"We're at a difficult point," RIVM boss says about extending curfew

It is not yet clear whether the experts on the Outbreak Management Team (OMT) will have enough data on the effect of the curfew on coronavirus infections by Friday to give a clear advice on whether or not to extend it, Jaap van Dissel of public health institute RIVM said in a briefing to parliament on Thursday. "We are really at a difficult point. We hope to be able to clarify things as soon as possible," he said.

The curfew that was implemented on January 23 is set to expire on February 10. The government asked the OMT to take a critical look at the measures currently in place against the coronavirus and give advice on whether to keep them, specifically the curfew and the limit on one visitor per day. The team of experts will meet on Friday and then give advice to the government.

Even though it's been less than two weeks since the curfew was implemented, Van Dissel expects there will be new insights. "Every day we gather new information about the infections and the spread of the British corona variant. But if it turns out to be too early to say anything about curfew or visiting arrangements, we will indicate this."

Van Dissel did not want to speculate on what the OMT's advice may be, but did say that "dark clouds" are forming on the horizon as the more contagious B117 coronavirus gains more and more ground in the country.