HERE WE GO AGAIN

Netherlands Goes Back Into COVID Lockdown Over Omicron

The measures are set to kick in Sunday, just before the holidays.

The Netherlands will enter yet another COVID-fueled lockdown Sunday in hopes of dampening a raging Omicron outbreak just before the holidays kick off. “I stand here tonight in a sombre mood. And a lot of people watching will feel that way too,” Prime Minister Mark Rutte said at a press conference announcing the measures Saturday, according to the BBC. “To sum it up in one sentence, the Netherlands will go back into lockdown from tomorrow.” The move will close schools through Jan. 9, along with non-essential shops and restaurants through Jan. 14. Families can only host two guests outside of their immediate household through that time, with that number bumped up to four for Christmas and New Year’s Eve. The country also said it expected Omicron to be the dominant coronavirus variant by the New Year.