Nearly twice as many cases involving long-term symptoms after COVID-19 Three months after infection with the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, almost half of people still report one or more long-term symptoms, such as fatigue, difficulty concentrating and loss of smell.
Limited consideration of combination effects of hazardous substances when granting SVHC permits The harmful effect of a combination of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs or Zeer Zorgwekkende Stoffen, ZZS)) may be greater than the effect of each individual substance.
New test for Lyme disease is not reliable To determine whether someone has Lyme disease, doctors in the Netherlands often use antibody tests. For some time now, so-called cellular tests have been available on the market.
Many more infections, limited increase in hospital admissions In the past week, the number of people who tested positive for COVID-19 in the Netherlands increased by 64% compared to the week before that.
Current knowledge on microplastics in the soil is still inadequate A literature review carried out by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) has concluded that reliable standard techniques should be developed to analyse microplastics in the soil.
New crisis response organisation at RIVM to control future pandemics The cabinet has agreed to the proposal of Ernst Kuipers, Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport, to set up a National Functionality for Infectious Disease Control (LFI).
Flu vaccination also available for pregnant women as of this autumn Every year, people aged 60+ and people with certain medical conditions can get the free flu vaccination. On the recommendation of the Health Council of the Netherlands, the free flu vaccination will now also be made available to pregnant women.
Risk of degradation of European ecosystems by air pollution is decreasing The number of natural areas in Europe that are threatened by air pollution will decrease between 2005 and 2020.
RIVM participates in large EU project to head up global fight against infectious diseases COMPARE, a large EU project intends to speed up the detection of, and response to disease outbreaks among humans and animals worldwide, through the use of new genome technology.
Biobased alternatives to hormone disrupting substance in cash register receipts Chemicals made from vegetable or animal waste may be an alternative to the use of the substance Bisphenol A (BPA) in thermal paper. Thermal paper is widely used for cash register receipts.