The new corona variant omikron is according to the RIVM probably already in the Netherlands. That would mean that another corona variant has come over from abroad. The situation raises questions about the entry requirements imposed on travelers who come to the Netherlands by plane.
61 passengers of the two KLM flights from South Africa that arrived at Schiphol on Friday tested positive for the corona virus. The aircraft contained a total of more than 600 travelers, who were all suddenly tested at Schiphol because of the news about omikron.
The passengers were allowed to board in South Africa according to the old rules, which meant that vaccinated travelers did not have to show a negative test result. Those who had not been fully vaccinated had to show a negative PCR test (maximum 48 hours old) or antigen test/rapid test (maximum 24 hours old). The rules have since been adjusted; anyone traveling from southern Africa to the Netherlands can only board the plane with a PCR test and rapid test.
‘Rapid tests are not sensitive enough’
It is still unclear how exactly the infections got on board. Experts have several theories about this. The infections may not have been picked up by the rapid tests beforehand. But it is also possible that vaccinated passengers – who therefore did not have to be tested – have already been infected on board.
First the quick tests. Field epidemiologist Amrish Baidjoe does not think it is a good thing that passengers are still allowed to travel to the Netherlands with such an antigen test. According to him, the rapid tests are not sensitive enough. “The antigen tests are less sensitive than the PCR tests that you get in the test line. Sometimes you have so few virus particles in the nasal cavity that a rapid test misses it. A PCR would then have picked up the virus.”
Due to the inaccuracy of the rapid tests, it is possible that people will still see a positive result hours after a negative rapid test. “You may have enough virus in the nasal cavity a few hours later for the rapid test to detect.” That may be what happened aboard the flights from South Africa; which last from 10 to 11 hours.
The field epidemiologist compares the tests with a safety net. Although the antigen test is faster, it also allows more infections to pass. Baidjoe: “You want to keep the loopholes small, we can’t have a new variant now.”
‘More infections not excluded’
The Flemish virologist Marc Van Ranst considers the chance small that travelers have become infected on the flights in question, as a result of which the rapid tests on arrival at Schiphol suddenly had a positive effect. That is not in line with the course of the virus. “These are people who were positive before they left. But it really cannot be ruled out that infections will be added in the coming days, for example from people who picked it up in the departure hall.”
Images of a passenger at Schiphol show what it was like in the waiting area:
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