, and not just in the Netherlands
De Volkskrant also reports that Dutch greenhouse gas emissions, which have been on a slow decline for years now, will decrease faster in 2020, according to Pieter Boot of the PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency. Boot also predicts a worldwide drop: already in China and Italy, 30-50% less nitrogen oxide was released into the air, a boon for those with lung complaints (and also great for corona times).
Other factors (apart from coronavirus) are also benefitting circumstances. This includes the warmer winter, which has saved 1.5 million tons of emissions, as well as a broken coal-fired power station in Maasvlakte, which has saved 1 million tons.
Does this mean we’re hitting targets?
However, this is still not enough – in order to meet the Urgenda targets, emissions need to decrease by 9-11 million tons this year, and 25% fewer cars on the road for a month will only save 3/4 of a million tons, according to Boot.
Furthermore, slow demand has caused the price to drop to $27.73 per barrel, its lowest since 2004. This might affect how willing and able states are to make investments into ‘clean’ energy. But of course this is still speculation.
Nonetheless, less energy consumption (even if it doesn’t quite hit the target) is still something.
Nature is flourishing without humans
You’ve probably already seen the waters of Venetian canals slowly turning crystal clear over the past few days- but if you haven’t, here is a video of dolphins enjoying their new extra habitat in the beautiful city which has been on lockdown since late February.
Venice hasn't seen clear canal water in a very long time. Dolphins showing up too. Nature just hit the reset button on us pic.twitter.com/RzqOq8ftCj
The current number of coronavirus patients in the Netherlands stands at 2994 after RIVM published the latest count of coronavirus cases in the Netherlands for Friday the 20th of March.
This is an increase of 534 patients since the last count. Sadly, 30 people have also died since yesterday. All deaths to date are reported to be between 63 and 95 years of age. It’s likely the number of cases is far higher, however, these are the official figures reported by health officials.
Martin van Rijn is the new Minister for Medical Care
Former PvdA Secretary of State Martin van Rijn will be the new Minister for Medical Care, Prime Minister Rutte announced.It is just for three months and at the request of the cabinet.Van Rijn joins the cabinet on a personal basis, since his party the PvdA isn’t part of the current government (good to see our political parties work together though).
Suspects of criminal offences in the Netherlands have a lower chance of being arrested unless it is absolutely necessary, according to NRC. These measures are taken in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Necessity would rely on the severity of the offence as well as whether it poses a ‘threat to the legal order.’ The judiciary hopes that these measures will limit risks of the virus spreading, particularly the spread of the virus in penitentiary institutions such as prisons. These measures are described in greater depth in a ‘national continuity plan’ that is circulated through the Public Prosecution Service.
Preparing for a potential lockdown
Additionally, forces are needed in case of a total lockdown. Although Prime Minister Rutte stated on Monday in his speech to the public that a lockdown is currently not in the books, things change each day, and indeed a lockdown may occur — in which case the police force needs to be prepared.
The Rule of Law will be under strain
Especially in times like these, states often resort to a declaration of national emergency (the US has already done so in response to the coronavirus outbreak), in which certain human rights standards can be set aside. The rationale? Protecting the public. However, it is important that these human rights limitations are kept to an absolute minimum.
The National Police notes that for the arrests that do take place, ‘safety on the street’ and an adherence to the ‘rule of law’ are fundamental principles that must be taken into account at all times. This means that an arbitrary exercise of power should not take place and that the law should still be followed.
However, the chairman of the Dutch Police Association, Jan Struijs notes that ‘the rule of law will be under great pressure from the coronavirus in the near future’ as choices will have to be made and vulnerable victims will become the main priority.
And in the courts…
Only the most pressing cases will be heard in court. Most other cases have been stalled. The Public Prosecution Service also iterates that priority will be given to cases concerning issues such as serious violence and those concerning vulnerable victims.
Furthermore, penalties were halted Monday, meaning that community service notices are postponed.
