Again, another funny Tuesday, and another conference with the government officials (Prime Minister - well kinda - Mark Rutte and Health Minister Hugo De Jonge) announcing fewer anti-Coronavirus measures starting with 25 September. But as usual with the government, less is more. How so? Well, until now they were quite cautious to bring into the public discussions the idea of a green passport (or however want to call it). And still they didn't. But the things work like this: hospitality business, cinemas, theaters can fully reopen. Of course, only to people that are vaccinated, or they have a corona recovery certificate or a negative test result.
There are only other odd measures (like masks in the public transportation or airports - this includes the fully vaccinated - but not in other crowded places like stores or supermarkets). Or like clubs or discotheques being allowed to be open only until midnight. Why midnight and not 23.00, or 02.00 AM, no idea. Probably midnight sounds more dramatic or something.
Although the obligation to keep a physical distance is expiring, the government will continue to treat it as urgent advise. That is because, according to Rutte and De Jonge, the rule demonstrably helps to prevent spreading the Coronavirus infection
Well, if you're leaving in the real life like most of us, you will notice that no one gives a damn about distancing and people are interacting as usual in stores, on the streets, restaurants, etc. Physical distance is helping up to a point on all infections, but it's not something that people are fanatics about.
Anyway, they're making a big fuss about this social distancing. Why? Because they want to look they're doing all a favor, but actually asking something more in exchange:
The Netherlands is dropping social distancing as a requirement from September 25 but is also looking into giving employers more powers to determine if their workforce has been vaccinated, Dutch health minister Hugo de Jonge told reporters on Tuesday evening.
Source: dutchnews.nl
This sounds a lot like another brilliant president across the pond in the great nation of US of A, is planing these days, right?
On the same theme, De Jonge is unleashed:
De Jonge had harsh words for people who are not vaccinated by choice. ‘Let us be clear about this, choices have consequences,’ he said. ‘Freedom is never without boundaries. The freedom of a small group which has not been vaccinated impinges on the freedom of the big group which has done,’ he said. ‘The price of that freedom may mean restricted access to the healthcare system for people who need other types of treatment.’ Some 1.8 million people in the Netherlands are not yet vaccinated.
Well, now let's discuss it a little bit. Of course freedom is not without boundaries. But also the government intervention in the social and economical life of people shouldn't be without boundaries. Actually, less government intervention means more happy people. More intervention and you'll soon be waking up in a authoritarian state. And we all know how these are working out.
De Jonge is pointing out to some unvaccinated 1.8 million people around here (in a country with around 18 millions). But no word about the ones with natural immunity following the infection (which seems to be at least good as the vaccines themselves) or the age groups of the "dangerous" minority out there.
Does the age matter? Obviously. It's not rocket science that a healthy young individual will fight a disease better that a healthy more mature individual. To put this in perspective: it's way more likely that an unvaccinated 18 year old will do better than a vaccinated 80+ one. Since being old sucks on many levels.
Also, no word that the vaccinated people still can transmit the virus. The difference resides in the level of the protection given by the vaccination. But that doesn't mean that the 1.8 million can provoke damage to the vaccinated majority. The only problems they can induce is to themselves. And that's by far exaggerated by the officials. Like today, official numbers:
61 hospital admissions. For the whole country! Not sure if these are 100% unvaccinated people. Probably not, but let's roll with it. Let's take a look at the intensive case units:
So most people vaccinated, ICU at 25% and some other nice numbers here, but still the minority justifies all the government measures. Because in the end, it's not about the virus (that will not get better or worse than that), it's about coercion.
And no word about the declining efficiency of the vaccination in time, but that's a discussion for the next year I assume.
Last, but not at least:
The government will decide on November 1 if the remaining rules should be abandoned or not.
All the abandoned rules will for sure come with strings attached, but let's wait until then.
Note: this article is not about anti-vaccination. Feel feel to decide and protect yourself. But don't be just another individual in a 1984 world.
