RIVM: delete quarantine advice after contact with an infected person

The advice to quarantine after contact with someone who is infected with the corona virus may be cancelled. RIVM wrote this to the cabinet on Thursday in an advice on the corona measures that are still in force. Also recommending to wear a face mask in busy places can be deleted, according to the institute. It is too early to abolish the insulation advice in the event of a corona infection.

Anyone who comes into contact with an infected person in the future must be extra alert for complaints. A test is recommended in case of complaints. RIVM also recommends avoiding contact with vulnerable people for ten days after contact with an infected person. Those who test positive for the coronavirus themselves are advised to go into isolation. This “given the decreasing, but still high numbers of infections,” according to RIVM.

Poor compliance

The current advice to wear a face mask in busy places may be cancelled, because the infection pressure has now decreased and fleeting contacts mainly take place in busy public locations. According to the RIVM, the added value of wearing a mouth mask in busy places decreases as a result. In addition, behavioral research shows that compliance with wearing mouth masks in crowded places is poor.

The cabinet will make a decision on the remaining corona measures next Tuesday, Minister Ernst Kuipers (Public Health, D66) wrote in a response. It is expected that the RIVM advice will be adopted. The OMT previously advised on the introduction or relaxation of corona measures, but due to the “limited severity” of the measures to be weighed, RIVM decided that it could come up with its own advice.

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