What the Netherlands can learn from the Danes: having your data on order
With rightful self-confidence, the Danish government lifted all corona measures in one fell swoop on Tuesday. The Danes threw off their masks and celebrated Liberation Day in September, just like last year. Nightlife was allowed again, a corona pass was no longer shown anywhere. It could be that the Danes will colorfully retrace their steps in a while. In any case, their decision differs sharply from the hesitation in seeking out the Dutch government ‘after a long time’ at the end of January, ‘at the risk that we will be accused of being accused of yo-yo policy in another few weeks’. Where for Prime Minister Rutte and his cabinet were mainly ‘cries for help’, ‘actions’ and ‘motion’ to give permission for catering, theaters and other locations to reopen – limited -, the Danish government established without any permission that Covid- 19 could no longer be intended as a ‘danger to society’ and that there was therefore no longer any reason to impose restrictions on citizens.
The Danes do not see the implementation of all measures as a ‘risk’, as Prime Minister Rutte did about the Dutch relaxation, but as a well-considered and rational decision, based on thoroughly collected and implemented data. In the week before the reopening, the number of patients with a positive test in Danish hospitals fell to 1,000, in ICUs to below 40.
The Danes can in no way be accused of naivety, the way they monitor the corona virus improves respect. It can test over three times as much as the Netherlands (433 versus 155), the population is three times smaller (5.8 million versus 17.4 million). Infections are developed, traced and isolated, their reach traced. Every positive test is examined in a central lab to identify the virus variant. For example, the Danes were quick to make the Delta variant last year.
Compare that with the faltering and overloaded GGDs in the Netherlands, and the fragmentation of laboratories. Those who wanted to make a test appointment in recent weeks often encountered the announcement that there was no more room. Source and contact research doesn’t seem to be getting much anymore. The registration of the test results at the RIVM is also failing. The backlog of more than 100,000 positive tests. The Netherlands has lost sight of the virus, a lot is clear.
It is not the case that the Danes have completely eradicated Covid-19 with their thorough monitoring of the virus. In the week before the country of the lock, there were still more than 43,000 new infections per day. But the Danes know with more certainty when they really have to intervene and are also better prepared for it. Think of the booster campaign, which only got off to a painful start in the Netherlands.
In the Netherlands, confidence in corona policy has continued to fall, but not in Denmark. Even if the Danish government implements ‘jo policy’ – leave rules and reintroduce them after a few months – most De ferns follow what is asked. The early detection and isolation of infections reduced the necessary conditions for the rest of the population. If the Netherlands also wants this, it will require investments in a testing, lab and vaccination structure that can be scaled up and down quickly. But that can increase confidence in corona policy boost give, and that’s worth something.
A version of this article also in NRC in the morning of February 4, 2022