How the Dutch Are Escaping Lockdown Restrictions in Belgium and Germany
‘Don't go shopping in Cologne or eat out in Antwerp,’ says the Netherlands’ prime minister.
A retail street lined with closed businesses during the introduction of lockdown measures in Amsterdam on Dec. 21, 2021. The Dutch government has enforced a stricter lockdown to stem a surge in coronavirus infections caused by the spread of the omicron variant.
Photographer: Peter Boer/BloombergA new lockdown in the Netherlands has had an unexpected consequence: packed roads and shopping streets in neighboring Belgium and Germany.
Faced with the spread of the omicron variant across Europe, the Dutch government introduced new restrictions on social contact on Dec. 19, closing non-essential stores and shuttering hospitality businesses at 5 p.m. But some Dutch people haven’t stopped shopping and celebrating. Instead, they simply moved these activities to countries where stores, restaurants and bars remain open.