File photo: In Amsterdam, the Netherlands on October 14, 2020, as the Netherlands struggles to curb the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), people are following new social restrictions announced by the Dutch government in restaurants and you will pass the bar. REUTERS / Piroschka van de Wouw / File photo

July 12, 2021

Amsterdam (Reuters) – Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte admitted on Monday that restrictions on the coronavirus were lifted too early in the Netherlands and apologized for the spike in infection to the highest levels of the year .

Last Friday, Rutte closed bars, restaurants and nightclubs to stop the spread of infections among young adults, just two weeks after most lockdowns across the country were lifted due to fewer incidents. Did.

“What we thought possible turned out to be impossible,” Rutte told reporters on Monday. “We have bad judgment, regrets and apologies.”

His apology marked a radical departure from his stance on Friday. He repeatedly defended the previous deregulation as a “logical step” and took no responsibility for possible mismanagement on the part of the government.

It drew fierce criticism from health officials that the government turned its attention to the wind as it encouraged young people to go out again.

The Dutch coronavirus infection recently reached its highest level in 2021 since the decision to fully reopen bars, restaurants and nightclubs two weeks ago.

A mandatory COVID-19 testing system for health exams and entry was introduced, but after a few months of blockade it cracked under many who were looking for a night out.

So far, the new wave of infectious diseases has not resulted in a significant increase in the number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals. This given that most new cases are young people who are not at risk of serious illness and most of the most vulnerable elderly people are vaccinated.

However, Health Minister Hu Ge de Jongge said on Friday that low-intensity hospitalizations could be threatened by an “unprecedented” increase in infectious diseases.

Along with the apology, Rutte also admitted that his performance at Friday’s press conference was not the best.

“We were asked to reflect on our decisions,” he said. “It wasn’t fair that we didn’t.”

(Report by Bart Meijer, edited by Mark Heinrich)