The Dutch government plans strong measures to curb COVID-19

Amsterdam — The Dutch government announced on Thursday that it will take strong steps to control COVID-19 infections as hospitals have reduced other care to give way to COVID-19 patients.

Approximately 85% of the Dutch adult population is fully vaccinated with COVID-19, but the Netherlands has averaged over 20,000 new cases daily over the past week, peaking at the peak seen in the previous wave. It is over.

“There is no doubt that such heavy measures will be needed,” Health Minister Hu Ge de Jongge told reporters in The Hague.

He admitted that the measures taken at the beginning of November were not sufficient. These included the reintroduction and partial blockade of wearing protective face masks in stores and encouraged people to close at home, bars and restaurants at 8 pm.

“The turning point will not happen on its own,” he added, adding that the government has not yet made a final decision on what new measures will be needed.

The national broadcast NOS reported that the National Outbreak Management Team (OMT) advised the government to keep schools open and close restaurants, bars, and non-essential stores by 5 pm. ..

The government’s proposal to restrict access to public places to vaccinated or recently recovered from COVID-19 caused a three-night riot last Friday, arresting more than 170 people nationwide. I did.

The National Network for Critical Care said Thursday that all hospitals were forced to postpone their daily work to free beds for COVID-19 patients.

“There are hospitals in some areas that are reducing care,” said spokesman Mariel Crooner. “We are talking about care that requires a bed. This means that many operations have been cancelled.”

The number of COVID-19 patients in hospitals has reached a level not seen since early May, and experts warn that if the number of infections continues to increase, there will be a shortage of intensive care unit space by the end of the month. This week, several Dutch COVID-19 patients were transferred to a German hospital.

In the next phase of the crisis response plan, the hospital can also request military and student assistance to assist in the care of the patient.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Netherlands has recorded more than 2.5 million cases and more than 19,000 deaths.

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