Government health advisors are recommending that primary schools do not send home entire classes if one pupil tests positive for coronavirus, Trouw reported on Monday.

Hundreds of schools have been affected by the measure since the end of the summer holidays, causing problems for teachers and parents alike.

However, Trouw says, the Outbreak Management Team which advises the government on dealing with the pandemic, is recommending that only pupils who have ‘close contact’ with the affected child be sent home.

Health minister Hugo de Jonge is due to publish new guidelines on September 20.

The current rule is ‘extremely unfortunate’, paediatrician and OMT member Karoly Illy told the paper.

‘In addition, by September 20 we will not be dealing with people returning from holiday in risky countries,’ he said. ‘So it is a relatively safe time to ditch the quarantine rule.’

A spokesman for the primary school council PO-raad said the organisation had been planning to request changes to the quarantine rules because of the difficulties they were creating.

At secondary schools, only pupils who are in close contact with children who test positive have to go into quarantine.

The Netherlands offers vaccinations against coronavirus to everyone over the age of 11.