In prisons, leave is no longer possible for the time being
Leave is suspended for soon-to-be-released prisoners who would normally be allowed to return home for the weekend in order to re-adjust to society. This is to prevent people from going back and forth too much, which causes risk of infection. Furthermore, prisoners who are expected to serve short sentences will not be brought to prison for the time being.
As of now, no infections have been reported in prisons. In case this does happen, prisons are planning for containment scenarios to limit the spread of the virus.
Unlike a lot of industries that have been put on pause, prison work has not come to a halt so that prisoners still have activities to partake in to stay occupied.
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The Dutch King, Willem-Alexander will address the nation tonight at 19.00 in light of the coronavirus outbreak. The last time the King spoke like this was during the MH17 disaster in 2014. The King’s speech will be broadcasted live by NPO 1, NPO Radio 1, NPO and other news platforms including NOS.
Similarly, Prime Minister Mark Rutte is the first to give a television speech (on Monday) about the pandemic that has swept through the Netherlands since 1973, according to NOS.
In his speech, Rutte told the public that a large part of the public would become infected by the virus, and that the Netherlands as an open country would likely not be under complete lockdown, since realistically the virus will be around for a lot longer and a total lockdown may result in a second wave.
Work visits cancelled
According to the Government Information Service (RVD), the King and Queen (Maxima) had cancelled all their visits till March 21 (though seeing how things are going it is likely that this period might be lengthened). A trip to Lech, Austria for winter sports was also cancelled, RTLNieuws reports.
Although the King’s family is currently in social isolation – like most of us here in the Netherlands, they took a moment to clap for the nationwide applause organised in tribute to healthcare workers in the Netherlands:
Applaus van Koning Willem-Alexander, Koningin Máxima en de Prinsessen Amalia, Alexia en Ariane voor alle zorgmedewerkers, om hen een hart onder de riem te steken in hun strijd tegen het coronavirus en hun inzet voor de gezondheid van iedereen in Nederland. #applausvoordezorgpic.twitter.com/M1gVBmH22e
We’ve created a guide with everything you need to know about the coronavirus in the Netherlands, answering most, if not all questions you might have about the virus. You can also check out our video on the topic.
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Albert Heijn supermarkets will open from 7-8am each weekday from next week onwards, in order to allow people who are over 70 years of age to do their groceries in safety. The grocery store will not be open to other people during these hours, NOS reports. Other supermarkets have been recommended to do the same by the Minister of Economic Affairs.
Special shopping hour will protect older people from the virus and allow them to get their groceries
Minister Eric Wiebes of Economic Affairs recommended supermarkets in the Netherlands to follow Belgian ones in implementing a special shopping hour for elderly people yesterday, and this morning they have agreed to do so. Not only will this reduce social contact for a group vulnerable to the coronavirus, it will also ensure that older people will be able to get the groceries that they need. That has been made difficult over the past week by our faves, the toilet roll hoarders.
Campaign set up to get healthcare workers some fresh bread (and other groceries)
Relatedly, there has been a campaign set up by Dutch actor Thomas Acda to make sure that healthcare workers get the groceries they need. Their long hours mean that often, supermarkets are closed when they go to work and their shelves are empty when they come back. Acda set up a campaign at his local supermarket, the Jumbo on Weseterstraat in Amsterdam, after a nurse tweeted that he had been unable to get fresh bread for five days. Now, healthcare workers in the area can send an email to the email address in Acda’s tweet below, and volunteers will make sure that their groceries are set aside for them.
Yesterday, Rutte made international news when he visited a supermarket in The Hague and assured fellow shoppers that the Netherlands had enough toilet paper to suffice for ten years of pooping. So, thank goodness for that.
What else could the Netherlands do to make grocery shopping better for the vulnerable in society? Let us know your ideas in the comments below.
To prevent the spread of the coronavirus, schools and daycare centres have been closed for the time being. Children have to stay at home with their parents, who may try to homeschool them as much as possible and also help them with their homework. To so many children out there, these are fun and exciting times, but for some, it is a scary and very unsafe situation.
