While 80% of the Dutch have received the complete schedule of vaccination against Covid-19, in the municipality of Urk only 23% are fully vaccinated. This is a “dark red dot” as only one in four people want the vaccine. In recent times, the vaccination center has had to close due to lack of influx.
Urk is a town located in the province of Flevoland . With a population of almost 20,000 inhabitants, the main economic activity is fishing. They vote for the country’s Christian parties: the Christian Union, the Christian Democratic Call and the Reformed Political Party.
The neighbors, with deep Christian customs , have chosen not to be vaccinated against the coronavirus since they defend that they are a people “protected, blessed by God .” In addition, they believe that it is a disease very similar to the flu, whose cure consists of eating fish and going to church.
Hessel Snoek, from the Sionkerk church, one of the town’s congregations, explains that it is not a decision they have made because in Urk they think they are better or do not want to listen to the government. The neighbors want to obey, but attending to the commandments of God . According to Snoek, they must attend mass “for the salvation of souls in the people .”
An estimated 95% of Urk residents attend church regularly. During the month of July, when the Covid-19 data in the Netherlands increased significantly, in this town the virus had a minimal impact . In addition, according to researcher Haz Zaaijer, at the beginning of 2021 38% of the inhabitants had antibodies.
For his part, the Minister of Justice, Ferdinand Grapperhaus , has launched the following message: “We ask everyone in the Netherlands, including the ecclesiastical community of Urk, to continue making a joint effort to combat the virus .”
Riots against sanitary restrictions
The measures that the Government has implemented to control the spread of Covid-19 since the pandemic began are not well seen in Urk. In early 2021, several young people burned down one of the COVID diagnostic centers in a violent demonstration against the restrictions .
A 35-year-old man was also accused of hitting a reporter with his car , and two brothers were sentenced to 150 hours of work for the community after attacking a television camera.
