Thread by @DutchNewsNL

Everyone ready for tonight? dutchnews.nl/news/2021/04/m…

Are we ready?

Feel free to suffer through this evening with us and watch the press conference live. nos.nl/artikel/237659…

The cabinet already said on Sunday that there would be no relaxation to the rules until at least April 28th because of rising case numbers and pressure on hospitals. dutchnews.nl/news/2021/04/m…

It seems there will be changes announced to the vaccination schedule, including a possible reversal of the policy to not give the AstraZeneca to people under 60 due to blood clots. That policy contradicts the advice of the European Medical Agency. dutchnews.nl/news/2021/04/m…

Sorry to everyone who really, really wants the terraces open (us) but cases and deaths are on the rise, while hospital admissions are holding steady. dutchnews.nl/news/2021/04/c…

In other bad news, the Janssen vaccine may also cause blood clots and the company has halted its EU rollout. dutchnews.nl/news/2021/04/j…

And... @FTM_nl reported today that €925m has been given to a newly created foundation to run rapid testing event experiments in an 'extremely unusual, not transparent and unsupervised' way. dutchnews.nl/news/2021/04/f…

On the other hand, it's G&T weather.

(Gym Twitter is less annoying than Terrace Twitter.)

And let's get this going. Prime Minister Mark Rutte is starting us off with an anecdote from social media. (Hopefully anything we've written.)

He says there are two worlds: inside the hospital and outside the hospital.

Outside, people were hoping for terraces and festivals.

Inside, people were hoping to avoid a code black, where all the beds are full.

The hospital employee who shared this account said: "You can have discussions about R value and infections. But the fact is the hospitals are full and planned care is down to zero. People, also those under 60, are dying of Covid."

Rutte says that this version of two worlds is exactly what they struggle with in cabinet meetings. People in healthcare are exhausted. There are 2,500 corona patients and 800 people in the IC.

But the situation is society is also not good. It's bad for families, theaters, bars, museums and students.

"The point is," he says, "that we all have our own corona reality."

It becomes harder to keep to the measures. This is understandable but, he says, we shouldn't lose sight of reality.

Rutte says he hoped that we could take the first step in the reopening plan on April 21. But unfortunately, that isn't possible. The date, he was, is too early.

Now they are looking at April 28th instead. They will make a few small adjustments next week, including opening outdoor afterschool activities under the same conditions as primary schools.

"This is, of course, disappointing," he says.

"Look at how we pressed the other wave down, look at how we pushed the third wave forward, it could have been worse with the (so-called) British variant," Rutte says.

And now over to Health Minister Hugo de Jonge, whose shoes are possibly the cause of the third wave.

He says that they are looking at an opening plan. (Was this on the roadmap or...)

"We can take the first step if we are over the third wave," he says.

The measures they are looking at adjusting: curfew, allowing two people at home and opening up higher education with rapid testing.

After that, the plan is to make it possible to open up zoos, amusement parks and allow for more sports. (There you have it Gym Twitter.)

He says that with testing, they are looking at what is possible, including with experiments at the Keukenhof and at football matches.

(Yes, you've given 925 million euros for this.)

He says that this isn't a promise. "This can happen, the virus is unpredictable."

From the start, he says, there have been two major concerns: ensuring that healthcare can handle the virus and protecting vulnerable people.

(So...where does have public at soccer matches fit into that?)

At the start of May, people who are over 60 and those with medical conditions should be vaccinated. The start of July, everyone. (He says)

People who are over 50 can start making appointments.

"We are vaccinating as fast as we can," de Jonge says.

(DEEEEEEEPPPPPPP breath."

He says that the public officials have advised to save the AstraZenca vaccine for people over 60 and they aren't sure what will happen with the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

"Everyone yearns for when we can say goodbye to the virus," he says.

Ok let's do this.

NOS: At previous press conferences, you talked about taking risks. With the peak, why do you continue?

Rutte says that they would take "responsible risks." They wanted to take a second step, he says, but the situation has become "somber."

How hard is the opening plan of 28 April?

"Not hard," Rutte says. They hoped for 21 April but they will look next week on Tuesday what is possible.

"We wouldn't write it down if we didn't think it was possible," he says.

(Oh god does this mean there's a press conference next week?)

Is July 1 still the planning for everyone to be able to be vaccinated?

