Not everyone could be tested yet. The number of positive tests is therefore low.

Limited testing capacity

The cabinet introduces basic rules: wash hands, sneeze into the elbow, don’t shake hands, keep your distance, stay home in case of symptoms. Various measures are introduced: no gatherings with more than 100 people. Hospitality venues, schools and childcare centres, sports venues closed. Work from home.

The first measures go into effect

Everyone should stay home as much as possible. Maximum of 3 people visiting. All gatherings are prohibited except funerals and church weddings. People working in contact-based industries cannot perform their work.

Intelligent lockdown

Hospitality, theatres and museums are allowed to open under certain conditions. Face masks are mandatory in public transport. Anyone with symptoms can get tested. Secondary schools open (from 2 June). Primary schools and childcare centres open (from 8 June).

Relaxation of measures and tests for everyone

Keeping a distance remains the norm, except for children under 18. Events permitted. No maximum number of visitors in transit locations. No maximum number of visitors in indoor and outdoor areas with assigned seats and health check.

Further relaxation of measures

Stricter measures

All primary and secondary schools are fully open again.

All schools open again

In the safety regions Amsterdam-Amstelland, Haaglanden, Hollands-Midden, Kennemerland, Rotterdam-Rijnmond and Utrecht, extra measures will apply: restaurants and bars must close earlier and groups are limited in size.

Additional measures in 6 of 25 safety regions

Since a week, more measures have been in place in six regions. Eight regions have been added: Brabant-Noord, Brabant Zuidoost, Flevoland, Gelderland-Zuid, Gooi en Vechtstreek, Groningen, Zaanstreek-Waterland and Zuid-Holland Zuid.

Additional measures in 14 of 25 safety regions

Maximum of 3 people visiting. Limitation of group size. Restaurants and bars must close earlier. No spectators at sports events.

Tightening of national measures

Among others things: restaurants and cafes closed. No alcohol sales between 8pm and 7am. No events permitted. Sports limited, matches and competitions not permitted. Urgent advice to wear a face mask in indoor public areas.

Partial lockdown

Maximum of 2 people visiting per day. Group size indoors and outdoors maximum 2 people. Maximum 30 people at a funeral, 20 at a wedding. Publicly accessible locations closed, except hotels, gyms, airports, wedding venues and funeral homes.

Reinforcement of partial lockdown

People can get tested without symptoms after an alert from contact tracing or the CoronaMelder app. Face mask mandatory in all public and covered areas, education, public transport and when working in contact-based industries.

Testing without symptoms and mandatory face mask

The partial lockdown becomes a full lockdown: remote and online teaching, people working in contact-based industries cannot perform their work, shops closed, indoor sports venues closed, all publicly accessible venues closed.

Lockdown

The vaccination against COVID-19 has started. Nursing home employees and employees in direct COVID care are the first to be vaccinated.

First vaccine dose administered

Curfew applies: no going out between 21:00 and 04:30 (from 31 March: between 22:00 and 04:30). Maximum 1 person per day visiting at home.

Curfew

RIVM reports that the alpha variant (formerly British variant) is being found more and more often in the Netherlands. This variant is more contagious and leads to more hospital admissions. Stricter measures have been in place since this week to prevent it from spreading.

Rise of alpha variant

Schools open (from 1 March). Contact professions allowed to start again, shops open by appointment, outdoor sports in groups allowed for people up to 27 years of age (from 3 March).

Cautious widening of lockdown

People can take a quick test on themselves. If the result is positive, people still need to have a test done at the Municipal Health Service (GGD).

Self-tests available

Higher education open to a limited extent (from 26 April). End of curfew. Maximum 2 people visiting. Shops and terraces open.

Step 1 opening plan

Indoor sports venues open to a limited extent, outdoor recreation venues open, indoor arts and cultural activities possible to a limited extent, outdoor performing arts venues open, terraces open longer.

Step 2 opening plan

Secondary schools can be fully open again. Pupils do not have to keep a distance. Self-tests available for staff and pupils.

Secondary schools open

Maximum 4 people visiting, group size outside maximum 4 people. Cultural institutions open. Indoor recreational facilities open. Expand opportunities for sport. Restaurants and bars open. More visitors allowed with coronavirus entry passes.

Step 3 opening plan

No limitations on number of visitors and group size. Face mask requirement largely dropped. Working in the office possible for part of the time. Amateur sports matches permitted, with spectators. All locations and events open under conditions. End of alcohol sales ban after 10pm.

Step 4 opening plan

Assigned seats required in restaurants, at events and in cultural and sporting venues. Discothequess and nightclubs closed. Bars and restaurants closed between 00.00 and 06.00 o’clock. Entry tests valid for a shorter period of time.

Measures tightened again

6 million vaccine doses have been administered so far. This article explains how we can see the effect of this in the number of positive tests and hospital admissions among the over-80s.

Impact of 6 million vaccinations reflected in fewer positive tests and hospital admissions

The dashboard contains a lot of information. What should you know about positive tests?

Infections

Confirmed cases in Zaanstad

Number of confirmed cases

Average number of confirmed cases per 100,000 inhabitants per day

Number of confirmed cases over time (per 100,000 inhabitants)

Distribution of confirmed cases in safety region of Zaanstad

Number per 100,000 inhabitants