Every crisis situation is also an opportunity for people to lend a helping hand, demonstrate solidarity and be supportive of one other.
Here in the Netherlands, 20,000 ex-healthcare workers have signed up to help with the coronavirus outbreak, reports NU. This number includes both, those who are retired from the field and also those who have had a career change.
Relaxed laws allow former healthcare workers to return
Last week, the former Health Minister Bruins, who has since stepped down, relaxed laws around healthcare workers, allowing them to return to work more easily. Normally, there’s a register for healthcare workers that expires after a period of time. The new law allows those whose register expired after 2017 to return to work if they wish so.
The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport will also provide and pay for additional training if need be.
New corona tests are being researched
The new Minister of Health, De Jonge, has sent a letter to the House of Representatives urging that the country increases its testing capacity. He has also stated that production will begin on ventilation systems for patients.
In the meantime, the RIVM has started research about potential options for corona tests, including fast tests, and a committee will be created in order to look at how to improve the development and production of testing kits in the Netherlands.
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