Alarm phase 1 is over. According to the latest OMT advice, corona is no longer a pandemic, but part of our daily lives. Does that mean that we can also throw overboard the latest advice and rules? Virologist and OMT member Marion Koopmans joins Op1.
The Outbreak Management Team (OMT) has said that the coronavirus is now in the endemic phase in the Netherlands, meaning the virus can be treated like the flu, for example. That is why the OMT has proposed to abolish all the latest corona rules, such as testing and isolation. “Now look at how you are going to do for all respiratory infections”
There is still a lot of corona, says OMT member Marion Koopmans. “Right now, 98 percent of people have some form of immunity. You see that fewer people are hospitalized per number of infections. That picture together says that the exceptional position that corona has, that no longer fits.” The advice has therefore changed to how to deal with all respiratory infections for the vulnerable.