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13 Aug, 76 tweets, 9 min read

Look, the "no swearing" rule is really going to make live tweeting tonight a challenge. dutchnews.nl/news/2021/08/a…

Here's what we're expecting:

No masks or distancing when universities open in the fall
Formula One to go ahead.

dutchnews.nl/news/2021/08/s…

The numbers have been looking better!

But there's still 200 people in the ICU, compared to 20 this time last year. dutchnews.nl/news/2021/08/m…

We updated our story about travel to the UK, which seems like a hot mess, tbh. dutchnews.nl/news/2021/08/d…

We're hoping this is the last of these small slivers of hell.

Follow it live on the NOS if you hate yourself as much as we do. nos.nl/artikel/239372…

Here we go.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte starts us off. "To start, I hope that you in this hall and watching had or has a nice holiday that's corona free."

(I'd like to be on vacation but I'm not yet because of this godforsaken press conference.)

In July, he says, they tightened the rules and the numbers went down. "It shows must Dutch people want to keep helping get rid of corona," says a man who has clearly not been in an Alber Heijn in the last two months.

According to Rutte, the OMT says that we may be able to get rid all of the measures (except for staying home when your sick and no handshakes, which honestly this is how things should be anyway) by September 20th.

From Aug 30, higher education can scrap the 1.5 meter distance.

He says this is earlier than the OMT advises but it's not possible for educational institutions to make double plans.

Masks will be required in the halls and students and staff will have to do self tests 2x per week.

THERE'S ANOTHER GO*(#&*(#$POADFDAN PRESS CONFERNECE

September 17th we will be back here and I swear to god that better be the last one or I'm quitting.

The rules will remain for bars, theaters, etc until Sept 20th.

The means no over night festivals, bars close at 12, maximum group sizes, etc etc

(If you're new here, we will have a list on the website of all the rules after the press conference is done.)

Rutte says that financial support will continue until Oct 1 and it will continue for night clubs and discos.

We're going over to health minister Hugo de Jonge.

My god what is on his face

Is that a shadow?

His face looks like that Instagram filter. You know which one I mean.

De Jogen says this is a special moment.

"The goal is to protect vulnerable people and health care," he says.

(So everyone else can die?)

He says that about 1.8 million people who do not have immunity. And thousands of those people can get ill enough to go to the hospital.

(Uhhh vaccinated people can also get sick enough to go to the hospital, it just happens less. I thought you were the health minister?)

He says that by August 30th, we will have seen the "holiday effect."

(When people got infected partying in Spain and bring it back and infect everyone around them.)

He says that we want to get rid of the last limitations, which is obviously because they are just doing it without a real concern about the impact.

"It's good to have conversations respectfully," de Jonge says, referring to discussions about what to do with people who won't get vaccinated.

They are trying to make it easier to get vaccinated, including having mobile GGD locations on campuses and in other places.

"For 1.5 years, the virus has had our lives under control," he says.

NOS: How realistic is this sencario?

Rutte says that it we'll know more at the end of August, that's when everyone can have been fully vaccinated.

Rutte says it's important and we are certain that on the distance rule will be scrapped for higher education, but the rest of the plans - to be announced on Sept 20 - depend on the virus.

"November first is up in the air," he says.

Will there be a moment when the rest of society lives their lives without caring about the unvaccinated?

(Dude what have we been doing?!?!)

Rutte says that by the start of September, everyone will have had the chance and says everyone should get vaccinated.

Will everything be gone, or will the app remain, for example?

Rutte says they don't want to force people, some things will always remain like washing your hands.

(AS IT SHOULD YOU GROSS GERM INFESTED PEOPPLE)

RTL: Where do you want to be on the 17th of September?

(Totally corona free? On a beach in Ibiza? Why is this is a question?)

Rutte says a reduction in the number of people in the hospital.

Having 1.8 million people is very high, can we let go of rules with that? Is it possible that the distance rule goes but nightclubs stay closed?

Rutte says that nightclubs are a big risk (which is why the government PROMOTED going clubbing when you'd just gotten a shot.)

Have you considered testing for entry for vaccinated people as well?

Some virologists have suggested that. But it's technically not possible in the app.

(Please never let de Jonge in charge of an app ever again. Please.)

