“A judgement error was made. What we thought we could allow, we could actually not.”
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has apologised for easing Covid-19 restrictions too soon as daily case numbers in the country skyrocketed to 9,000 a day.
Rutte and Health Minister Hugo de Jonge reimposed a number of restrictions in the country on Friday, including closing nightclubs, after the highly transmissible Delta variant impacted cases in the country, particularly in younger cohorts of the population.
“A judgement error was made. What we thought we could allow, we could actually not,” Rutte told reporters in the Hague on Monday.
“We are upset about it and we apologise.”
On Sunday, over 9,300 people tested positive and a further 8,500 cases were confirmed on Monday. To provide some context, the daily figures two weeks ago hovered around the 500 mark.
The bump in cases in the Netherlands has primarily been in young people aged 18-25. While case numbers have risen significantly, meanwhile, hospital admissions have not.
Roughly 80% of Dutch citizens have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine but health experts have concerns that younger people may spread it to other groups who have yet to be vaccinated.
The decision to reimpose Covid-19 restrictions in the country has also been criticised by groups in the hospitality sector, who have cited concerns the move may have on the future of the industry.
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