The UK is a high-risk area from Tuesday

The Department of Health, Welfare and Sport has identified the United Kingdom (UK) as a high risk area. “This is due to the worrying delta type of coronavirus circulating there,” the ministry says. Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar and Nepal have been classified as high-risk areas for the same reason.

From Tuesday 00.01 the quarantine obligation will apply and the quarantine advice for travelers traveling from these countries to the Netherlands will no longer be considered. They must have a correct and complete quarantine statement. Passengers who do not comply with the quarantine obligation can receive a fine of 339 euros. Anyone who does not have a quarantine statement can be fined 95 euros.

Passengers traveling on a ship or plane from these countries to the Netherlands must show a negative PCR test of up to 72 hours and a negative rapid test of up to 24 hours. Train and bus passengers or people traveling by car are required to show a mandatory negative PCR test and are required to go into quarantine.

Truck drivers and other persons employed in the transport of goods are exempted from the obligation to quarantine, PCR and express testing.

The reason for vigilance

Today, the United Kingdom recorded 8,125 new infections, the highest number since the end of February. In 90 percent of cases it is related to the delta variable. Prime Minister Johnson will announce on Monday whether the easing of lockdown planned for June 21 can continue.

As of Monday, 13 infections with the delta variant (formerly the Indian variant) have been detected in the Netherlands. It’s not a lot, but there’s reason enough to be vigilant, said RIVM’s Jaap van Diesel. The delta variant is 40 to 50 percent more contagious than the alpha variant (formerly British variant).

It was not entirely clear on Monday whether this high infection also applies in the Netherlands. In recent weeks, the number of delta-variable infections in the Netherlands has been steady: between 0.1 and 0.3 percent of the number of infections investigated. The situation in Denmark and Germany was similar to the Netherlands.