Virologist Marion Koopmans, one of the most important advisors to the World Health Organization and the cabinet, is concerned about the number of corona infections in the Netherlands.
987 new infected individuals were reported last week, almost twice as many as the previous week. “If we continue to see this increase, solid measures must be taken very soon,” Koopmans tells News hour.
“If it really continues to double, action will have to be taken again at the national level. None of us want that, so let’s try to stick to the advice because that’s what we’re seeing going wrong now.”
‘Advice remains important’
In recent weeks, the coronavirus has become more common transferred outside the home. There are more infections between friends and family and at parties, in the café and at workplaces.
RIVM fears that more and more people are less adhering to the advice, such as washing hands, keeping their distance and staying home when complaints occur. Koopmans thinks that “we should really take those people to the brink and say ‘please note, the advice is important and will remain important’.
The cabinet should also convey this message better, says behavioral scientist Victor Lammer. “All the urgency from the government has suddenly disappeared. It is more or less suggested ‘ah, it’s okay now, we can go to the hairdresser again, we can go on vacation again. Then you naturally get the impression that people that it’s over. “
“Can get out of hand quickly”
Professor of health communication Bas van den Putte agrees. “The press conferences have stopped, the cabinet has gone on vacation, so there is less attention for the government’s message. But the virus has not gone on vacation.”
“It would be very sensible if the government is now launching a major campaign to explain why and how to comply with the rules.”
Because if we treat the advice too lax, we can lose control of the virus again, says virologist Koopmans. “It now seems small numbers of infections, but it can also quickly become too much for the GGDs to keep in hand. And then we will be back to square one.”
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