(THE HAGUE) Dutch nightclub operators said on Wednesday they intended to reopen in ten days, despite government restrictions and rising COVID-19 infection rates.
Posted yesterday at 5:03 p.m.
The Netherlands last week lifted some of Europe’s toughest restrictions, allowing bars, restaurants and museums to reopen.
But these places must close at 10 p.m., when night establishments open their doors.
“On Saturday, February 12, nightclubs will open their doors in protest,” said the Nachtbelang organization, which brings together nightclubs, associated with the Royal Netherlands Hotel and Restaurant Organization.
“Not just for one night, but for all nights,” she clarified on Instagram.
“We have been closed for the past two years and it is very painful,” a nightclub owner told ANP news agency. “With this action, we want to show that we can safely reopen the doors”.
The announcement comes as hospitalizations continued to rise in the country on Wednesday, with the highest level recorded in a month.
1,493 patients are currently hospitalized, with the average number of admissions exceeding 150 per day since January 2.
The number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care has continued to decline, but that decline has slowed, according to figures from the National Institute of Public Health.
The Netherlands is still recording large infection figures, with 67,045 positive tests recorded on Wednesday.