Public tolerance for the strict coronavirus lockdown is wearing thin, according to new research.

Public health institute RIVM, which measures public support for individual rules, has found that ever more people oppose the most stringent measures to reduce social contacts.

While six weeks ago, the majority of people (57%) supported the rule to have a maximum of one visitor at home each day, this has fallen to 47%, making this the most controversial measure. More people also said that they had broken this rule (28%, compared with 19% in the last round of research).

People are also less keen on the rule to meet a maximum of two people (or one household) outside, with only 55% support. The curfew, which currently runs from 10pm until 4.30am, has also seen a 4% fall in support, to 69%.

Other measures related to controlling disease, however, had wider public acceptance. More than three quarters of those surveyed were still happy with the government’s request to work from home as much as possible, and to get a coronavirus test and self-quarantine if they had any symptoms of a cold.

‘Compared to the last round of research, public support for most measures has dropped slightly,’ the RIVM said in a news release.

The research did show that seven in 10 people support the use of ‘coronavirus passports’ which would give them access to events, and cultural institutions.