Excerpted from introduction

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.