Questions from young people during the coronavirus pandemic

Why are you only allowed to meet one friend outside?

That makes it harder for people to infect one another. The more people you see, the greater the chance that you will become infected or infect others. That is why the government chose the temporary measures of a maximum of 2 people together outside and inviting a maximum of 2 friends or family members aged 13 and over into your home. After 18 November, you will once again be allowed to be in a group of 4 people on the street.

Fewer contacts also make it easier for the GGD to find out who has been in contact with whom. It is also easier for enforcement officers on the streets to monitor this rule, Rutte said at the press conference on 3 November. It may sometimes seem illogical: being allowed to be in class with a large group but not on the street. This is because school is important for young people. Read the question 'Why do secondary schools remain open?'.

Why do young people keep appearing in the news so negatively?

First of all, this is because the news focuses on things that stand out. Illegal coronavirus parties stand out; young people who follow the rules do not. It also has to do with the growing number of infections among young people. That is news too. It may not be pleasant for you to read those reports. If you follow the rules, you do not need to feel that they are directed at you. How much should you believe of reports in the media and on social media? It is always good to look critically at the reports you read. You can find more information on the page Dealing with (fake) news and Dealing with conspiracy theories.

Why do measures not work immediately?

This is because it takes some time before you develop symptoms after becoming infected. This is called the incubation period. With coronavirus, the incubation period is a maximum of 14 days. Most people develop symptoms within 10 days (Source: RIVM). So when new measures are introduced, it takes 10 to 14 days before you see the first effects. A little later, you can see whether fewer people are being admitted to hospital with coronavirus.

Why don't we create herd immunity among young people?

The idea of herd immunity among young people is interesting. Many young people would then have had coronavirus and, as a result, would have produced antibodies against the virus. This would protect them against the virus and reduce the chance of the virus spreading quickly. However, it is not entirely clear exactly how long you are immune after having had coronavirus. Research is being conducted into this. It is also simply not possible to ensure that only young people infect one another and then become protected against the virus. That is only possible in theory: if all young people lived together in isolation, on an island, for example.

Why do secondary schools remain open?

Schools are important for young people. Of course, they are important for learning subjects. But what is also important is that at school you see your classmates and friends, and you also have contact with your mentor and teachers. As a young person, you need these social contacts; they help you feel good. In class, a teacher can also notice how you are doing sooner than online.

Schools therefore remain open as much as possible. In practice, however, it is sometimes difficult to continue all lessons at school when many pupils and teachers are ill. That is why a school may decide to close its doors temporarily if there are many infections. The school must then ensure that all pupils can still properly attend their lessons.

Why are restaurants and cafés closed while gyms are open?

Yes, that seems illogical. It has to do with the number of journeys people make. When restaurants and cafés are open, people travel a lot. It is also difficult to keep your distance in the hospitality industry, especially when alcohol is involved. Gyms are important for people's health. In addition, it is easier to keep your distance in a gym.

The government is trying to take many things into account. It wants to ensure as few new infections and hospital admissions as possible, as well as as few negative effects as possible on, for example, young people. This makes things complicated.

Why don't people always follow the measures?

We do not know exactly. According to research by the RIVM, it has to do with all kinds of factors. Some people think that the chance of becoming infected themselves is small. Others do not follow the measures because the virus feels distant and unrelated to them. Still others do not follow them because the people around them do not either. There are also people who do not understand the rules properly or do not find them useful.

Half of the people in the RIVM study find some measures illogical or difficult to understand. That also does not help people follow them. This is also what Professor of Behavioural Influence Frenk van Harreveld of the University of Amsterdam says in an interview with de Volkskrant: ‘When people do not follow the coronavirus rules, it is often because they are too complex’.

Why are there additional measures until and including 18 November?

There are fewer infections than two weeks ago. But the number of infections is not falling quickly enough. In some regions, there are actually more infections. Because hospitals are still too busy with patients who have coronavirus, people with other complaints have to wait longer for care. With these stricter measures for two weeks, the government wants to ensure that the number of infections decreases more quickly. The idea is that this way, a little more will be allowed again from mid-December. And that would be nice for Christmas.