De Jonge himself acknowledged that there are still a few important conditions before reliefs are possible. The vaccination coverage must be high and new variants can throw a spanner in the works. But if every adult who wants it is fully vaccinated by the end of August, the minister thinks “we will really be rid of most of the measures”.
Dekkers lists even more potential problems: Vaccine delivery problems can cause delays; the vaccines can wear off over time; in the longer term, winter weather can make spreading easier again.
“It is a political statement, not a scientific one. He may want to promise people that life will return to normal. At the moment there is enough good news: the numbers are going in the right direction, there are already relaxations. Then this good news item is not necessary .”
Testing
The epidemiologists also underline that the return to the old normal will not happen overnight. For example, Tostmann expects that a lot of testing will continue to be necessary. “The moment things happen in a certain area that you would rather not see, you want to be able to pick it up quickly. The only way to do that is to keep testing a lot.”
Baidjoe hopes that the Dutch will not travel the world again en masse and thus take back unknown variants. “That was the scenario from last year: the hospitals are empty and people are going back to all kinds of places worldwide. It would be nice if people stayed closer to home, and travelers were tested on a random basis, so that you can keep track of what people bring back. “
‘Basic measures remain necessary’
It would also not surprise Dekkers if face masks or distance measures remain necessary in places where large groups of people are together for a longer period of time. In its advice to the cabinet, the OMT also explicitly takes into account that “in addition to the current vaccination program, (additional) basic measures will continue to be necessary”.
Dekkers therefore thinks it is unwise that De Jonge pretends that all mouth caps can go in the trash on September 1. “With that he shoots the gunpowder that may be needed a month later for a revival.”
Dekkers wants “a toolbox” that can be used in a targeted manner if the virus threatens to flare up again. “We may continue to need some basic measures to keep the virus under control this winter without having to take extreme measures.”
–
