BREAKING: Netherlands to enter a Christmas lockdown from tomorrow

The Netherlands Prime Minister has announced the country will go into a 'lockdown' over the Christmas period.

The announcement was made on Saturday, December 18 and it is expected to last until January 14.

Schools, universities, and all non-essential stores, bars and restaurants in the Netherlands will be closed.

The aim is to try to stop a surge of the Omicron coronavirus variant, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said today.

Prime Minister Rutte made the announcement during a press conference.

He said: "I stand here tonight in a somber mood. To sum it up in one sentence, the Netherlands will go back into lockdown from tomorrow." 

Earlier today, Reuters reported that the main shopping street in Leiden, 20 kilometres from the capital The Hague, was 'thronged' with people shopping for last-minute presents. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) said the Omicron coronavirus variant has been reported in 89 countries and the number of cases is doubling in 1.5 to three days in areas with community transmission.

It was detected a variant of concern on November 26.

It comes as the Irish government tightened restrictions in Ireland amid growing concern over the spread of the Omicron variant.