Netherlands softens anti-virus measures with primary schools reopening

The Dutch government has relaxed measures against the spread of the novel coronavirus by partly reopening primary schools as of May 11, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced during a press conference here on Tuesday. The primary schools for children up to 12 will partially reopen after the next May holidays on May 11. The partial reopening means that the schools will be open to one group of children one day and to the other group the next day.

The childcare could open without restrictions after the May holidays. "This makes the lives of the home workers easier," Rutte said.

Jaap van Dissel, director of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), emphasized that the decision to reopen schools are based on investigations. "We feel empowered by a wide range of studies," Van Dissel said.

"Children are less likely to be affected by the virus. They are more likely to catch it from parents than parents get it from their children. That is an important factor in the decision to return to school," he explained.

"We stand for a devil's dilemma," said Rutte, adding "We also struggled a lot with it. The virus does not spread as fast and the pressure on healthcare has been reduced, the figures show. But too rapid relaxation can lead to the virus having a chance to peak again."

According to the Dutch government, secondary schools must prepare for opening on June 1, taking into account the 1.5-meter distance.

In addition, Rutte announced that the ban on events will be extended from June 1 to Sept. 1. In practice, this also means that the current season in the Dutch professional soccer league, the Eredivisie, cannot be completed before that time and that the new season cannot start on time, in August.

The advice of the most important advisory body of the cabinet in coronavirus crisis, the Outbreak Management Team (OMT), was crucial in the decisions by the Dutch government. Rutte emphasized that the other measures are extended until May 20.

These extended measures include 1.5-meter social distancing, encouragement of working from home and closure of eating and drinking establishments as well as gyms.

"Hold on," said Rutte. "We are at the very beginning of the way back. There are still more uncertainties than certainties. That is why we are starting to relax the measures that have the least risk. The current measures have brought us where we are now. We still require discipline and self-control."

The number of reported deaths from the novel coronavirus grew by 165 since Monday to a total of 3,916 in the Netherlands. The number of the positive for the virus increased by 729 to a total of 34,134, while the number of patients hospitalized increased by 118 to a total of 9,897.