Many people willing to isolate at home in case of positive COVID-19 test The sense of threatening danger from the novel coronavirus is declining. People are feeling less anxious and despondent than in the initial phase of the coronavirus pandemic.
Staying 1.5 metres apart is growing more difficult Staying 1.5 metres apart seems to be more and more difficult for people to manage.
The 1.5-metre society is difficult to maintain Personal hygiene measures, such as not shaking hands, or using paper tissues, are not considered a problem by most Dutch people.
More reports of adverse effects of implants in 2019 In 2019, the Dutch reporting centre for adverse effects of medical implants (MEBI) received 397 reports of suspected adverse effects. The reports concerned 462 implants.
Mesh implants intended to treat pelvic organ prolapse Synthetic mesh are used to treat patients with pelvic organ prolapse.
Control measures against the spread of Legionella from wastewater treatment plants Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) may spread Legionella via the air and cause pneumonia if people inhale them.
Slightly fewer adult smokers In 2018, 22.4 per cent of the Dutch adult population indicated they were occasional smokers.
Summary International Expert Meeting on breast implant-associated lymphoma On November 19th 2018, RIVM organised an international expert meeting on a rare type of lymphoma that is associated with breast implants.
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).
Large increase in legionellosis in the Netherlands The Municipal Public Health Services (GGD) received 561 reports of legionellosis over the past year. Never before has RIVM registered as many reports of this disease as in the past year.