After a period of three years, on Thursday 27 May, the GGD closed its testing and vaccination location at RAI Amsterdam. This closure marks the end of a remarkable collaboration and service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since the opening of the test lane at the RAI on 2 June, 2020, the GGD has played an essential role in combating the pandemic. Initially, it started with a testing lane where pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists could get tested. To meet the growing demand, the facilities within the RAI were relocated and expanded, including the addition of a vaccination site in January 2021. By the end of December 2021, the RAI even briefly became the largest testing and vaccination location in the Netherlands. "At the peak of the pandemic, the RAI was an XXL location. At that time, over 500 employees made it possible to administer more than 17,000 booster shots per day. The RAI was an indispensable location for Amsterdam during the testing and vaccination campaign, not only because of its location but also due to its excellent accessibility by public transport, bicycle, and car," said a spokesperson from GGD Amsterdam.
The booster campaign, which began in late December 2021, resulted in the Netherlands definitively reopening in February 2022, and the RAI officially reopened its doors for international fairs and conferences. These events occupied all the halls of the RAI completely. As a result, the GGD was relocated to a pavilion at the front of our exhibition and convention complex. This location has been of tremendous value to the city and society until Thursday 27 May.
On 8 Juni, the official farewell of the GGD pavilion took place, celebrating the collaboration between the GGD, the municipality of Amsterdam, and the RAI. The pavilion will be removed at the end of June, and parking lot P6 will be back in use as an event area from that moment onwards.