Multiple OMT members threatened and visited at home | NOW

Several members of the Outbreak Management Team (OMT) have recently been threatened, according to conversations that NU.nl has had with OMT members. The homes of several OMT members have been visited and letters containing intimidating texts have been delivered to them.

Andreas Voss, who does not feel threatened, says he received a letter calling him “terrible monkey” and said they still have a place for him at the zoo. “Go back to the Germans,” said another letter.

The letters were not delivered by post, but put in the letterbox of Voss at home.

Diederik Gommers, who says he has not been threatened, speaks of “serious threats”. The head of the intensive care department of Erasmus MC says that these threats are made via social media, but that OMT members are sometimes also visited at home.

According to Gommers, “a single OMT member” is protected. He does not want to say whether this concerns permanent security. “But if it is necessary, it will.”

Strop with the text ‘it’s waiting‘

Marion Koopmans also had letters at home. In addition, she says she has received online messages in which an image of a noose with the texts “it’s waiting“and” still “was displayed.

Not all OMT members who spoke to NU.nl say they feel intimidated by the threats, but for Koopmans it was reason to go to work by car and not by train, as she did before the corona crisis.

Doubts about media appearances

The threats have led several scientists from the Outbreak Management Team, the body that advises the cabinet on corona measures, to doubt whether they should continue with their media appearances. They notice that the threats increase especially shortly after they have told about the corona virus on television or in a newspaper.

Koopmans says “absolutely” to consider stopping her media appearances. “It’s an option, yes. But if everyone with a reasonable story stops that, that’s not good either.”

RIVM organizes the meetings of the Outbreak Management Team and also invites scientists to participate in the consultation. Several OMT members work at RIVM. The RIVM cannot say whether OMT members will be protected. “We never make any statements about security,” said a spokesman.

– .