Whilst certain cabinet members are of the opinion that a code black scenario is a distant worry, the situation in Zuyderland hospital in South Limburg tells a different story.
The hospital is now under so much pressure that it has asked its employees who are sick with coronavirus to continue working, the NOS reports.
An absoulte emergency measure
Speaking to Nieuwsuur, Hospital director, David Jongen explains that this is an “absolute emergency measure.” Employees who have tested positive for coronavirus but have little or no symptoms are being asked to remain working.
READ MORE | Weekly update: 153,000 infections in one week, could this mean lockdown?
Speaking on whether the hospitals can face a code black situation, Jongen says that “whether it turns code black or brown, it doesn’t matter. We would just have to close the doors, we wouldn’t be able to do it anymore.”
Planned care to be cancelled
Last night, it was also announced that a large part of planned care in the Netherlands will be cancelled for the time being. This will be for a short term only and surgeries that do not require the patient to stay in a hospital bed can continue.
However, in Limburg, the NRC reports that even serious planned care will have to be temporarily cancelled. What counts as serious? Think cancer, brain and heart surgery.
Stay safe out there guys — and remember, if your nose is runny or your throat’s a bit scratchy, try to stay home, build a pillow fort, test yourself, and binge your favourite show.
Follow DutchReview on Facebook for the latest news and updates in the Netherlands.
Feature Image: Anna Shvets/Pexels