Excerpted from introduction
Modification date 05/18/2020 - 17:03
Worldwide, relatively few children have been reported with COVID-19. Data from the Netherlands also confirms the current understanding: that children play a small role in the spread of the novel coronavirus. The virus is mainly spread between adults and from adult family members to children. Cases of children infecting each other or children infecting adults are less common. Because the virus is still new, we are conducting research to learn more about it. This research focuses, among other things, on the role of children in the spread of the virus. Read more about what RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment is doing, how we arrive at these conclusions, and what this means.
What is RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment doing?
After the first national measures were put in place, a social discussion arose about whether or not to close schools. Although the role of children in the spreading of COVID-19 at that time seemed limited, there were many uncertainties. RIVM is conducting various studies on the role of children in the dissemination. RIVM:
- studies in detail the reports of infected patients received from the Municipal Public Health Services (GGDs) in the Netherlands.
- investigates, in collaboration with the Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL) testing stations, the registrations provided by general practitioners on patients with flu-like symptoms who are tested for COVID-19.
- conducts research among Dutch COVID-19 patients and their family contacts. Although this research and other studies are still ongoing, there are preliminary results.
- has taken blood samples from more than 2000 people to test for antibodies against COVID-19; this is the first phase of the so-called PIENTER corona study.
- has reviewed relevant literature on children and COVID-19. These are studies that have been conducted in other countries.
What is RIVM National Institute for Public Health and the Environment doing? - April 29, 2020
After the first national measures were put in place, a social discussion arose about whether or not to close schools. Although the role of children in the spreading of COVID-19 at that time seemed limited, there were many uncertainties. RIVM is conducting various studies on the role of children in the dissemination. RIVM:
- studies in detail the reports of infected patients received from the Municipal Public Health Services (GGDs) in the Netherlands.
- investigates, in collaboration with the Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL) testing stations, the registrations provided by general practitioners on patients with flu-like symptoms who are tested for COVID-19.
- conducts research among Dutch COVID-19 patients and their family contacts. Although this research and other studies are still ongoing, there are preliminary results.
- has taken blood samples from more than 2000 people to test for antibodies against COVID-19; this is the first phase of the so-called PIENTER corona study.
- has reviewed relevant literature on children and COVID-19. These are studies that have been conducted in other countries.