Investigation launched into info leak from outbreak team

The Rijksrecherche launched an investigation into an information leak at the Outbreak Management Team (OMT) after its advice to reopen schools leaked even before the cabinet could discuss it over the weekend, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice and Security said to NU.nl.

The Rijksrecherche, the national department that handles internal investigations at government facilities, will try to find out at what point the advice leaked, and who was responsible. The OMT formulated its advice on Friday. It leaked on Saturday, before the cabinet could discuss it on Sunday.

Usually, after the OMT formulates advice, it goes to the administrative coordination consultation BAO, which assesses its feasibility before it goes to the government. In this case, the BAO will not issue an advice in protest against the leak, Health Minister Hugo de Jonge said in a letter to parliament. "With this decision, the BAO is sending a signal that it disapproves of what happened and that it cannot contribute to a careful decision making process in this way," De Jonge said.

On Sunday, the government decided to reopen primary schools and daycare facilities on February 8, based on the OMT advice. A majority in the OMT thinks this can be done safely, though there are a few experts that still consider it too great a risk.