Official Covid test no longer needed after positive self-test

After a positive self-test, people no longer have to go to the GGD from Monday to get tested and see whether they are actually infected with the coronavirus. Self-testing will be the norm from now on, but healthcare personnel and vulnerable people who cannot perform a self-test can still go to the health service.

People can also still go to the GGD for proof that they've recovered from the coronavirus, which may be necessary for traveling abroad.

The Ministry of Public Health wants to place more responsibility on citizens themselves. It is working on a "self-care advice" that states, among other things, what exactly to do after a positive coronavirus self-test, or if you tested negative but still have symptoms. The Ministry stressed that people still have to isolate themselves if they test positive.

The number of people tested by the GGD for the coronavirus has decreased. Last Tuesday, the number of GGD tests had fallen by about a third compared to a week earlier. The government wants to largely phase out the GGD testing locations. 

Now that the GGD won't be testing everyone with Covid-19 symptoms, the government plans to keep track of the coronavirus by checking sewage water, spot checks, and hospital admissions. 

Public health institute RIVM also stopped reporting figures on the number of positive coronavirus tests on weekends and public holidays.