Netherland: Lockdown return over Omicron wave

The Netherlands has announced a strict lockdown over Christmas amid concerns over the Omicron coronavirus variant. Prime Minister Mark Rutte said, the Netherlands is again shutting down, that is unavoidable because of the fifth wave that is coming at us with the Omicron variant. Non-essential shops, bars, gyms hairdressers and other public venues will be closed until at least mid-January. Two guests per household will be allowed - four over the holidays. Under the new rules, people are being urged to stay at home as much as possible  and four on 24-26 December and on New Year's Eve. The lockdown starts Sunday. Events are not permitted other than funerals, weekly markets selling groceries and professional sports matches with no spectators.All schools will be closed until at least 9 January, while other lockdown measures will remain in place until at least 14 January.

Many countries are reimposing travel restrictions and other measures weeks after the variant was first detected in South Africa. Britain registered record case numbers for three days in a row during the week, prompting new regulations and reports that another lockdown is being considered. Most of the new cases recorded in London are of the Omicron variant.Germany's health agency meanwhile, announced it had put Britain on a list of high-risk Covid countries, which will mean tighter restrictions for travellers. Germany has already designated France and Denmark as high-risk zones, imposing quarantines on unvaccinated travellers.

In France, a scientific panel urged the government to impose "significant restrictions" on new year festivities, and the capital Paris announced "with regret" that it was cancelling all events on the Champs Elysees. Elsewhere in Europe, edgy governments are bringing back restrictions to fight the pandemic. European countries are also pushing hard to dole out booster jabs and widen vaccination programmes to include children. However, the EU's health agency has warned that relying on vaccines alone will not work. Mask-wearing, working from home and avoiding crowds were essential to reduce the burden on health systems in the short term, the ECDC has said.