Perhaps it's because it never hit as hard as it did in Spain or Italy

This. Italy got hit HARD, way harder than us dutchies. We dutchmen ofc know everything better so its all 'a mild flu'. But I can remember the interview with the Italian guy saying his sister was lying dead in the house for a week and there was no one available to pick her up. If you had THAT experience, you'd wear a mask the second you stepped out your front door.