The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 causes coronavirus disease 2019, abbreviated as COVID-19. COVID-19 symptoms are similar to symptoms of a common cold at first. However, the disease can cause severe pneumonia, which can be fatal. 

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COVID-19 symptoms

Common symptoms of COVID-19 are:

  • Cold symptoms such as a nasal cold, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat
  • Coughing
  • Shortness of breath
  • Elevated temperature or a fever
  • Sudden loss of taste and smell (without nasal congestion)

Read more about the coronavirus disease COVID-19. 

When to call a GP

Call your GP if your symptoms grow worse:

  • Do you have a fever (above 38 degrees Celsius) and shortness of breath ?
  • Are you over 70-years old, and have an underlying health condition or are more susceptible, AND have a fever

Important: do not go to your GP, instead call the GP or the out of hours medical centre (huisartsenpost in Dutch). If you are experiencing severe symptoms, contact a doctor immediately.

Measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19

  • Wash your hands  often with soap and water
  • Cough and sneeze into your elbow
  • Use paper tissues to blow your nose and discard them after use
  • Do not shake hands
  • Stay 1.5 metres (2 arms lengths) away from other people.

View all measures to combat COVID-19 on Government.nl.

Other sources of information

UK variant gains ground in the Netherlands

In the past week, from 20 to 26 January, the reported number of people who tested positive for COVID-19 decreased slightly, dropping by 8%.

01/26/2021 - 16:35

Rise in new COVID-19 variants overshadows more positive developments

A moderately positive overview in the number of newly reported people who tested positive for COVID-19 can be observed in the Netherlands in the week of 13 to 19 January, as an effect of the lockdown that started on 15 December.

01/19/2021 - 16:00

COVID-19 vaccinations for first residents of nursing homes and small-scale residential facilities

Today, the first COVID-19 vaccines will be administered to residents of nursing homes and care fa

01/18/2021 - 16:54

Tentative decrease becomes visible

For the second week in a row, the number of newly reported COVID-19 infections decreased somewhat. The percentage of people who tested positive for COVID-19 decreased slightly, dropping from 13.7% to 12.8%.

01/12/2021 - 16:00
Tijdelijk bord van de gemeente Den Haag, bevestigd aan een paal bij een sportveld, dat wijst op de maatregelen die zijn genomen in het kader van de aanpak van het coronavirus.

South African coronavirus variant found in the Netherlands

The South African variant of the coronavirus (501Y.V2) has been identified in the Netherlands for

01/08/2021 - 22:23
Coronavirus in kleur

Update on the spread of the UK coronavirus variant (VOC 202012/01) in the Netherlands

The number of people that have been found to have the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus variant designat

01/07/2021 - 08:58
Coronavirus in kleur

First COVID-19 vaccination in the Netherlands given at GGD vaccination site in Veghel

Care workers in nursing homes and small-scale residential facilities received the first COVID-19

01/06/2021 - 12:55
Eerste pfizer prik in Nederland

Decisive decrease not yet visible

Decisive effects from the lockdown of 15 December have yet to be seen. Although there was a decrease in the number of people who were tested and the number of people who tested positive for COVID-19.

01/05/2021 - 15:28
vrouw aan het thuiswerken

Minor decrease in percentage of people who tested positive, slower increase in hospital and ICU admissions

In the past week, from 23 to 29 December, the reported number of people who tested positive for COVID-19 was 67,388. This is a slight decrease of 11.7% compared to the week of 16 to 22 December.

12/29/2020 - 16:50
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