Population screening programmes temporarily on hold Due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the health care capacity in the Netherlands is expected to come under severe pressure in the coming period.
Updated immunisation recommendation for measles: early vaccination before travel A number of European countries are currently seeing outbreaks of measles. Before the start of the summer season, RIVM has therefore updated its immunisation recommendation for measles.
Discussion regarding health-based guidance value of PFOA The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a provisional health-based guidance value for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).
Climate change, ozone depletion and air quality need to be addressed coherently Ozone layer depletion, air pollution and climate change need to be addressed in connection with each other.
Less meat and more tap water benefits health and the environment In the Netherlands, diets with a high environmental impact contain more meat and energy.
Risk of measles outbreaks increases with decreasing vaccination coverage Vaccination coverage for vaccinations in the Dutch National Vaccination Program (NIP) decreased slightly by about half a percent for the third consecutive year.
Alertness about the Zika virus still needed for pregnant women Since May 2015, there has been a Zika virus outbreak in South and Central America, including the Caribbean. The Zika virus can cause birth defects, including microcephaly (small head size).
Measles epidemic and Salmonella outbreak cost nearly six million euros The most recent measles epidemic and outbreak of Salmonella Thomson due to smoked salmon have cost 3.9 and 1.7 million euros, respectively.
No more complementary vaccinations against measles for children aged six months The measles epidemic, the first case of which occurred in the Netherlands in May 2013, is coming to an end.
Teenage girl dies after measles infection Last weekend, a 17-year-old girl from the province of Zeeland (The Netherlands) has died of complications after a measles infection. She was not vaccinated against the disease.