Maybe you have gotten used already to most things being open again (finally!).
The quarantine rules for school-going children are still a bit confusing, I find.
The good news is that the entire class doesn’t need to quarantine anymore after 3 or more children in one class have tested positive. Now they look at the individual situation of each child. This is how it works (at this moment- things are often changing):
You can check your personal situation through the online quarantine check:
https://quarantainecheck.rijksoverheid.nl/en (in English).
Quarantine rules in short:
All children aged 4+ who have Covid symptoms should stay home and get tested asap, by means of a self-test or at the GGD.
Children from group 6 of primary school (age 9) to age 17 need to take a self-test twice a week. The school provides for these tests (free). This group of children and their teachers also need to wear a face mask in the hallways and common areas. In the classroom they make take the mask off again.
Getting tested
If the (self)test result is negative, the child may go back to school.
Is the self-test result positive? Then the child needs to get tested as soon as possible at the GGD. You can make an appointment through https://coronatest.nl or call 0800-1202.
Tip 1: If you answer you don’t have a car to drive to the test location, you’ll be referred to a location closer to home.
Tip 2: If you have a DigId, you’ll get the results quicker.
After a positive (self) test, you’ll have to quarantine immediately to prevent the possible spread of the virus.
The child has to stay home until they have been symptom-free for at least 24 hours, and for at least 7 days after their symptoms began. You start counting from the day the symptoms began.
If the child didn’t develop any symptoms at all, they can leave the house again after day 7. In this case you start counting from the date of the positive (self)test.
Rest of the family
The rest of the family doesn’t need to quarantine if:
They are free of corona symptoms
and
- Have had their booster shot longer than a week ago or;
- Have recovered from corona less than 8 weeks ago or;
- They are (regardless of age) student in daycare, primary education, secondary education or;
- They are 17 years or younger and student MBO, HBO, university or;
- According to their employer, their work is critical to their business or organisation
If the above-mentioned situations don’t apply, then all household members from 18 years and older need to stay in quarantine until the family member is not contagious anymore (after day 7 of testing positive, while having no symptoms anymore) PLUS 10 days. If you get a negative test with the GGD after day 5 of your quarantine, you may go outside again.
Even after being vaccinated, you can still catch the virus – usually you’ll get less sick then, but still), and you can still infect others. Therefore, the advice is to avoid contact with older adults and vulnerable persons until 10 days after the last contact with someone with corona.
Different rules apply for children from 0 to 3 years old. They are allowed to go to school/childcare even if they suffer from symptoms like:
- a runny nose
- nose cold
- sneezing
- sore throat
- an occasional cough
For teachers and other school staff, the same rules apply as to adults in general (see above). They get priority when testing with the GGD.
If you understand Dutch, you’ll surely enjoy this song De Snottebellekes by Even Tot Hier with Dutch comedians Niels van der Laan en Jeroen Woe.
