DutchbuzZ News Story of the Week
The Netherlands has started vaccinating healthcare workers but what about the rest of the population and where do internationals come it? DutchbuzZ surveyed internationals living in the Netherlands and we share your responses here. Official information about the Covid-19 vaccine can be found in English at www.government.nl/topics/coronavir…nation-programme.
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DutchbuzZ News Summary
Primary Schools and Daycare remain closed – Vaccinations go ahead – Kijkduin work begins
Tuesday 19 January: THE HAGUE NEWS UPDATES (source: regional broadcaster Omroep West and DutchbuzZ)
SCHOOLS AND DAYCARE TO REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL 8 FEBRUARY
Primary schools and childcare facilities will not reopen on 25 January as initially hoped, but will remain closed, like the secondary schools, at least until 8 February. This decision stems from the spread of the new English variant of the coronavirus which has appeared in The Netherlands, notably in schools in the town of Lansingerland, near Zoetermeer. This variant seems to be much more contagious than the original, non-mutated variant, and may also affect children more than the original. The Cabinet will hold a press conference on Wednesday announcing new restrictions, possibly including a curfew.
VACCINATION WILLINGNESS IS GROWING
82 percent of the Dutch population is now willing to be vaccinated against Covid-19, marking an increase in the last two months. The Hague’s health authority, GGD Haaglanden, has vaccinated more than 3000 healthcare workers, and continues to do so at a rate of about 600 per day.
KIJKDUIN BOULEVARD REVAMP STARTS
Work began on Monday on the demolition of the Kijkduin boulevard, where ambitious plans for new housing, shops and restaurants are being executed after many delays. Residents have expressed relief that the rubble that attracted pests and made the environment unsafe is being removed. However, the sheer size of the new project, which counts 300 new apartments, is causing dismay among residents of the Sterflats, who will lose the sunlight and sea view and worry that, with the increase in residents, the neighbourhood will lost its peaceful atmosphere.
LOCAL TRAMS BEING FUTURE PROOFED WITH NEW CHECK-IN SYSTEMS
The Hague’s public transport company, HTM, is installing new systems in trams and buses where passengers will be able to check in and out with their mobile phone or bank or credit card. The new card readers will replace the current ones which only read OV-chip cards. The new card readers are not yet in use for phones and bank cards; they only take the OV-chip cards for now. The HTM hopes to have all 3872 new card readers installed by the end of 2021.
These news updates are brought to you by DutchbuzZ in cooperation with The Hague’s official broadcaster, Omroep West.
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