The executive took the decision to lift the "containment", put in place just before Christmas, in response to "great tensions" in the catering and cultural sectors, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Tuesday.

"You missed in the Netherlands", he launched to the address of restaurateurs, cafetiers and actors of the world of culture.

“Today we are taking a big step to further deconfine” the country, said Mr. Rutte during a press conference in The Hague.

"It seems contradictory as the number of contaminations explodes, and we must be clear that we are taking a risk," he added.

Shops and hairdressers were allowed to reopen on January 15, while bars, restaurants, museums and theaters had to remain closed, angering part of the population.

Some museums have turned into beauty salons for a day as a sign of protest.

"We are consciously looking for the limits of what is possible, given the great tensions and calls for help in recent days," said Mr. Rutte.

"Living even longer with restrictive measures harms our health and our society," said Ernst Kuipers, the Minister of Health, during the same press conference.

Mr. Kuipers, however, warned that the Omicron variant was not "a small flu" and that the situation remained delicate in the Netherlands, which records some 60,000 new cases daily, but notes a drop in hospitalizations and deaths.

Cafes, bars and restaurants will reopen until 10 p.m. (2100 GMT) from Wednesday, at reduced capacity.

Customers must present a health pass, and wear a mask when not seated.

Cinemas, theaters and museums are also reopening.

Nightclubs remain closed.

Events are permitted with a maximum of 1,250 people indoors.

The public is again authorized, especially in football stadiums, however at reduced capacity.

In schools, classes are no longer systematically closed in the event of contamination, and all those under the age of 18 no longer have to observe a period of quarantine after having been in contact with a person who tested positive.

The government, however, maintained its recommendations not to receive more than four guests at home and to favor teleworking.

© 2022 AFP