De Jonge says first they have to see what happens with AstraZenca. It's possible to vaccinate over 60s with it.

For some people, it will be longer.

(I regret to inform you all that I called this.)

If people who are under 60 say they will take the risk, can they volunteer?

De Jonge says that you hear this a lot but they need the vaccines for people over 60, they need it the most.

He says that it won't be until the end of May that they will have to make another decision about this.

(De Jonge has managed to repeat himself 19 times answering this question, which, according to my calculations, is a new record.)

RTL: We got 80,000 vaccines from Janssen. Are we continuing with that? De Jonge says that he can't say, they will wait for the EMA to weigh in.

Ernst Kuipers (head of emergency care) says: I don't care, I want to vaccinate.

De Jonge says that it's a cabinet decision about who to vaccinate.

4.6 million vaccines have been delivered, in previous weeks you said that you would decrease stock.

De Jonge says that depends on what week. "We are in step with the rest of the EU," he says.

Vaccines are delivered and the quality control takes some days before they are delivered to locations. Doctors and GGDs are going as fast as they can.

(Have you considered, I know this is crazy, speeding this process up?)

SBS6: There is a fear of the AstraZenca vaccine. 40% over the age of 60 don't want it.

The only thing we can do, de Jonge says, is be transparent about the risks.

(He's still talking, but honestly, we went to pour another drink.)

There will always be people who don't want a vaccine. Is herd immunity enough?

De Jonge says you vaccinate to protect yourself and others. We are far from herd immunity. You need 70-80% of people to get there. He wants to get about 80%.

(That isn't an answer.)

(What, exactly, is the point of having a sign language translator if the camera isn't going to be on them at all?)

Separate realities? And when people get the first jab, will they keep caring?

Rutte says if everyone had their first jab, we'd be a lot further.

(BREAKING NEWS THIS IS ABSOLUTELY ACCURATE.)

"Hospital admissions need to drop before any more measures can be relaxed," he says.

(This is also not an answer. Is anyone answering questions? Why are we even here?)

ANP: How do you know when you're over the peak? At what point of the decrease?

De Jonge says that it's more than one day, you need to look at a few days.

(So how are you gonna decide this next week?)

How long will the rules for primary schools last? The whole summer?

De Jonge says it's too early to tell. The next step is to make more outside activities and sports possible. Then its to allow groups together again. It's hard to say after that.

(...so what's in the plan?)

What if Jansen has the same problem as AZ? Will we need to take other decisions?

De Jonge says he doesn't know, that's a question he can only answer later.

Telegraaf: Does this give any stability?

Rutte says the reopening plan gives some stability.

(Did the roadmap do that?)

Ohhh a follow up about the roadmap. "Is this just the fourth roadmap?" (Good work, Telegraaf.)

"I think this is coherent with the roadmap," Rutte says.

(I think I am a unicorn, I say.)

When is it responsible?

Rutte says good question. First you have to be able to see past the peak.

When you have 600 people in IC? Rutte says no, they have to see admissions decreased, they will look at RIVM models, it's never black and white.

Mayors have said something, what is agreed with them? (referring to this) dutchnews.nl/news/2021/04/m…

"The mayors are responsible for safety," he says. "They have a difficult task and I have a lot of respect for them."

"People were expecting April 21 and this irritated them."

(Who told them April 21?)

Nieuwsuur: Is there not a risk that if infections keep rising, the reopening plan is out of date?

Rutte says it just goes slower. April 21 was the idea, but that wasn't possible now, it's April 28th.

Why are there five dates in the reopening plan? Why point to dates and then have to break?

Rutte says it's possible in the future it will have to be changed.

(Then maybe putting down a date isn't a good idea? Wild concept, I know.)

How will you stop disappointment if the dates can't be met?

Rutte says "We will tell them what we know."

(How has that been going for the last year? What's the definition of insanity again?)

"We are steering on the hospitals," he says.

What should doctors do when people don't want AZ? The public health officials say it's safe. For people over 60, we have AZ available. That is the policy.

What is the alternative for Jansen? Buying more Pfizer? "Money is not the problem for vaccines," de Jonge says.

(Are you sure you didn't spend all the money on sneltest events though?)

We've ordered more vaccines than we should need, de Jonge says. The impact of the AZ situation is that we are delayed.

(Hugo is like a guy who dated in university who just cannot shut up about how great Tarantino is.)

