Some 20 travelers from South Africa still in quarantine hotel

About 20 people are still staying in the quarantine hotel in Badhoevedorp. This group includes people who tested positive for Covid-19 after arriving at Schiphol from South Africa 10 days ago, as well as their loved ones. There are also several people who are allowed out of isolation but can't leave immediately for practical reasons.

"Formalities often still have to be arranged to start the return journey, and a flight has to be booked," explained the GGD Kennemerland. The GGD expects that several people will leave the hotel on Monday.

An unknown number of people will have to stay a while longer. "This is a challenging task for them. I am fully aware of that," said GGD director Bert van de Velden. "That's why we do everything we can to make their stay as good as possible by being generous in offering everything that's needed." Nurses are available daily "for immediate support" and to answer questions.

Anyone still testing positive for the coronavirus must remain in quarantine for longer. A mobile test unit comes by almost every day to test people. None of those involved are seriously ill. Some have minor complaints; others are asymptomatic.

A total of 44 travelers had to go into quarantine at the hotel on Friday, November 26. They had tested positive for the coronavirus when they returned from South Africa. The Cabinet decided on mass testing of people who arrived at Schiphol due to the identification of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Eighteen of the passengers who tested positive turned out to have this variant. Omicron is thought to be more contagious than previous coronavirus variants.