Apeldoorn company selling face mask "exemptions"

A company in Apeldoorn is selling cards saying that you are exempt from the obligation to wear a face mask in indoor public spaces, an obligation that takes effect on Tuesday. The Ministry of Justice and Security strongly advised against buying these cards, De Gelderlander reports.

The cards were for sale for 5.50 euros each on website Vriujstellingskaart.nl, though the domain name was changed to Hulpmiddelenkaart.nl on Sunday after De Gelderlander asked the owner about it. The site stated that due to a large number of orders, delivery could be delayed.

The Ministry of Justice and Security told the newspaper that it does not comment on specific businesses and cases. "But we do not recommend buying these kinds of exemption cards," a spokesperson said.

There are a few exemptions to the mandatory face mask rule. People who are medically unable to wear a mask do not have to, for example. A spokesperson for the Apeldoorn site, who asked to remain anonymous, told De Gelderlander that in principle, the site only sells exemption cards to people who are exempt from the rule. Though he added that they don't check that.

The spokesperson said that they adhere to the law. "As long as it is not prohibited by law to sell these cards, we would like to help people who fall under the exception," the spokesperson said to De Gelderlander. "We want to offer people who fall under this exception a tool to easily demonstrate that they fall under the exception. It is certainly not intended as a ticket to try to get out of the rules."

The spokesperson could not say how many cards they've sold.