A few cases of the new sub-variant of the coronavirus Delta variant have been diagnosed in the Netherlands, according to the public health institute RIVM, NOS reports
The sub-variant ‘A.Y.4.2’ now accounts for 0.1 to 0.2 percent of the coronavirus infections in the Netherlands, the RIVM said.
First identified in India, the delta variant is advancing and is expected to replace the alpha variant (initially known as the UK variant) as the dominant strain in the Netherlands over the course of the summer. Similar trends are also occurring in the surrounding countries.
Last year, the number of infections rose in autumn, after a relatively quiet COVID-19 summer. That was because travellers were infected at their holiday destination and brought the virus back to the Netherlands when they returned. Combined with an increase in social contacts, that led to increased spread of the new variants in the Netherlands.
Vaccination offers protection against all the variants, including the delta variant.
But everyone needs to keep following the measures. wash your hands regularly, and get tested if you have symptoms – even on holiday, and even after you are vaccinated.
