It's been three weeks since I started isolating myself in order to prevent getting Corona or spreading the disease to someone (one or multiple) else.
I think it's only 2 days that I actually 'realize' how long this might take. The official procedures are going to last another month, with careful warnings that they might get extended even after April 28th. This is important because we have a spring Holiday coming up, which lasts often 2 weeks and depending on where in the country you live will start half April up to half May.
The prime-minister, Mark Rutte, therefore said: "We don't want to forbid anyone anything, but we don't advise planning holidays - we want to minimize travel throughout our country so of it were me I wouldn't plan a family outing for these weeks. We don't know the measures we will have by then."
It's a clear example of how the 'Intelligent Lock-down' works - this is what the prime-minister calls our Corona Measures. According to him, in an 'adult democratic society' it doesn't fit to have a government put out very strict rules and ways to enforce them. Therefore he just lays out general advise (some, like being in groups of 3+ people lightly enforced by small fines) to stay home (when possible), don't go to the supermarket with another member of the family/kids (so the supermarkets don't get crowded), only use public transport when really necessary (for example to go to your job that's essential), and keep your distance - 1,5 meters apart.
It seems to work - from the first week these measures were announced we still saw people ignore some of the 'rules', but now? It's rare. Public transport is basically empty, people don't go to the supermarket in droves, people take as much distance as possible, most of my family and friends is isolating themselves.
All while letting people be 'free' to sometimes decide to do something they feel is important: go for a walk, a run, to a family member, take public transport. Everything keeps functioning and people are taking responsibility.
There's calls for stricter measures, some people want to lock-down the country more strictly, but the infection rate seems to be slowing, and if this is the way we can keep Corona under control - I'll be very proud that we've achieved that while not giving anyone the feeling they are too severely restricted in their freedom.
Will be continued.
Some notes of things I think I'll forget in a few years about this Pandemic:
- The biggest grocery delivery service in The Netherlands has to be booked almost two weeks in advance - all other slots are filled continuously
- Sometimes, at 6AM, at least that's what my neighbour says, some slots open, but they are filled already at 8AM. People are chasing delivery slots :D
- My favourite smaller delivery service has a full week of waiting time - but their app simply doesn't show more slots than one week so the problem stays the same: almost no opportunities for 'grabbing' a time slot for deliveries
- Food delivery guy puts down a heated bag with food, steps back, lets you take out the food, grabs bag again
- Grocery delivery guy (I've only ever seen one woman deliver groceries or takeaway food :D) doesn't hand over groceries, also puts them in front of door, steps back, let's you grab the bags. Doesn't take with him reusable plastic/bottles/bags as they used to do, all so there's minimal transfer of possible infection