Dutch leader announces tough new nationwide virus lockdown Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has imposed a tough new nationwide lockdown, saying schools, nonessential shops, museums and gyms will close down at midnight until Jan. 19THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte imposed a tough new five-week nationwide lockdown Monday, saying schools, nonessential shops, museums and gyms will close down at midnight until Jan. 19. “The reality is that this is is not an innocent flu as some people — like the demonstrators outside — think,” Rutte said. "But a virus that can hit everybody hard.”From Tuesday, all non-essential shops will close until Jan. 19 along with businesses such as hair salons, museums and theaters. Lines formed Monday afternoon at shops, museums and even pot-selling coffee shops as people tried to beat the lockdown. The partial lockdown initially slowed high infection rates, but they have been rising again in recent days.

Source: ABC News December 14, 2020 16:17 UTC