Restaurants, shops, barbers & zoos should close at 5 p.m.: Outbreak Team

All hospitality businesses, including bars, cafes and restaurants, should be ordered to close every day at 5 p.m. to help cut down on the number of new coronavirus infections, the Outbreak Management Team told Cabinet members. Other locations should also close at the same time, such as arts and culture venues, close contact professions, and attractions with more foot traffic, according to reports in NOS and Telegraaf on Thursday based on interviews with unnamed sources.

If adopted, it means theaters, concert halls, cinemas, hair salons, zoos, museums, and other locations would all shut down every day at 5 p.m. Essential stores, including supermarkets, drug stores, pet supply shops, and laundry facilities, would still be allowed to close no later than 8 p.m. All locations should be allowed to open their doors again at 5 a.m.

Since November 13, hospitality businesses and essential stores have been required to close at that hour. Non-essential stores have to close every day at 6 p.m. Cinemas and theaters have dodged the early closing times thus far, but coronavirus access passes and assigned seats are required.

"There is no question that measures are needed, and that they will be firm," said Health Minister Hugo de Jonge before meeting with OMT members. "The hospitals can't take it anymore. Nursing homes can't take it anymore. Home care is no longer available," he continued.

In the 12 days since the latest rules took effect, the average number of daily coronavirus infections rose from 13,400 to 22,300. On Thursday, that figure fell slightly. It was the first measured decrease in the seven-day moving average in eight weeks. De Jonge and Prime Minister Mark Rutte will hold a press conference to announce new measures Friday evening.

It emerged earlier on Thursday that the OMT's priority was to keep education open as much as possible. This includes primary schools, secondary schools, vocational school, applied sciences universities and research universities. It was not clear if that advice was extended to daycare centers and after-school care.

This issue had OMT members "hopelessly divided," Telegraaf reported based on comments from sources. Intensive care leader Diederik Gommers told Members of Parliament this week that a hard lockdown with school closures should be considered, because ICU staffers frequently have to care for children sent home over coronavirus issues. Others insisted on keeping the education system completely open.