Netherlands starts 'painful' Christmas coronavirus lockdown

FILE PHOTO: People do their Christmas shopping before the Dutch government's expected announcement of a "strict" Christmas lockdown to curb the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant, in the city centre of Nijmegen, Netherlands December 18, 2021. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Shopping streets in the Netherlands were closed and people's Christmas plans were in disarray as the country began a lockdown on Sunday aimed at limiting an expected COVID-19 surge caused by the rise of the Omicron variant.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced the sudden shut-down on Saturday evening, ordering the closure of all but the most essential stores, as well as restaurants, hairdressers, gyms, museums and other public places from Sunday until at least Jan. 14.