While many bars and restaurants across the Netherlands have said they wouldn’t want so-called access tests to be used for safely reopening the hospitality industry, it’s possible that any businesses that require a recent negative coronavirus test from customers would be allowed to welcome more customers through their doors.
Access tests have already been used for a number of events, as well as a handful of trials that saw museums and attractions open to a set number of visitors who could all provide proof of a recent negative coronavirus test. The Dutch government is also working on the CoronaCheck app which would allow for the country to reopen as a test society.
The third stage of lifting lockdown - which is currently set to take place at the beginning of June - should see bars, restaurants, and cafes open their indoor areas, with a number of basic coronavirus rules in place, of course. While the government hasn’t suggested that these businesses will have to require a negate test upon entry, it’s possible some businesses may choose to implement it - and they would reap the benefits.
As stated in the government’s five-step plan, bars, cafes, and restaurants would be able to seat a maximum of 30 customers indoors. Using access tests could allow them to increase this number to full capacity, as long as the 1,5-metre distance rule is followed.
Koninklijke Horeca Nederland (KHN), the largest union representing hospitality businesses in the Netherlands, has called this proposal “non-negotiable,” as many businesses owners oppose the plan. KHN chair Robèr Willemsen believes access tests should not be used as an alternative to a successful vaccination programme.
The Horeca Alliance, on the other hand, feels the plan has some potential. Spokesperson Frans van Rooij says access tests shouldn’t be made mandatory, but, by allowing businesses who make use of them additional freedoms, you can at the same time ensure employees and customers feel safer, knowing that everyone around them has tested negative for coronavirus.