The second wave of corona could have been prevented if people had better adhered to the corona measures. That is what RIVM boss Jaap van Dissel says in an interview with De Volkskrant.
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“What we have seen is that after the holiday period a lot of things started to point in such a direction that the virus circulation just increased again. People returned from a holiday abroad who had become positive. We clearly saw the introductions and then the transmission of the virus, especially in home situations, at work and in nursing homes, ”says Van Dissel.
“That eventually triggered a second wave,” he continues. “We could have prevented it. Not only in the Netherlands, but also in many other countries. Ultimately, it has a lot to do with the degree to which everyone… well, the degree of compliance with the basic rules. ”
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No more sense in corona rules
Van Dissel thinks that ignoring the corona advice is because people no longer feel like it. “Certainly, the intentions of most are good, and most are doing well. But at the same time: if we look at various studies, such as into shopping behavior, we see that it is almost back at the level of before Covid, or even above it. ”
According to the RIVM boss, the sense of urgency has changed. “Measures that we took earlier now have less effect than in March. That must be because the advice is given a different interpretation ”, says Van Dissel, who as the foreman of the Outbreak Management Team is the cabinet’s most important advisor.
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“We see that almost 20 percent of those who tested positive leave home despite the explicit request to stay at home. And that people with a cold still go to work or school. I want to emphasize: I can very well understand that people have had enough of the virus and want to go back to the period before. But the virus just won’t allow it. ”
ANP
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