Outbreak team wants negative travel advice for winter sports areas

The government should issue negative travel advice for winter sports areas, the Outbreak Management Team (OMT) advised based on the assumption that the coronavirus situation will be about the same as now when winter holidays arrive, ANP reports.

According to the OMT, it is often difficult to maintain social distancing while participating in winter sports. For example, when standing in line at the ski lift. Winter sports holidays also often go hand-in-hand with spending lots of time in crowded catering establishments.

The OMT advised that Netherlands residents only go on holiday with their own family. Countries should also make agreements with each other about the closure of cantering establishments and banning parties.

The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs put nearly all of Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, as well as Cyprus on 'code orange' as of Wednesday. This means that all but absolutely necessary trips to these areas are strongly discouraged. A code orange travel warning for Uppsala in Sweden was also added.

The travel warning for the Greek Islands were downgraded to 'code yellow', which means that recreational travel to the area is allowed, but travelers should take heed of local measures against the spread of the coronavirus. All of Greece is now at code yellow.

The OMT also wants the government to give targeted information for groups about the coronavirus. Older people should be informed "about the risks of wintering abroad", for example

And when holidaymakers return home, the government should more actively enforce the quarantine period, "if possible by registering travelers after returning home and actively monitoring to optimize enforcement."