Gov't only to allow "massive events" once there is a coronavirus vaccine

"Massive events" can only be held again in the Netherlands once there is a vaccine against the coronavirus, Minister Hugo de Jonge of Public Health said in a letter to parliament regarding the government's step-by-step plan to relax the Covid-19 lockdown.

"For the last step, the massive events with a national quality, we can not yet give a date," the Minister wrote. "Actually, that is only possible once there is a vaccine, and no one knows how long that will take. Of course we hope for soon, but a year or more is very likely."

The government previously announced that all events that require a permit are banned until at least September 1. As a result, over a thousand events, including Pride Amsterdam, the Eurovision Song Contest, Lowlands, and Pinkpop had to be canceled this year. 

Exactly what the Minister means by "massive events with a national quality", and which events will be affected, is not clear. 

On Wednesday, De Jonge said that he expects a vaccine to take at least another six months, and perhaps a few more years, NU.nl reports.