Official COVID-19 test is no longer needed in Netherlands to confirm infection
April 12, 2022, 8:55 am

Official COVID-19 test is no longer needed in Netherlands to confirm infection

The Dutch government announced that starting from Monday (Apr 11), an official COVID-19 test is no longer needed in the Netherlands to confirm whether someone is infected with the virus (File photo: Pixabay)

The Xinhua reported, according to the Dutch government, starting from Monday (Apr 11), an official COVID-19 test is no longer needed in the Netherlands to confirm whether someone is infected with the virus.

A self-test is the starting point from now on for determining if someone is infected with COVID-19. This means that it is no longer necessary to have this confirmed by the Municipal Public Health Services (GGDs), as was usual before.

A GGD test remains possible for specific groups, for example, people who work in healthcare or who cannot use a self-test. A formal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test can still be requested by people who need proof of health, like those traveling abroad.

The Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport said in a statement: "Self-tests are reliable for testing complaints, widely available and provide a quick result. In addition, advice will be made available to help people if they or someone close to them gets a positive test result."

A self-test is the starting point from now on for determining if someone is infected with COVID-19. This means that it is no longer necessary to have this confirmed by the Municipal Public Health Services (GGDs), as was usual before (File photo: Pixabay)

With the use of self-tests, people get more responsibility for themselves. The ministry said: "It is still very important to go into isolation when there is a positive self-test. This prevents other people from being infected."

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Now that testing at the GGD is no longer the starting point, the coronavirus will be monitored in a different way and no longer by collecting positive GGD tests.

The ministry said: "We keep a close eye on how the virus spreads and whether new variants arise through the sewage water, samples and on the basis of hospital admissions and the situation in nursing homes."

Source: xinhua

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”