Text on screen: Four questions about the WHO reference laboratory
Text on screen: What s a reference laboratory?
Adam Meijer, top virology expert: A reference laboratory is a laboratory that has knowledge and expertise in a certain field.
RIVM is one such centre of expertise.

Text on screen: What does a reference laboratory do?
Adam Meijer: A reference laboratory starts by developing the diagnostics.
And then working with international partners to check if it's accurate.
Then those techniques are rolled out to other laboratories at home and abroad.
While doing that, we also ensure that the quality is good.
And then they report the results of the quality checks back to RIVM.
We then look at how they function in comparison to all other labs.

Text on screen: Why is a reference laboratory important in the fight against an outbreak?
Chantal Reusken, top virology expert: Infectious diseases don't stop at national borders.
You have to fight them with international cooperation.

Text on screen: How do you become a WHO reference laboratory?
Chantal Reusken: The WHO has an important and coordinating role to play here.
By being a part of it, we get to share in the latest understanding and knowledge to control the disease as efficiently as possible.
The WHO has a task that is similar to what RIVM does.
Together, we're all working in the public interest.
That's why being a WHO reference institution is a good fit for RIVM.
It's an acknowledgement that we have broad and comprehensive expertise on coronaviruses.

Logo: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment. Ministry of Health, Welfare and sport.
Text on screen: For more information visit: www.rivm.nl/en