AD: Say things get worse, do the measures get harder?

De Jonge: "We had a roadmap."

(How is the answer to this question not just "Yes?" If the death rate spikes tomorrow and suddenly 30% of people who contract corona die, you're not gonna open bars on April 28th.)

(Actually, these jokers might. I take that back.)

"We shouldn't do stupid things in sight of the harbor," he says.

So putting more measures in place is excluded? (AD keeps asking this question to Rutte, who keeps punting to de Jonge, which may explain a lot about the election results last month.)

How does it go with increasing IC capacity? (More than one year into this whole thing, I might add.) "That doesn't just happen, we work on it, but it takes people away from other care."

(In other words, you're not.)

NU: We keep hearing about steps to take. Why not data over dates?

(Because that would make sense and we're all living in a black comedy movie directed by Hugo Tarantino.)

"We have to see that we are over the peak," says Rutte, which in no way answers the question.

(blah blah roadmap, we can't say which is why we put specific dates in our plan, etc etc.)

(Is he still talking?)

(At least they zoomed out so you can see the sign language translator now.)

(Is there a gesture in Dutch sign language for "Blah blah Hugo won't stop talking"? If not there should be.)

Communication experts say you should involve citizens, how are you doing that?

"We talk to a lot of people," Rutte says.

(You mean Hugo talks at a lot of people.)

"The communication can always be better," Rutte says.

NRC: How realistic is April 28th? "We can't say for certain," Rutte says. "The main route is to be over the peak."

(Ya know, if only you had a roadmap that indicated data for how you'd determine that and what you would do...)

Are you listening to the right experts?

"We have a lot of experts and experts disagree. I think we have a nice system," de Jonge says.

(Yes, and it shows in the results of the approach to the pandemic.)

(Ok we fell asleep.)

If people don't want AZ?

De Jonge just says no a bunch of times as if that's a solution.

"More people die from corona."

"Not young women," the journalist says.

Rutte says "I understand that people don't trust. A lot of things are not black and white."

Trouw: Support for the lockdown is down. Do you blame yourself?

(Rutte could have won some points by saying that he blamed the virus. I would have laughed.)

"I find it difficult to review myself," Rutte says.

He says that the need to review when it's all over. They tell people what they know every time.

"We have double the number of infections of Germany, but they are trying to do more."

(Which has 4 times the population.)

And the inconsistent communication?

"I think it's unwise to evaluate every error," Rutte says

(Coincidently that's what we say at our performance reviews every year.)

Is it not frustrating that the mayors disagree? Rutte says that is part of an open society and he doesn't mind them speaking up.

If it's an individual OMT member, he might raise an eyebrow.

NOS OP3: Young people are not at the top of the list. When can they expect an invitation?

De Jonge says they are vaccinated people 18+. The elderly are the most vulnerable so they are going first. They want to vaccinated vulnerable 16 and 17 year olds.

When do you expect to know? De Jonge says by the end of the month.

They say they are making a video explainer. How do you think that things are going?

(Poor people who have to listen to this lecture from de Jonge.)

For people between 18 and 40, will there be a division by age for the vaccine?

From old to young says de Jonge. 18-39 will be done faster because they can't have the AZ vaccine and the other ones have a faster interveral.

BNR: Entrepreneurs want to know how they can make a profit?

Rutte says it depends on the measures. We have talked about economics and how you deal with the support packages.

How will you deal with the support packages after 1 July? They are needed, Rutte says.

Rutte says he doesn't want to talk about the discussion and they will make a decision later.

Outdoor locations and amusement parks don't want to open with testing and the app? De Jonge says that outside it isn't really needed.

And here's the FTM question. The report shows a lot of money being spent with no overnight. Will that change?

De Jonge says that they are in the first phase and that didn't require a tender and they will see what happens in the future phases.

(Rutte is managing to look very bored right now.)

De Jonge says they will be deciding per phase and determining things depending on what is delivered.

"Tenders cost time, we wanted to go faster," he says.

Is parliament aware? "Parliament has never said how much money," de Jonge says.

5 million euros has been paid for the first phase and 10 million is available in April.

(A really good question is why they are bothering with these fieldlabs at all).

Ok you know the drill. Please give us some money. We really like it. dutchnews.nl/donate-to-dutc…

Here's our very serious wrap without one single gif. dutchnews.nl/news/2021/04/n…