Total lockdown due to corona infections? ‘That’s not the policy in the Netherlands’

On Tuesday evening, when there were no infections yet, Marion Koopmans, head of the Virology department at Erasmus MC, explained in Studio Erasmus what happens when a transmission of the coronavirus occurs.

“When testing, we always keep the National Institute for Public Health (RIVM) and the Minicipal Health Service (GGD) in the loop. When the GGD receives the results of the test, they immediately investigate with whom the infected person has been in contact.” These people are also examined for health or health complaints. “The GGD will start a monitoring period for two weeks, and in case of complaints they will also test for the virus.”

A total lockdown probably won’t happen, said Koopmans. “That’s not the policy in the Netherlands or in most European countries.” She emphasized that Germany and France have succeeded in stopping the spread of the virus with this method.

Last week, the World Health Organization urged not to buy face masks. Koopmans supports this call: “There is little evidence that face masks are useful. People use the masks to protect the environment if they themselves have health complaints or are sick. And we use it, for example, in hospitals when a patient with respiratory complaints is moved to another place. The risk is that there will be shortages for people who are at the bedside and really need it.”

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Watch the entire interview here.