Are we sticking to the coronavirus rules?

27 January 2021

If we all wash our hands often, stay 1.5 metres away from other people and wear a face mask, the number of coronavirus infections will drop. So it’s essential for everyone to stick closely to the rules. But is this actually happening? The dashboard gives this information under the heading ‘Behaviour’.

This article explains the 'Compliance and support' page on the dashboard. You will also find the most recent figures there.

The government’s basic rules are intended to control the virus, avoid overburdening the healthcare system and protect vulnerable people. The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) carries out a survey every three weeks to find out what people think of the measures, and whether they are sticking to them. Around 5,000 people answer questions on, for example, using face masks, working from home, staying 1.5 metres apart and avoiding busy places.

Behaviour on the dashboard

The page headed ‘Behaviour’ tells you what percentage of respondents stick to the basic rules (compliance) and whether people think these rules are a good idea (support). You can also see whether these figures have changed compared to the previous measurement. This is indicated by ‘higher’, ‘lower’ or a dash if there is no difference.

This image shows some of the basic rules we must follow in order to reduce the number of infections.

Changes over time

The graph headed ‘Basic rules over time’ enables you to look further back in time. You can select a measure from the drop-down menu above the graph.

This graph shows -over a longer period- whether people are complying with the rules.

More support than compliance

The dashboard shows you that people often agree with the measures, but don’t always stick to them themselves. We practically all agree that we need to wash our hands, but we don’t do it anywhere near as often as we should.

Behaviour by safety region

The map of the Netherlands allows you to compare the different safety regions. You can see, for example, what percentage of people in Fryslân wear a face mask, and compare this with Twente. Tap or use your cursor to select a region. This will enable you to see differences in both compliance and support. The lighter the region is coloured, the better the people there are complying with the measures.

This image shows the differences between the safety regions when it comes to adhering to the rules of conduct.

Research is essential for measures

The results of research on behaviour help RIVM to determine what effect measures will have. So policymakers can use these results to set appropriate rules that people can stick to.