An investigation by RIVM, which shows that many Dutch people with corona-related complaints just go out the door, causes concern among experts and politicians. For example, more than eighty percent of people confess to ignore the advice to stay at home with complaints and only a small number are tested. “People are not sufficiently aware of the risks.”
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‘Stay at home with complaints and have yourself tested’, is the urgent advice of RIVM. According to all polls, there is broad support for this advice, yet hardly anyone adheres to it. This is evident from new research by the RIVM, among more than 50,000 people. 80 percent of people with complaints say they simply go outside to do their shopping, for example. 40 percent also say they just go to work.
In addition to the willingness to stay at home, the percentage of people who have themselves tested for corona is also low. Only 12 percent of the people who reported having complaints actually had themselves tested. Many people intend to get tested (68 percent), but once it does, only 28 percent have that intention. Only 12 percent actually did it.
Worrying
Government parties VVD and CDA are concerned about the results. “It requires even better information about the importance of testing and staying home with complaints,” says VVD MP Hayke Veldman. ,, It may mean that stricter measures must be introduced again. We should not want that together. Not for ourselves and not for our companies. We have to do it together. ” The CDA also insists on good information and more information facilities. “Testing is essential to keep the coronavirus under control and to prevent a second wave,” said CDA MP Joba van den Berg.
The Department of Health emphasizes that testing, tracking, and isolation is “critical” to maintain control of the virus. “It is therefore very important that everyone who has complaints, stays at home and gets tested as soon as possible, only then can we break the chain of contamination,” said a spokesperson.
Ignorance
According to virologist Ab Osterhaus, the figures are partly due to ignorance. “People should not associate an infection with a serious illness.” Osterhaus thinks the results of the research fit the current era. “You see people getting more relaxed. They think there are fewer risks. But actually they are not sufficiently aware of the risks. ”
Jan Kluytmans (57), doctor-microbiologist from the Amphia hospital in Breda, also sees this happening. He is concerned about the results. “The most important part of the policy is that you stay at home and have yourself tested. And those complaints are often mild. Lately we have mainly seen young people test positive. These are people who move a lot in society and therefore easily pick up the virus and spread it again. They are often mildly ill and think they have a cold. But it can be corona. So I was shocked by the research. People say, “I support the policy, but I don’t do it myself.” Yes, then it obviously doesn’t work. ”
According to Osterhaus, groups of people are wrongly referred to as a ‘hurray mood’. This is partly justified because the number of admissions and deaths has fallen sharply, but according to Osterhaus it is important not to let the mood turn into carelessness. ,, We now tolerate that corona is still present at a low level, but we also have to realize that the virus has not yet left the country. Without a vaccine that will not work in the short term.
Hay fever
RIVM concludes that the low test percentage and the low stay-at-home percentage are partly due to the fact that the complaints seem familiar to people. They link their complaints to, for example, a smoker’s cough, hay fever or asthma. Moreover, people are used to not immediately go to the doctor for mild complaints; they want to ‘look at it first’.
According to behavioral researcher Marijn de Bruin, it is important that people remain at home and have themselves tested if they have the slightest doubt whether it is hay fever or a mild cold, for example.
However, De Bruin is not entirely negative. “In addition to the reasons that people do not get tested, we also see the reasons why people do. These people want security, they want to protect themselves and their neighbors. Although the percentage of positive tests is now low, we saw about 500 diagnoses in the past week. If you continue that, we will prevent about 3000 infections in the next six months. That information, what we do it for, is what can motivate people to make the effort to get tested. ”
In addition to the willingness to be tested, the accessibility of the test locations is also important. Doctor and microbiologist Kluytmans says that he hears from people that they find it difficult to get tested because, for example, the test locations are too far away, or because they do not have a car. “We have to look seriously at that. Accessibility must be good. ” The RIVM study also shows that the distance to a test street or test location can be a barrier. The ministry announced that it is working to improve the communication and accessibility of the tests.
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