No further relaxation of Covid-19 measures for now, Justice Minister says

The measures in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus will be in force for a while yet, according to Minister Ferdinand Grapperhaus of Justice and Security. He understands that more Netherlands residents will want to push the boundaries, especially as the weather improves. But he urges them to stick to the rules, NOS reports.

"These are the measures as they are. It is clear that we have now come a long way, but we are not there yet," Grapperhaus said after meeting with the mayors that head the 25 safety regions on Tuesday. "It is a long process and we know it. We must continue [to adhere to the social distancing measures]." 

Grapperhaus is supported by the Dutch mayors and safety regions, Nijmegen mayor and chairman of the Security Council Hubert Bruls said. "We have to stay vigilant. We still see people getting sick and dying. There is improvement, but it's going slowly. We need to take manageable steps."

Grapperhaus also complimented the Dutch on their "exemplary" behavior over King's Day. "We see that people went outside more, but they mostly adhered to the hygiene rules and the one and a half meter distance. They take the rules very seriously. I am confident that this will continue."