Dutch PM says sorry for removing restrictions too quickly

As European nations grapple against an alarming surge in coronavirus cases, Mark Rutte, the Dutch PM has apologised and conceded that restrictions reinstated this weekend were lifted too soon.

Last week, the Dutch Government was forced to re-introduce curbs on bars, restaurants and nightclubs and cancelled all events involving large crowds until at least 14 August as new cases exploded, from a rolling seven-day average of 49 for every million people on 4 July to nearly 330 at the weekend.

“What we thought would be possible turned out not to be in practice,” he said on Monday. “We had poor judgment, which we regret and for which we apologise.” At least 30 event organisers have launched joint legal proceedings over the U-turn.

Two weeks ago all the signals were green,” Health Minister De Jonge said. “Now there is reason to intervene. This is unprecedented.” However, Dutch hospital admissions remain low at 2.7 a million, down from a peak of more than 100 in early April.

via The Guardian