Netherlands imposes ‘painful’ lockdown amid Omicron boom, streets deserted before Christmas holidays

London: Shopping streets in the Netherlands were closed and people’s Christmas plans in tatters as the country began a lockdown aimed at limiting an expected COVID-19 surge from Sunday.

Prime Minister Mark Root announced the sudden closure on Saturday evening, but ordered the closure of all essential shops as well as restaurants, hairdressers, gyms, museums and other public places from Sunday until at least 14 January. .

Hospitality workers demanded compensation for income lost during the holiday season, while gym owners stressed the importance of exercise during the health crisis.

“It is incredibly painful and dramatic to close all bars and restaurants in such a crucial month. We need compensation and an exit strategy”, said the Dutch Association for Hospitality Services.

The spread of the Omicron version has triggered the prospect of more COVID-19 restrictions over the Christmas and New Year period in many European countries, particularly those most affected like the United Kingdom.

In the United States, White House medical adviser Anthony Fauci urged people traveling on vacation to get a booster shot and to always wear a mask in crowded public places.

He described Omicron as “raging around the world” and said traveling would increase the risk of infection even among vaccinated people.

Omicron, a highly contagious form, first detected in southern Africa and Hong Kong last month, has spread across the world and has been reported in 89 countries, the World Health Organization said on Saturday.

The number of omicron cases in areas with community transmission is doubling in 1.5 to 3 days, the WHO said, noting that much is still not known about the variant, including the severity of the disease it causes.

While the Netherlands shut down public life to prevent its healthcare system from being overwhelmed by the expected surge in cases, many other European governments are considering more restrictions – at a time when people generally spend their time on shopping, entertainment Spending money and traveling.

Britain on Saturday reported a surge in Omicron cases, with 25,000 registered so far. Government advisers said this could be the tip of the iceberg and Health Minister Sajid Javid on Sunday refused to rule out the possibility of further COVID-19 restrictions before Christmas.
Javid said the government was taking the “serious” advice from its scientists seriously, looking at the data “on an almost hourly basis” and balancing it against the wider impact of restrictions on sectors such as businesses and education.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is overturning after a series of scandals and missteps, and this week more than 100 of his own Conservative lawmakers voted against the government’s latest measures to tackle COVID-19.

Javid said Johnson was not politically weak enough to impose further sanctions if needed. In Italy, the government is considering new measures to avoid a surge in infections during the holiday period, local newspapers reported on Sunday.

After meeting with ministers on 23 December, Prime Minister Mario Draghi may order that those who have been vaccinated reach crowded places, including discos and stadiums, showing a negative test, the daily Corriere della Sera said.

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