Dutch test shows postponed, lockdown extended

The Dutch government has postponed four of the ‘Back to Live’ test shows that were scheduled to take place this month, after extending the country’s lockdown by three weeks.

The postponed test shows include a cabaret performance by Guido Weijers at the Beatrix Theater in Utrecht, a business conference at the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht and two football matches at the home grounds of NEC and Almere City FC.

The ‘Back to Live’ test shows are being organised by FieldLab Events (a joint initiative with Event Platform, the Alliance of Event Builders and the government) with the aim of determining how events with an increased visitor capacity can take place safely and responsibly during the pandemic.

Minister for health, Hugo de Jonge, announced during a press conference on Tuesday (12 January) evening that the cabinet will determine next week when the events get the green light.

“In this context, while we still do not know so much. Where primary schools cannot even open, it is not smart to hold events that involve 100 people together. We want to know a little more about the British variant, in the context of the Dutch measures,” he says.

“In this context, where primary schools cannot even open, it is not smart to hold events that involve 100 people together”

Fieldlab spokesman Riemer Rijpkema told Nu.nl: “We still believe that our field studies take place in a safe environment, even with the UK variant that has now surfaced. But we understand that people want to investigate the impact of this variant further.”

The Alliance of Event Builders has added: “The disappointment is mainly because researchers have indicated that despite the British variant of the virus there is no reason to postpone the Fieldlabs and that this perspective is urgently needed. With the postponement of the Fieldlabs, the opportunity to gain insights by scientists, as has recently been done in Barcelona, ​​Leipzig and other cities, has again been made impossible in our country.”

The ‘Back to Live’ test series, which was approved in December, also includes a concert and a dance event at Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam and two open-air festivals at the Lowlands and Defqon Biddinghuizen festival site, all of which will be organised by Mojo and ID&T. Details are yet to be announced.

The Netherlands will remain in lockdown until 9 February, with a newly introduced curfew, and venues will stay shuttered.

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