Dutch PM: More regions expected to get tighter Covid rules this week

Prime Minister Mark Rutte expects that eight more regions will move from 'Level 1' to 'Level 2' on the government's new three-stage warning system for the coronavirus, he said in a parliamentary debate on the Covid-19 policy on Tuesday. That means that new and stricter measures will be implemented in these regions. He would not say which regions are involved.

The government will not announce new measures now, Rutte said. But the cabinet is keeping a close eye on developments and working with the security regions on measures that will work per region, the Prime Minister said.

"We look very specifically at what is needed there. Of course that is not something we all decide nationally. We try to coordinate very specifically with them," he said. "You can assume that, as things look now, this week eight regions will be placed on the level where we put the six regions of last Friday."

Six of the Netherlands' 25 security regions were already placed on 'Level 2' on Friday. In these regions the opening times for catering establishments are limited, and gatherings may consist of no more than 50 people.

A number of parties in parliament don't think these measures are enough to turn the tide of skyrocketing infections. "Who really thinks that scrapping the last round in the pub will reverse this trend?" PvdA leader Lodewijk Asscher asked in a very critical debate. 

Rutte also agreed to parliament's demand for more frequent press conferences, to update the public on the state of affairs in this crisis. These press conferences will now probably happen every two weeks, according to NOS..