Post by pieter on Mar 14, 2020 5:24:43 GMT -7
Dear friends,
The Coronavirus has severe consequences in the Netherlands. Freelancers, photographers, cab drivers, pub owners, restaurants, shop owners and others lose clients. Huge losses for certain sectors of the economy. Churches, mosques, synagogues and other religious temples are closed. Large events, concerts, soccer games and other public events are cancelled. Empty train stations, empty highways, empty roads, empty boulevards and empty squares.
Working and living today in Arnhem has changed, because a lot of subjects (news, tv reports, interviews) have been cancelled. I try to do my best to find other subjects and report about the Corona virus as pragmatic and realistic as I can.
Friends of mine who are photographer have serious problems. Their commercial assignments are cancelled. This corona crisis shouldn't go on to long, because they already had hard times the last few years (since 2008), they have limited reserves and are concerned about their fixed costs (rent, energy bills, and groceries -living costs-).
Presenter, Pieter
A Dutch article I wrote for my radio/tv station
www.rtvarnhem.nl/nieuw-corona-virus-uitgelegd/content/item?1154043
Immigration control at Schiphol airport. Photo: Depositphotos.com
The Netherlands will not accept any more passenger flights from China, Iran, Italy and South Korea for the next two weeks, in an effort to stem the spread of coronavirus.
The announcement was made by transport minister Cora Nieuwenhuizen after the weekly cabinet meeting on Friday. Other countries may be added at a later date.
The measure will come into effect at 6pm today and the government will look into measures to bring back Dutch nationals currently in those countries, the minister said.
Schools
Despite the government’s decision not to close schools, around 25% of children were not in school on Friday, according to Dutch media reports.
A number of schools have already said they will close regardless. ‘Every break and change of class, 1,400 pupils walk through our corridors,’ Kees Versteeg, rector of the Griftland college in Soest, told broadcaster NOS. ‘We want to do justice to the safety of our pupils.’
The British School of Amsterdam, where there was a coronavirus scare last week, and the International School of Amsterdam are also closing their doors until the end of the month. The British School in the Netherlands will also shut, until April 20.
Mark Rutte
Prime minister Mark Rutte said at his Friday afternoon press conference that he recognised that the decision not to close schools was a difficult one and that a lot is being asked of educational institutes.
Rutte stressed that the decision had been taken on the basis of expert opinion, and that teachers and pupils who are ill should stay home. ‘We cannot ask the impossible,’ he said. ‘If schools feel that the situation is becoming impossible and have to close, then I would ask them to think about how they can provide something for the children of our healthcare workers, our police officers and our shop workers, the people keeping our supermarket shelves full.’
Hoarding
During his press conference Rutte praised the way that people are adapting to the new situation and that he recognised how much is being asked of them. But he had harsh words for people who have been hoarding food and other supplies, leading to empty supermarket shelves, describing them as ‘antisocial’.
‘The supermarket sector assures us they have enough supplies and we will not run short,’ he said. ‘Hoarding is not only unnecessary but will have an impact on others.’
Read more at DutchNews.nl:
The Coronavirus has severe consequences in the Netherlands. Freelancers, photographers, cab drivers, pub owners, restaurants, shop owners and others lose clients. Huge losses for certain sectors of the economy. Churches, mosques, synagogues and other religious temples are closed. Large events, concerts, soccer games and other public events are cancelled. Empty train stations, empty highways, empty roads, empty boulevards and empty squares.
Working and living today in Arnhem has changed, because a lot of subjects (news, tv reports, interviews) have been cancelled. I try to do my best to find other subjects and report about the Corona virus as pragmatic and realistic as I can.
Friends of mine who are photographer have serious problems. Their commercial assignments are cancelled. This corona crisis shouldn't go on to long, because they already had hard times the last few years (since 2008), they have limited reserves and are concerned about their fixed costs (rent, energy bills, and groceries -living costs-).
Presenter, Pieter
A Dutch article I wrote for my radio/tv station
www.rtvarnhem.nl/nieuw-corona-virus-uitgelegd/content/item?1154043
Immigration control at Schiphol airport. Photo: Depositphotos.com
The Netherlands will not accept any more passenger flights from China, Iran, Italy and South Korea for the next two weeks, in an effort to stem the spread of coronavirus.
The announcement was made by transport minister Cora Nieuwenhuizen after the weekly cabinet meeting on Friday. Other countries may be added at a later date.
The measure will come into effect at 6pm today and the government will look into measures to bring back Dutch nationals currently in those countries, the minister said.
Schools
Despite the government’s decision not to close schools, around 25% of children were not in school on Friday, according to Dutch media reports.
A number of schools have already said they will close regardless. ‘Every break and change of class, 1,400 pupils walk through our corridors,’ Kees Versteeg, rector of the Griftland college in Soest, told broadcaster NOS. ‘We want to do justice to the safety of our pupils.’
The British School of Amsterdam, where there was a coronavirus scare last week, and the International School of Amsterdam are also closing their doors until the end of the month. The British School in the Netherlands will also shut, until April 20.
Mark Rutte
Prime minister Mark Rutte said at his Friday afternoon press conference that he recognised that the decision not to close schools was a difficult one and that a lot is being asked of educational institutes.
Rutte stressed that the decision had been taken on the basis of expert opinion, and that teachers and pupils who are ill should stay home. ‘We cannot ask the impossible,’ he said. ‘If schools feel that the situation is becoming impossible and have to close, then I would ask them to think about how they can provide something for the children of our healthcare workers, our police officers and our shop workers, the people keeping our supermarket shelves full.’
Hoarding
During his press conference Rutte praised the way that people are adapting to the new situation and that he recognised how much is being asked of them. But he had harsh words for people who have been hoarding food and other supplies, leading to empty supermarket shelves, describing them as ‘antisocial’.
‘The supermarket sector assures us they have enough supplies and we will not run short,’ he said. ‘Hoarding is not only unnecessary but will have an impact on others.’
Read more at DutchNews.nl: