The corona virus is spreading again in our province. The call for stricter anti-corona measures is getting louder.
Experts are urging the government to take a decision on the wider introduction of face masks, compulsory quarantine for people coming from risk-prone areas, and more accessible testing. What is also becoming increasingly clear, however, is that opinions are divided.
Jos van de Sande, former head of infection control at the GGD, spoke on Friday morning in the programme WAKKER on Omroep Brabant radio. He said that it is indeed necessary to take measures in some regions. In Goes, in Breda, the situation is beyond control according to him. “I’m disappointed that the source and contact tracing in those regions is still not up to the mark”, he says. “It’s clear that in places where the virus is spreading, it’s increasing by the week. We can’t really get a grip on it.” The old colleague from the GGD feels that some of the measures shouldn’t have been relaxed. He refers to travel on public transport and allowing people to fly again.
Ready for a second wave?
According to van de Sande, wearing face masks in restaurants and shops, in certain regions, can help. He also emphatically pleads for more quick testing. “People have to wait too long for an appointment and then the results take too long.” In reply to the question, as to whether we’re ready for a second wave, his answer is telling: “I’m afraid not.”
Different voices
Doctor-microbiologist Peter Schneeberger of the Jeroen Bosch Hospital in Den Bosch has a different opinion. Sudden introduction of new measures, without knowing if those are useful or not, will only cause ‘unrest and lack of clarity’. He emphasis on the need to communicate clearly.
According to him, the government should clearly state that there are indeed many infections at the moment. But number of hospitalisations and deaths are not high at the moment.
Seventeen million virologists
There’re seventeen million virologists, states doctor Schneeberger. “But we don’t know yet exactly what the best measures are,” he says. “And so there’s a lot of discussion.”
He believes, however, we are doing well at the moment. “There are no more mass meetings. And there’s quite a lot of testing going on. So we have quite a bit of insight into what’s happening. Really a very different situation than six months ago,” he stresses again.
Source: Omroepbrabant.nl
Translation: Chaitali Sengupta, who gives ONLINE Inburgering classes.
