Municipal Public Health Services once again conduct more STI consultations than before COVID-19 The number of STI consultations at the Sexual Health Centres of the Municipal Public Health Services (GGDs) was 19% higher in 2022 compared to 2021.
Post-COVID less common after Omicron infection After a SARS-CoV-2 infection involving Omicron, 1 in 10 people still have symptoms three months later. This is almost 2 times lower than after an infection involving the Delta variant. This is evident from new results of the LongCOVID study at RIVM. There is variation in the frequency of specific post-COVID symptoms after an infection with the Omicron or Delta variant.
Safe recycling of textiles possible, but still in its infancy Textiles are produced using chemicals. Although many hazardous chemicals may no longer be used in textile production, they may still be present in donations of old clothing. RIVM has conducted a study into the safety of recycled textiles.
COVID-19 less severe due to Omicron variants, vaccinations and previous infections The consequences of infections involving the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 are decreasing. This is because nearly everyone in the Netherlands has built up immunity to COVID-19 as a result of vaccination and/or previous infection, and because the current Omicron variants are less likely to cause serious illness.
Young people less likely to contact GP for mental health problems The percentage of young people who report having mental health problems has hardly decreased since the last lockdown (in early 2022).
RSV summer peak possibly caused by declining antibodies during COVID-19 pandemic RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, is a common virus that causes cold symptoms. In particularly, young children and vulnerable older people are more likely to become seriously ill if they get it.
Some disinfection methods against the coronavirus may be unsafe As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, new and additional disinfection methods have become available. Because not all of these products fall under the same legislation, there are some on the market today whose efficacy and safety have not been evaluated by an independent body.
No new SARS-CoV-2 variants discovered in wastewater on aircraft from China Wastewater on aircraft from China has not been found to contain any new variants of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 so far. These findings are from several tests performed by RIVM. However, the wastewater was found to contain coronavirus particles.
People working from home more likely to have health problems People who worked from home during the COVID-19 pandemic were more likely to have physical complaints than people working on location (location workers). Examples included upper back pain, lower back pain, and pain in arms, neck and/or shoulders. These findings are from RIVM research.
ICER 2023: Circular targets remain out of reach The Netherlands aims to have a fully circular economy by 2050 and halve its use of raw materials by 2030. In recent years, however, little progress has been made in either regard.