For children who are emotionally or physically abused, school is a safe haven. Moreover, the school has an important signalling function when children are abused. Signs like bruises and children who withdraw or have difficulty with physical contact always catch the eye of teachers. With strong suspicions of child abuse, it is not uncommon for the teacher to report to Veilig Thuis. With the closure of the schools, the safe harbour and the signal function have now disappeared.
As a society, we now have an obligation, even more so than usual, to keep an eye on this group of children.
Scary times for vulnerable kids
Schools and daycare centres have been closed since 16 March, provided that both parents are not in any of those sectors that are keeping the Netherlands afloat in these difficult times. There may also be a chance of a lockdown in the future but the Prime Minister says that, for now, it is not necessary.
For children who experience domestic violence or abuse, every place that isn’t home such as schools, hobby clubs, the homes of their friends, are generally of great importance. Most children see these places as their “safe” places where they can be carefree children, play and not experience constant tension as they do at home. Now that these places are closed, these kids may feel like their safe havens have been taken from them.
Society has come to a standstill
Try to imagine for a moment that you are a kid with a parent who has an addiction. Now imagine your parent no longer having access to drugs because of the fact that society has come to a standstill. Also try to imagine that you have a parent who is suffering from depression, fear of contamination, anxiety or other psychiatric issues, and their psychologist is absent for a long time due to the coronavirus and can not offer help from a distance. Imagine that recently your parents have been fighting a lot and as a result, decided to get a divorce, but due to the standstill, can only argue, and are forced to tolerate each other since they can’t leave the house.
It is going to be a tough time for the parents and children mentioned above and in some cases it will be an outright hell. For children who already experience violence in the ‘normal’ home situation, the chances are particularly high that in this time of crisis and increased stress, where all resources and ‘escapes’ such as school are out of the question, the violence will increase.
There is so much stress, fear, and uncertainty in the air right now, and still, families have to survive all of this together. Unfortunately, not all families are loving and peaceful havens for their children. In times like these, regular healthcare professionals may not even be an option. Additionally, even if they are available, they may be less accessible than usual. For many people, this period will also bring financial stress. The usual stress relief outlets like the gym, coffee shops and pubs are out of the question, and some parents may turn to the use of violence as a coping strategy. In fact, all the protective factors that can stem the risk of violence are currently off the table.
What can be done to help these kids?
Think about how we can all be there for each other. A small gesture can go a long way. Social distancing is important, but it doesn’t mean that we can not check on our neighbours and loved ones. Offer each other help in the form of a listening ear on the phone, send a message via WhatsApp, or even Facetime. If possible, host the neighbourhood children via FaceTime and tell a story or read them a book. All of this can help relieve a parent of a crucial hour a day. In this way, you can still be there for a child or parent and perhaps reduce the risk of the children being mentally and/or physically abused by their parents.
Furthermore, I hope that the professionals out there, whether therapists or social workers can continue the important work they do via phone calls, video calls, and if their home situation permits, home calls.
If you are seriously worried that your neighbour may be abusing their children, please call Veilig Thuis on 0800-2000. Even from a distance, we can still watch out for each other. While we must all practise social distancing in order to reduce the spread of this virus and also to keep it from getting to friends and relatives who are high-risk, we must also not forget to watch out for the vulnerable members of our community.
And finally, a tribute to everyone who has been working hard and doing their best to keep this wonderful country from drowning. You are the heart of our society and we are eternally grateful to you. Thank you.
Please stay safe and take care of each other. This too will pass.
Minister Bruno Bruins of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports has resigned and handed his letter of resignation to the King. Minister De Jonge, of the same ministry, will temporarily take over his duties.
Minister Bruins was unwell yesterday
Yesterday he became unwell during the debate about the corona crisis. He said afterwards that it was from exhaustion.
