Government coronavirus advisors say that primary schools can begin preparing to welcome pupils again after the May holiday, in a first limited step to relaxing the current rules.

Any opening would be partial and in stages – such as half classes and lessons every other day – health officials say in 13 pages of recommendations to the cabinet on Tuesday.

The government’s team of outbreak advisors (OMT) has analysed the current measures and their impact, ahead of Tuesday night’s press conference during which prime minister Mark Rutte will reveal what steps are being taken to return to normality.

Rutte has already warned that if any rules are relaxed after April 28, they will be minor, and insiders say a partial reopening of primary schools and daycare are likely to be the first tentative step.

Initial research into the spread of coronavirus among children indicates that they are both less likely than adults to contract the disease and less likely to develop serious symptoms, the NRC reported on Monday. Results of research into the spread of coronavirus among Dutch children are not expected before June 1.

The OMT says three criteria have to be met before any social distancing rules can be made more flexible, of which the most important is that the impact on health and the health services is ‘manageable’.

If there is no major outbreak a month after reopening primary schools, secondary schools can begin preparations to resume physical classroom teaching the OMT said. One proviso is that it becomes easier for teaching staff to be tested for the disease.

Sport

The OMT also recommends that children, teenagers and non-team top athletes be able to resume training, as long as the over 12s can maintain the 1.5 metre rule. However, organised team sports are not a good idea because simulations show the virus can remain in droplets up to 20 metres behind someone who is running, officials say.

This would appear to put paid to hopes that the football season can resume in July.

Nursing homes

The OMT has rejected pleas that relatives be allowed to visit nursing home residents, saying the risk of infection is too great and further studies, possibly in the form of small pilots, are needed.

But the OMT experts have not reached agreement on whether people whose work involves touching others – such as hairdressers and physiotherapists – should be allowed to start again if they wear gloves and masks.

‘The issue here is the lack of clarity about the role of pre-symptomatic infection in such situations, and therefore the need to wear protective clothing outside the healthcare sector,’ the OMT recommendations said. Dentists, who are used to wearing protective clothing, may be allowed to practice again.

The press conference will be broadcast on NOS television and NOS social media and DutchNews.nl will live tweet for non Dutch speakers as the prime minister makes his announcements.