THE HAGUE - The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs adjusted the travel advice for Curaçao on Tuesday and urgently recommends that travelers only go to the island if it is strictly necessary. Curaçao is a risk area for the government due to an increased number of corona infections. A thousand new infections were diagnosed last weekend, against 324 a week earlier. The increase is due to the advance of the British variant of the virus.

Everyone who travels from Curaçao to the Netherlands must be quarantined from Wednesday upon returning home. In addition, a mandatory test applies from March 27, travelers returning from the country must undergo a test. In Curaçao, tourists are still welcome, and the airport remains open, but visitors must adhere to strict measures.

Due to an increasing number of infections, the government of Curaçao decided on Monday that the country will go into lockdown for two weeks from Wednesday. Residents and tourists should stay at home as much as possible during that period. There is also a curfew from 9 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. and there will be a car-free Sunday.

In addition, the government wants to allow residents to go out two days a week to visit essential stores based on their license plate. A schedule has been drawn up based on letters on the license plate that determines which car owner can shop when.