The Dutch government announced that face masks will be mandatory in public indoor areas in the Netherlands from December 1.
The announcement does not come as a surprise, as Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Health Minister Hugo De Jonge had made it clear that, after months of deliberation, this rule would be implemented in the Netherlands.
Non-medical face masks will be mandatory in shops, museums, restaurants, cinemas, airports theatres, and schools for everyone aged 13 and older. Also, anyone working in a contact profession (i.e. hairdressers, driving instructors) will be required to wear one, as welll their customers.
Masks are already mandatory on all forms of public transport, but the rule will now also apply in stations and at bus / tram stops. Anyone who fails to wear a mask will risk a 95-euro fine.