We're all set up and ready to go. Again. You can follow the press conference on the NOS. https://nos.nl/artikel/2330583-bekijk-hier-de-persconferentie-over-de-stand-van-zaken-van-de-coronacrisis.html https://twitter.com/DutchNewsNL/status/1250334779309838336

It is expected that Prime Minister Rutte and Minister De Jonge (Public Health) will discuss the state of affairs of the corona crisis.

Here we go.

Very important. We like Irma's (the sign language interperter) shirt.

Rutte says that first we are gonna look at back at what has happened. He says it's been good and that mostly people are staying home.

We need to maintain the existing measures but if we see bigger changes in the corona numbers, we can start to reduce the measures.

There are three criteria for reducing/removing the "intelligent lockdown."

1. The pressure on healthcare
2. Protection of weaker people
3. Insight into the spread of the virus.

He says that Hugo de Jonge will tell us more.

Next week (April 21) there will be an announcement what will happen on April 28 (the date the current measures end.)

Nothing will totally open, says Rutte.

Many places will need to take different things into consideration and many will need special regulations.

We need to consider all of these things carefully, if not the virus will resurface.

We need to find the right balance. We need space for other healthcare. There are disadvantages to the current lockdown. We miss the sports clubs and visiting our families.

There are no easy solutions he says.

We cannot totally return to normal. For next week: houd vol.

Now we go to Hugo. [Whose hair has improved since last week...hmmm...]

As the prime minister says, we are taking these measures for two reasons: to protect the vulnerable and to protect the health care system.

The road to new normal has several considerations:

[Big on the threes today. Did they get a communications training?]

1. We need to consider the pressure on the health care. De Jonge says that if you have normal complaints, you should contact your GP. Regular health care needs to continue.

[What if you have...abnormal complaints...?]

2. We have to protect the weak. That includes the elderly and those with conditions that make them vulnerable to the virus. He also says that they have to work hard to protect people in health care.

3. We need insights into the spread of the virus. This includes: testing, tracing and reporting from home [three again...]

An app can help with this he says.

We need to take the next steps carefully. We need to keep distance from one another but look after each other.

First question to Rutte: Are we going in the right direction?

The spread is really falling, Rutte says. But we see a high pressure on the healthcare system. There are still more people in IC than before corona and we need to reduce that.

Also if you don't look out, we get another round of infections.

Follow up question: Do we need to prepare for a lengthening?

You really have to look at specific measures. Each country does things differently. He compares us to Germany.