Face mask and QR code mandate expand as Covid measures tighten

As Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Health Minister Hugo de Jonge announced during the press conference on Tuesday, there have will be stricter coronavirus measures as of Saturday.

Face masks are returning to public indoor areas, including supermarkets , retail stores and government buildings. A face mask must also be put on in higher educational facilities unless seated. Workers who come in close contact with their clients, such as hairdressers, are obligated to wear a face mask.

Face masks remain mandatory when using public transport and in healthcare facilities.

It is now also mandatory to show a coronavirus pass for a wider number of locations for anyone age 13 and above.

Before entering indoor sports events, gyms and swimming pools, visitors have to show their access pass. Initially, the Cabinet wanted to expand the QR code check for outdoor sports as well. The government dismissed the rule after backlash from the Tweede Kamer.

Guests sitting at the terrace of cafés, bars and restaurants are also required to show their QR code.

The coronavirus access pass check remains necessary to access indoor areas in the catering sector and casinos, as well as in the cultural sector, such as cinemas, museums and music venues.

The government has reinstated that people work from home as much as possible and keep 1.5-meter distance. Basic coronavirus measures, such as washing hands and quarantining when sick should also still be followed.

Coronavirus infection numbers have been on the rise in recent weeks. On Thursday and Friday, the RIVM reported more than ten thousand positive coronavirus tests.

During the press conference, De Jonge announced that everyone will be offered a Covid-19 vaccine booster shot starting on December 6. Healthcare workers, the eldery and residents of care facilities, are first in line for the top-up dose. People under the age of 60 will have the chance to receive a booster shot on a later date.