Public health advice ahead of WorldPride 2026 in Amsterdam
Joint health advice issued by WHO Regional Office for Europe, the European Centre for Disease Prevention & Control, and the Dutch National Institue for Public Health and the Environment
Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Stockholm - 21 July 2026
**PDF ATTACHED AT THE END OF THIS MESSAGE**
As WorldPride 2026 brings an estimated one million visitors to Amsterdam from 25 July to 8 August, WHO/Europe, the Dutch national health institute RIVM, and ECDC have issued joint public health advice covering everything attendees need to know before and during the event. The guidance spans vaccination checks, heatwave precautions, food and water safety, and sexual health, including practical steps to reduce STI transmission and access to PrEP and post-exposure prophylaxis in Amsterdam.
The advisory also flags dermatophilosis, a skin infection with clusters reported since December 2025 in France, Germany, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands, mainly among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, alongside more familiar risks like mpox and antimicrobial-resistant gonorrhoea. It also addresses Ebola monitoring for anyone who has travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo or Uganda in the past 21 days, reflecting the breadth of threats health authorities are tracking around a mass gathering of this scale.
Tanja Schmidt, Programme Manager, Division of Health Security, WHO/Europe, said:
"WorldPride is a celebration, and we want everyone to enjoy it safely. A few simple steps, like checking your vaccinations and staying hydrated in the heat, go a long way. But this is also about something bigger: every person deserves to be safe getting the healthcare they need, wherever they are and whoever they love. Health for all means health for all, no exceptions."
The full document (attached to this message) gives concrete, actionable advice, including where to get tested or find PrEP in Amsterdam, emergency contact details, and tips for staying safe in crowds.
ENDS
CONTACTS
Bhanu Bhatnagar, bbhatnagar@who.int
Sarah Tyler, tylers@who.int