It has become clear in the past week that the Omicron variant is spreading very rapidly in the Netherlands too. The Outbreak Management Team (OMT) expects that this variant will be the dominant variant in the Netherlands by the end of December. This is sooner than previously expected. This rapid increase in infections means the number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals and ICUs will rise further before the end of the year. It is therefore looking increasingly likely that the healthcare system will become overburdened in January. We all want hospital and GP care to be available when we need it. The spread of the Omicron variant must be slowed as soon as possible in order to ensure healthcare services remain available to all. This is why the government has decided that the Netherlands will go into lockdown from Sunday 19 December until at least Friday 14 January 2022.