The Netherlands have begun a strict "lockdown" over the Christmas period to try to stop a surge of the Omicron coronavirus variant.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced yesterday that all non-essential shops, restaurants, bars, cinemas, museums and theatres are now closed until 14 January, while schools must close until at least 9 January.
The number of guests that people are allowed in their house is also being cut from four to two, except for on Christmas Day.
The head of the Dutch outbreak management team, Jaap van Dissel, said that the Omicron strain would soon overtake the Delta variant in the Netherlands, The scientist warned that if Omicron's effect is as strong as Delta's, hospitalisations could exceed those in the first wave