⁍ Public gatherings of more than four people will be prohibited.

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⁍ Alcohol sales in the evening will also be banned.

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⁍ Schools were to remain open and public transport would keep running.

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⁍ The measures will last at least four weeks, with a review of their impact after two weeks.

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– The Netherlands is returning to a partial lockdown amid the H1N1 outbreak, with bars and restaurants closing and people wearing masks, Reuters reports. “Today we are announcing new and sturdy measures and in fact we are going to a partial lockdown,” said Prime Minister Mark Rutte. The lockdown will last at least four weeks, with a review of the measures after two weeks. If they prove ineffective, tougher restrictions may follow, says Health Minister Hugo de Jonge. The measures unveiled yesterday also include making the wearing of cloth masks mandatory for people 13 years and older in indoor spaces. A maximum of 30 people will be allowed to gather indoors, and retail opening hours will be restricted. The number of cases in this country of 17 million has surged in recent weeks to a daily record of nearly 7,400 on Tuesday. It now has one of the highest per capita infection rates worldwide. Rutte’s government had been loath to re-impose tougher restrictions that could hurt a fragile economic recovery, but he had come under pressure from health experts to take action to avoid overloading the healthcare system. While many of its European neighbors imposed compulsory restrictions, the Dutch had largely stuck to voluntary guidelines, including on mask wearing. But Rutte said the government would pass urgent legislation if needed to make mask use mandatory, and he urged citizens again to avoid non-essential travel.