RIVM asks for help with investigations: report complaints – HVZeeland

By: Roland de Jong

MIDDELBURG – RIVM is looking for Dutch people who want to help identify complaints that may indicate the new Corona virus. They can register via a website and can then pass on information about their complaints once a week. The data serve as input for scientific research.

Until now, RIVM has followed the development of the Coronavirus on the basis of the mandatory reports of infections by doctors. But many people have minor complaints and are not tested. According to the RIVM, this makes it less and less easy to monitor how the coronavirus develops in our country. According to the RIVM, it is still possible to gain an idea of ​​the development of the so-called COVID-19 virus via the so-called Infection Radar.

People who want to participate can register via the website Infectieradar.nl. After creating an account, they are asked to provide information about their background. This concerns, for example, gender, age and existing conditions. Then weekly questions are asked about complaints such as a runny nose, cough, sneezing and fever.

“Were there no complaints? Then someone is ready in about 30 seconds. When someone registers complaints, there are some questions about the details of these complaints. For example, information about when the symptoms started, whether someone has been to a doctor and whether someone was on sick leave. When someone registers complaints, it takes 3 to 5 minutes to complete the questionnaire, ”says RIVM.

RIVM hopes that 100,000 people will participate. “The more people who participate, the more reliable the image is,” said a spokesperson. The idea is that a map will soon show how many people in a certain postcode area have feverish complaints.

The website is also part of a European partnership with various universities and governments.

–