DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

19 May 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

Cabinet considering five-stage lockdown exit plan, starting with schools

January 28, 2021
Photo: Depositphotos.com
Photo: Depositphotos.com

Reopening primary schools and childcare will be the first stage of a ‘route map’ out of the lockdown when coronavirus infection levels have fallen to a safer level, according to sources quoted in the Parool.

The government is said to be drawing up a five-stage schedule for relieving the measures. Lifting the 9pm curfew is another early priority, followed by reopening shops and ‘contact professions’ such as hairdressers.

The outbreak management team of scientific advisers is said to favour holding the lockdown as long as possible and removing all the measures in one go rather than a step-by-step approach.

Current lockdown restrictions will continue until February 9, with the government due to announce the next stage on February 2. Most indicators are four to five times what healthcare authorities regard as the levels at which measures can be scaled down.

The gradual method was used after the first wave of infections in May, when primary schoolchildren returned to the classroom before teenagers. Restaurants, cinemas and bars did not open until June 1, initially with a maximum of 30 customers.

‘It’s more or less a matter of coming out in the same order we went in, with opening primary schools and removing the curfew as priorities,’ a source told the Parool.

Prime minister Mark Rutte is said to be in favour of publishing a detailed exit plan to give ‘perspective’ on the progress of the lockdown. A draft is reported to be being prepared for Friday’s ministerial meeting.

It was not reported whether the plan would include targets for the number of infections, hospital admissions and intensive care cases. Last year’s plan said the government would take action if cases rose to seven per 100,000 people per day, but this limit did not lead to extra lockdown measures when it was passed in July.

Currently there are around 27 infections per 100,000 people nationwide and every one of the 25 health board regions is classed as ‘very serious’ on the four-stage alert system.

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Uncategorized
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
Amber alert issued for missing children in Groningen
New legislation aims to limit flexible contracts, end zero-hours
Tens of thousands protest against cabinet’s Israel stance
Veterans’ day as PSV’s Perisic and De Jong seal Eredivisie title
Claude finishes 12th in Eurovision despite early hopes
NewsHomeEconomyArt and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you information about coronavirus in the Netherlands.

Many thanks to everyone who has donated to DutchNews.nl in recent days!

We could not provide this service without you. If you have not yet made a contribution, you can do so here.

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now