From 13 - 16 September 2023, the Environmental Assessment Unit (EAU) of RIVM participated in FORMATEX23, a European Natech (Natural Hazards Triggering Technological Disasters) disaster exercise in Austria. FORMATEX facilitates collaboration between experts in chemical, biological, and radiological risks and operational teams that can be deployed to provide humanitarian assistance in large-scale emergencies.

Frequently asked questions and answers about pregnancy and the flu vaccine.

Flu vaccination during pregnancy is safe for you and your baby. Extensive research has confirmed this. Since 2021, pregnant women have been able to get the flu vaccine in the Netherlands. The rest of the world approved it much earlier, and experiences have been positive.

Compliance with the COVID-19 measures could still be improved, even though it appeared to remain more or less the same overall in recent months. There is still broad support for these measures. There does not appear to be any immediate “COVID-19 fatigue” in the sense of a decrease in urgency and compliance. However, since the stricter measures were implemented, there has been another decline in social and mental well-being, with younger people scoring the worst. This was clear from behavioural research  conducted by RIVM and the Municipal Public Health Services (GGDs) around New Year’s.

Thorough knowledge of behavioural and social science processes and interventions during pandemics is vitally important to an effective response during an outbreak. This page presents information on what RIVM plans to do in terms of systematically structuring knowledge about behavioural science to prevent and control future pandemics. It also provides an overview of relevant resources on behavioural science and practical products for pandemic preparedness for use in policy, actual practice and scientific research.

Human behaviour – by private citizens, professionals and care workers – plays a key role in the prevention, timely detection and effective treatment of disease. The COVID-19 pandemic clearly demonstrates the importance of large-scale behavioural change. Testing, physical distancing and vaccinating were essential to an effective response. Access to current behavioural knowledge and practically applicable operational perspectives supported policy-makers, professionals and care workers in designing the desired behavioural changes. Examples include knowledge about building public support for current or future measures, or about effective communication. The possible societal impact of measures on e.g. mental health were also taken into account.