Vaccinated people can spread it, is that an acceptable risk?

De Jonge says that if you're vaccinated you're better protected against the virus.

(Which is true but not the point, my god.)

He wants everyone to get vaccinated.

(Same but that's not the world we're in.)

Weirdly bearded de Jonge doesn't talk less than un-weirdly-bearded de Jonge, which is disappointing.

They aren't highlights right? It's just from being in the sun?

When do you expect people to pay for testing for entry?

De Jonge says they haven't decided on a date. They want to make sure people can get fully vaccinated first.

If people have to pay for testing, isn't that an indirect way to get people vaccinated?

De Jonge says that the cabinet is against mandatory vaccinations.

(Look, here's the rule: you can't go into a Hema unless you're vaccinated, boom problem solved.)

(I hate to be like we should be more like the French...but....)

(JUST GIVE AWAY SOME USELESS ZEGELS FOR CHEAP GLASSES AT THE VACCINATION CENTERS AND YOU WILL TOTALLY SOLVE YOUR PROBLEM.)

(Why am I not allowed to be in charge?)

You said that people should never feel forced to get vaccinated.

Yes and we stand by that.

BNR: At what places is the corona check required?

Rutte says at bars, restaurants, cultural events, no difference for indoor or outdoor.

Businesses have to decide if they want to have more than 75 people (higher than that means you have to require testing.)

For Zandvoort?

People have seating, so it's possible to go forward.

Teachers are worried?

Rutte says that we have to do it carefully, distance between students and teacher remains, masked in the hallways, groups should be divided.

(We all know how well that worked last school year...)

De Jonge jumps in to add (the extremely useful) comment: The start of the year is crucial.

He also says that they can do more to encourage people to get vaccinated at educational institutions.

And the "dansen met jannsen" stratgery?

De Jonge says he will think about the slogan but the point is to get people vaccinated as easily as possible.

Testing for entry is still in your plans, at the end of July it was a mess. How will that go better in September?

Rutte says now it is different and we're going to do it from 75 people. "Owners should arrange it currently," he says.

Rutte says "we learned lessons."

(WHAT LESSONS SOMEONE ASK HIM WHAT LESSONS.)

De Jonge says that they can't have a BOA in every bar but outbreaks will be investigated and they will use "mystery guests."

It hasn't yet been decided when these mystery guests will be mysterying about.

Telegraaf: Why do we not increase the number of ICU beds?

De Jonge says they have, but they take a lot of people and you can't just get people all of a sudden.

(Probably didn't help that you jerked around on a bonus for health care works for months.)

If anyone wanted to get drunk, you could take a shot every time de Jonge just randomly says "It is wise to get vaccinated."

Rutte says, in response to a question about the US border staying closed, that there is no extra financial support for travel companions on the US.

De Jonge has just gone on a long riff about how you should get vaccianted.

(Which, you should, but no one who doesn't want to get vaccinated is going to change their mind because this overly tanned Johnny Bravo said so.)

When are more measures needed?

De Jonge says they have a road map.

(Look I don't want to make a gendered joke about men refusing to consult maps BUT IT'S RIGHT THERE.)

De Jonge says that they know there are places where the vaccinate rate is low (cough Urk cough) and if they see hospital admissions rise, they can take measures.

There are about 400,000 people in the Netherlands who have immunity issues (they either can't get it or it doesn't work.) What is the message for them?

"There will always be infections," de Jonge says.

(So the message is "we don't care" ?)

Some of those people may need to get boosters (this is already starting in some places.)

NRC: For people who can't get vaccinated, will they have to pay for testing for entry?

De Jonge says they haven't thought about that.

(Isn't thinking about this stuff literally your job?!?!?)

Does the number of infections have the same weight in planning, now that more and more people are vaccinated?

De Jonge says no, it has a different meaning but they aren't sure what the meaning is.

(Again, your actual job. You have one job and this is literally your job.)

We know that the vaccination rate is a lot lower among young people but that's where you're letting go of the distance?

"Because that's the decision that we make," says de Jonge.

(I'm sorry, what?)

"Education is important and they have had the opportunity to get vaccinated," he says.

(yes but they aren't so like do something about that? University students are adults, they can keep distance from one another.)