News item | 13-06-2022 | 13:10
Keeping society as open and safe as possible – that is the starting point of the corona long-term strategy. To ensure this, the government has basic preparedness for vaccination, monitoring, testing and tracing, and a set of legal instruments is being prepared to be able to take measures, such as keeping a distance, if necessary. In the long-term strategy, which Minister Kuipers sent to the House of Representatives today, there is also an explicit role for the various sectors, social target groups and society itself. We can already do a lot together preventively. For example, sectors are working on plans that describe how they will deal with a potential revival of the virus.
The epidemiological picture is now favourable: a relatively low number of infections and few new admissions to hospitals and ICUs. The RIVM does indicate that we must take into account a possible revival of the virus and the emergence of new variants. The situation is different from the past two years. The Netherlands is better prepared and protected, especially thanks to the build-up of our protection level. This is because many people have been vaccinated or have previously been infected with the coronavirus. That protection diminishes over time. That is why we are preparing for various scenarios, in which the number of infections increases again.
View of the virus
RIVM keeps track of the virus by signaling new upswings as early as possible with instruments such as sewage surveillance, monitoring the number of admissions to hospitals and ICUs, the situation in nursing homes and the international situation. RIVM monitors the protection against the virus by looking at the vaccination rate, conducting research into the (long-term) effectiveness of the corona vaccines and serological research.
Preparation: testing and vaccination
The GGD has a basic capacity for testing and vaccination available and can quickly scale up when necessary. Self-testing for complaints is the starting point, but if necessary, the GGD can scale up for testing. For vaccination, the current basic capacity is 300,000 vaccinations per week, this can be increased to 500,000 in three weeks and to 1.5 million weekly vaccinations within six weeks. The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport is taking into account that new rounds of vaccinations will be needed in the coming months. If necessary, there is sufficient stock of corona vaccines to offer the entire Dutch population a repeat vaccination. The RIVM and the Health Council continue to advise on the need for a repeat shot. Various pharmaceutical companies are currently working on modified corona vaccines, such as for the omikron variant. As soon as modified vaccines appear on the European market, the Netherlands can convert the vaccines that we still owe to the new ones within the current purchase contracts of the same pharmaceutical company.
The Social Impact Team
There will be a Social Impact Team that advises on the social, societal and economic impact of corona measures. Jolande Sap will be the quartermaster and intended chair of this Social Impact Team. The Social Impact Team stands next to the Outbreak Management Team and will, in parallel, advise on the broader social impact of proposed measures. The Social Impact Team is also free to give unsolicited advice.
Optimizing care chain
One of the goals of the corona policy is to keep healthcare accessible to everyone. It is important that the (regular) care chain can continue to function properly, even if the virus resurfaces. Healthcare has therefore prepared itself for an upcoming corona wave after the advice of the Taskforce Support for optimal deployment of healthcare employees. We are working on an optimal and flexible deployment of healthcare employees. Based on the recommendations of the COVID hospital care expert team, the cabinet promotes effective deployment of existing capacity throughout the healthcare chain. Important in this respect is, for example, the broad deployment of new initiatives in healthcare that have proved successful in the past two years, but have not yet been applied throughout the country. The government asks the LNAZ and the ROAZ regions to ensure that these initiatives are implemented in a timely manner throughout the country.
Sectors
The government has prepared for a revival of the virus, but at the same time everyone can contribute to keeping society open. For example, by sticking to basic advice such as washing hands, staying at home in case of complaints, then doing a self-test, ventilating and getting the recommended vaccinations. The cabinet has also entered into talks with sectors to work together on a long-term approach to corona. Entrepreneurs and institutions have gained a lot of experience in the past two years and know which preventive measures and interventions work best in practice. Sectors such as education, the cultural sector, sports, bus transport, contact professions and the travel industry have already made proposals. Sectors often refer to a registration and health check of visitors as a workable measure. Walking routes, cough and splash screens and fixed seats are also realistic options for sectors. In the coming months, the cabinet will continue to talk with the sectors to further shape their plans. Measure ladders are made per sector, increasing from less drastic to more serious measures. In the event of a new revival of the virus, the detailed sector plans form the basis of the corona policy if they are sufficiently solid. The sector plans can only be deviated from if there are compelling reasons: if there is a black scenario, further measures may be unavoidable.
The government’s starting point is to avoid closing schools or childcare at all times, because of the impact on the development of children and young people. Education is at the bottom of the pile when any measures are taken. There will only be a (partial) closure if there is a virus (variant), in which pupils, students and staff in schools and educational institutions are in direct danger.
Vulnerable
Keeping society open requires a preventive approach, common sense and is the responsibility of all of us. In the preparations for the long-term strategy, the government is paying particular attention to vulnerable groups and people who are still experiencing the impact of the epidemic, such as people with long-term complaints after corona, entrepreneurs with debts and young people. Sectors have also been asked to take into account the medically vulnerable. Sectors themselves know what works best to continue to welcome their customers, visitors, students and employees with vulnerable health and the cabinet is thinking along with them in this.