British variant responsible for an estimated half of latest Dutch coronavirus infections

Yesterday, it was revealed that half of the latest coronavirus infections in the Netherlands are estimated to have been caused by the British variant of the virus. 

This was stated in a letter that the Dutch cabinet sent to the Lower House last night, the NOS reports. In the letter, it was written that the rate of reproduction (R rate) of the British variant was 49% higher than that of the initial coronavirus strain.

A higher rate of reproduction

In mid-January, it was estimated that the British variant has an R rate of 1.27, meaning that, on average, those who contract the virus will pass it on to at least one other person — if not more. In comparison, the R rate of the original coronavirus was estimated to stand at 0.85 in mid-January. In order to eradicate a virus, it is required that the R rate remains below 1.

Half of all new infections

In mid-January, it was estimated that a third of all coronavirus infections in the Netherlands could be attributed to the British variant. However, the letter stated that using the above figures, it is now estimated that of all Dutch infections with a first day of illness beginning on January 26, half are caused by the British variant.

Easing of restrictions

In recent days, the Dutch cabinet has decided to reopen primary schools and childcare and wants to reopen shops and restaurants for pick-up orders. It also hopes to end the curfew on February 10 should infection numbers continue to fall. However, some experts worry that the government is moving to quickly in its easing of restrictions.

What do you think of the government’s decisions? Do you think the Netherlands should be more worried about the British variant? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below. 

Feature Image: DutchReview/Canva

Sarah O'Leary 🇮🇪
Sarah O'Leary 🇮🇪
Before becoming the Senior Editor of DutchReview, Sarah was a fresh-faced international looking to learn more about the Netherlands. Since moving here in 2017, Sarah has added a BA in English and Philosophy (Hons.), an MA in Literature (Hons.), and over three years of writing experience at DutchReview to her skillset. When Sarah isn't acting as a safety threat to herself and others (cycling), you can find her trying to sound witty while writing about some of the stickier topics such as mortgages and Dutch law.

1 COMMENT

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related posts

Latest posts

Where are the ‘I amsterdam’ letters? The complete selfie guide

Here's a riddle for you: what weighs 250 kilos, is two metres high, and features in around 6,000 selfies a day? The I amsterdam...

Dutch companies are “selling” residence permits via the highly skilled migrant scheme

The Netherlands employs its so-called Kennismigranten (highly skilled migrants) in many sectors, from IT to academia to... nail salons, apparently. Yup, according to research by...

Expats may soon have to take an integration course when living in Amsterdam

If you're an expat living in Amsterdam, you could soon be asked to take Dutch language classes, history lessons, and volunteer time. That's right,...

It's happening

Upcoming events

The latest Dutch news.
In your inbox.