News | RIVM

New COVID-19 vaccination round for risk groups this autumn

The new COVID-19 vaccination round will start on 16 September 2024. For people who are at higher risk, the COVID-19 vaccination offers more effective protection against hospital admission or death due to COVID-19.

New Stookwijzer criteria based on nuisance

RIVM has reviewed the criteria of the Stookwijzer. Based on these new insights, RIVM recommends that households do not light wood fires in winds of 2 or less on the Beaufort scale. In such circumstances, the Stookwijzer will issue a code red.

RIVM: be cautious when using nutritional supplements containing Mucuna pruriens

Herbal preparations that contain Mucuna pruriens seeds are sold online in the Netherlands. RIVM has examined whether these preparations are harmful to health. Very little scientific information about Mucuna pruriens is publicly available.

MEBI: risk of serious health complaints from Rebound HRD® inguinal hernia mesh

The Dutch Reporting Centre for Adverse Effects of Medical Implants (MEBI), which is part of RIVM, has received a report about Rebound HRD® (Hernia Repair Device), an inguinal hernia mesh.

Vaccination coverage of babies and toddlers remained about the same, but decreased among older children

The percentage of babies and toddlers that were vaccinated in the framework of the National Immunisation Programme remained about the same compared to last year. In children aged 9 years and older, vaccination coverage continued to decrease for most of the national childhood immunisations.

Weather conditions led to better air quality in 2023

The air quality in 2023 was better than in 2022, mainly due to the weather conditions. This is according to the large-scale concentration (GCN) maps RIVM creates each year of air pollution in the Netherlands.

Well-being should be considered from the start when formulating policy during pandemic, health emergency or other crisis

Monitoring well-being from the outset and throughout the duration of a pandemic, health emergency or other crisis provides helpful input in making policy choices.

Excise duty increase affects smokers: more people attempt to quit, but more people also purchase tobacco abroad

According to research by RIVM on the 2023 excise duty increase, the increased excise duty (tax) on tobacco products is having a noticeable impact on smokers' behaviour.

Study on the effectiveness of COVID-19 measures in the Netherlands

The measures implemented in the Netherlands during the COVID-19 crisis were effective against the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This is the outcome of a study conducted by RIVM.

RIVM maintains advisory: avoid eating private eggs in Zuid-Holland Zuid and Altena Municipality

RIVM continues to advise against consuming private eggs from the Zuid-Holland Zuid region and the municipality of Altena. These eggs have been found to contain high levels of PFAS, as revealed by the risk assessment conducted by RIVM at 31 locations in the area.