His ministry announced earlier today that he would be working from home for the next few days because he needed his rest. Later, doctors advised him to step down from his post.
Since Bruins (VVD) has to rest for a few weeks. He decided to step down ‘in the national interest’ because the corona crisis requires full commitment.
New American research shows that the coronavirus can survive for several days on certain surfaces under ideal conditions.
For example, on stainless steel and plastic, the virus can survive for up to 72 hours, reports NOS.
The research was done by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, and it measured, in a laboratory setting, how long can the virus survive on different surfaces, such as copper, stainless steel, cardboard, plastic, as well as in its airborne form. By survival, the scientists mean if the virus can continue to multiply cells.
Eric Van Gorp, virologist at the Erasmus Medical Centre, states that the research confirms what is already known, namely that the virus can spread through direct contact. This information is also on the RIVM website, which confirms that the virus can survive for hours or up to days, depending on the different circumstances and surfaces it is on.
Main infection route is airborne
Van Gorp states that despite its survival on certain surfaces, the virus is nevertheless spread the most through the air. He recommends sneezing in the elbow, social distancing and of course, washing your hands.
Outside of a laboratory setting, it is not known for certain how long does the virus survive on surfaces such as shopping carts, light switches or door handles. Van Gorp says that there are certain factors in play, such as higher temperature, low humidity and wind that can decrease the life-span of the virus.
It’s unknown, however, based on the American research, just how much the virus survives outside of the body compared to the flu or the common cold, as the research focused strictly on a comparison with the SARS virus.
Check out our coronavirus guide and video
If you have any questions about the coronavirus in the Netherlands, you can check out our guide, updated daily. You can also check out our informational video on the topic.
The RIVM has just published the latest count of coronavirus cases in the Netherlands for Thursday the 19th of March, the current number stands at 2460. This is an increase of 409 patients since the last count. Sadly, 18 people have also perished since yesterday (aged between 63 and 95 years as is reported).*
Next week, 500 to 1000 coronavirus patients are expected to be taken into intensive care units at Dutch hospitals
Preparations are currently underway to prepare hospitals for this surge. The majority of these patients are expected to be admitted to hospitals in Brabant, NOS reports.
As of last night, there were 177 patients in the Netherlands in intensive care units as a result of coronavirus, but following the patterns that have been observed in other countries, the Netherlands can expect a large increase in this number next week.
Majority of coronavirus patients will need intensive care in North-Brabant
Because the majority of these cases is expected to occur in North-Brabant, hospitals in the province have begun to prepare for the surge by transferring patients with coronavirus who are in intensive care to other hospitals outside the region. The Amphia hospital in Breda has transferred five of its thirteen coronavirus patients to a hospital outside of Brabant, and the Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital in Tilburg is also looking into transferring more patients to hospitals outside the province.
Patients transferred to other hospitals to make room for an expected surge in coronavirus patients
It’s not that these hospitals don’t currently have enough resources to treat patients with coronavirus: instead, this is a preventative measure before next week’s expected surge in patients. Because most of the increase is expected in Brabant, it makes sense to free up beds there. “We do this as a precaution. It’s not that we can’t take it anymore, but we expect a new wave of patients to come next week,” says Diederik Gommers in an interview with NOS, a representative from the Dutch Association for Intensive Care.
Does the Netherlands have enough intensive care beds to deal with coronavirus?
Currently, there are 575 intensive care places ready for coronavirus patients in the Netherlands. This can be expanded to 1500 during the crisis phase of the outbreak- at least in theory. However, over 500 respiratory machines need to be found in order for that plan to come to fruition.
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*As we’ve reported earlier, the actual number of cases is actually higher in reality. Why will DutchReview keep reporting the official number then? Well, it signals a trend and direction of the pandemic, that’s one thing. The number of deaths also is relevant. And we’re also attaching other news about coronavirus in the Netherlands to these articles, so you know you’re getting an update from DutchReview somewhere between 14 and 15 pm.
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