The increase in the number of positive corona tests is probably the start of a new corona wave. That is what the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) expects. The institute just does not know how far the number of infections can rise and when the peak will be reached. According to the RIVM, there is still a lot of uncertainty about what it will do with hospital admissions.
Bert Niesters from Zeegse is a virologist at the Groningen UMCG and sees that especially the corona infections in the Randstad are increasing. “I’m not worried yet, things are going very slowly in Drenthe and Groningen.”
According to Niesters, there are several reasons for the increase in the number of infections. “The new omikron variant is highly contagious, so even though you are vaccinated you can get infected. And you can see that because more people live in the Randstad and there are more festivals, it is increasing. We also had the May holiday.”
For the time being, Niesters does not see any lockdown-like measures in the offing. “If you are vaccinated, the chance that you will become seriously ill is drastically reduced. We see hospital admissions increase slightly, but not drastically. We must realize that absenteeism can cause problems, not only for healthcare, but also for catch-up care.”
Niesters does not see a dark future either due to the arrival of better vaccinations. “There will be a new round of vaccinations, with improved vaccines. The minister will purchase them. I am not pessimistic, but people who have been able to avoid it for two years now suddenly get it.”