The ban has been extended to April 1 in the United Kingdom, South Africa and countries in Central and South America. Outgoing Minister Cora van Nieuwenhuisen (Infrastructure and Water Management) made the announcement on Wednesday evening.
The only flying ban that expires is a ban on Cape Verde. Flights are allowed back from the country from midnight. According to von Nieuwenhuisen, the ban is “not supported by data”. Other bans expire on March 4.
The cabinet introduced the ban in mid-January due to viruses found in the countries concerned. Both the British and South African and South American varieties appear to be more contagious than the original corona virus. The cabinet wanted to prevent the spread of those virus mutations with the air ban.
Initially, Health Minister Hugo de Jong said the embargo would remain in place until the cabinet mandated a period of isolation for passengers. However, the move was delayed due to legal hurdles.
Von Nieuwenhuisen also points out that compliance with the current isolation policy in the Netherlands is “not enough”. “That’s why it’s important to keep the flow of passengers to a minimum, especially for countries where corona virus strains are circulating.”
