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Construction workers will lose 40,000 jobs over next two years due to the coronacrisis

Ailish Lalor
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Construction workers will lose 40,000 jobs over next two years due to the coronacrisis

The EIB (Economic Institute for Construction) predicts that the construction sector will be hit worse by the aftermath of the coronacrisis than it was by the financial crash of 2008. 40,000 construction workers are expected to lose their jobs over the next two years, NOS reports.

The problem is not so much the current social distancing measures themselves: most construction work is continuing for the moment, as it is quite adaptable to the current government measures. The problem, according to the EIB, will come after the social distancing rules are lifted.

The disappearance of investment plans

The disappearance of investment plans will be one of the major issues the construction industry faces. This is expected to cause a 15 percent contraction in the industry, as production grinds to a halt in many other sectors as a result of the coronacrisis. Overall, the CBP expects the economy to experience a huge contraction.

Entrepreneurs losing confidence in the economy

Entrepreneurs will also lose confidence in the economy, and decide not to forge ahead with plans to open new businesses, for example. At the very least, building plans will be postponed. “An owner of a catering chain is now only busy surviving and will postpone all plans for expansion of renovations,” says EIB director Taco van Hoek.

Nitrogen regulations won’t help

The construction industry will not be helped by the government’s nitrogen regulations, either, which it was already struggling under before the coronacrisis. However, these regulations are crucial to preserve nature in the Netherlands. It is also worrying that this construction crash will occur when the Netherlands is still struggling with a major housing crisis.

Follow the DutchReview Facebook page for more updates on the coronacrisis.

Feature image: Life-of-Pix/Pixabay

Dutch PM Rutte: “Stay at home Dutch people, Belgians and Germans stay away!’

Abuzer van Leeuwen 🇳🇱
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Dutch PM Rutte: “Stay at home Dutch people, Belgians and Germans stay away!’

Dutch PM Rutte had a little moment with the press today. At this moment he once again asked the Dutch people to stay at home, for Belgian and German tourists not to come and for people flying in from NYC to quarantine themselves.

Prime Minister Rutte has called upon the Dutch people to stay at home as much as possible this weekend. “Stay at home as much as possible, if you go shopping, do it alone and stick to the one and a half meter.” Rutte does not want the weekend, when good weather is expected, to lead to a new peak in corona infections.

He also had a message for our neighboring countries:

People returning should be in quarantine

Rutte also asks Dutch people who come by plane from the United States to go to home and quarantine for two weeks, as is reported by the NOS. New York, in particular, is regarded as a hotspot for corona infections. The government is making the same appeal to people who come to the Netherlands on a repatriation flight from countries whose flights are not normally not allowed to land in the Netherlands. This applies, for example, to Austria, Italy and Spain.

Rutte said that he would prefer to agree that the United States itself will do “pre-checks” for outgoing flights. But this is not yet a reality and according to Rutte it is also technically complicated.

Image: Minister-president Rutte/Flickr

The Netherlands can only support 2400 ICU beds due to lack of ICU nurses

Vlad Moca-Grama
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The Netherlands can only support 2400 ICU beds due to lack of ICU nurses

One of the greatest challenges for any healthcare system right now is having enough intensive care units (ICUs), to take in the high number of people infected with the coronavirus.

The Netherlands has only a limited number of ICU beds, and while there have been political calls for this number to be expanded to 3000, an association of nurses does not believe that is feasible, reports NOS.

A maximum of 2400 ICU beds

Gerton Heye, chairman of V & VN, a professional association of nurses, said that getting more than 2400 ICU beds is simply not possible, due to a lack of ICU nurses to manage them.

He points out that being an ICU nurse not only requires technical skills, but that it’s also a mentally straining job. Normally, an ICU nurse takes care of two patients, but in the near future, that number might increase to three or four patients.

Currently, nurses that work in other departments are taking over certain tasks normally done by ICU nurses.

Call for more ICU beds is irresponsible

According to Mr Heyne, asking for more ICU beds is irresponsible. Political parties like the PvdA and PVV that call for 3000 ICU beds to be implemented are sending an illusory message to society.

The problem is that if the number of patients increases in the following weeks, not everyone will be able to get an ICU bed and that increases the risk of death. Besides that, some beds need to be left open for non-coronavirus patients.

Hospitals have also criticised the call for more beds. The chairman of the  Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital in Tilburg has said that the maximum capacity of beds is expected to be fully occupied within the next five days. He further stated that “You can easily say that you want 3000 beds, but that is not a walk to the supermarket. The reality is really different.”

82 new patients in ICU compared to yesterday

As of now, there’s a total of 1,273 patients in intensive care units, with 82 new patients since yesterday. This increase in line to current expectations, according to the National Coordination Centre for Patient Distribution.

Follow the DutchReview Facebook page for more updates on COVID-19 in the Netherlands.

Feature Image: Calleamanecer/Wikimedia Commons 

Coronavirus update: 166 more deaths and 625 more hospitalisations

Ailish Lalor
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Coronavirus update: 166 more deaths and 625 more hospitalisations

The RIVM has published the latest count of coronavirus cases in the Netherlands. The new number is 14697 cases. This is an increase of 1083 cases since yesterday’s count, with 166 more deaths (total: 1339) and 625 more hospitalizations (5784 in total). 

These numbers are somewhat higher than those reported yesterday, but it’s important to remember that the numbers might be off by a bit, as the RIVM itself also has reported. Testing is not widespread enough to give us a good idea of how many people are infected, and recoveries are not currently being recorded. Furthermore, deaths and hospitalisations are not always reported on the day they occur.

What is important is the number of intensive care units that are left, because having enough capacity is crucial to stopping unnecessary deaths. Currently, there are 1400 beds available across the country, with 1191 being filled yesterday. The Netherlands also has an agreement with Germany, which will take some of our IC patients if we run out of beds.

What else is happening with coronavirus in the Netherlands today?

Virologists expect coronavirus rules to persist til July at least

The big news today is that Dutch virologists are expecting most of the current coronavirus measures and regulations to extend well into the summer, to July at the earliest. They also reckon that the rules will be relaxed in a staggered mechanism, with schools going back first, then restaurants, and then perhaps public gatherings by late autumn. But much is still unclear, and a lot of research still needs to bear fruit before further decisions are taken by the government on 28 April.

The Netherlands suggests a European emergency fund for coronavirus

Rutte has suggested a emergency European relief fund for countries hit particularly hard by coronavirus. This fund should total between 10 and 20 billion, and countries should contribute proportionally. Hoekstra suggested in an interview yesterday that the Netherlands would give one billion euros to the fund.

Coronavirus to cause drugs shortages in coming years

There are likely to be long term shortages in pharmaceutical drugs as a result of coronavirus. India and China produce 80% of the pharmaceutical drugs sold in the Netherlands, but because factories there have closed as a result of the outbreak, a drugs shortage is likely to persist for years in the Netherlands.

Caterpillars to be left in peace this year

And, one unexpected story: because protective clothing is being used by the healthcare industry much more than it usually is at the moment, the people who usually suck up the nests of oak processionary caterpillars cannot do so. They need protective suits to fend off the stinging hairs the caterpillars release.

Follow the DutchReview Facebook page for more updates on COVID-19 in the Netherlands.

Feature Image: DutchReview/Canva

The coronavirus crisis might cause a long-term shortage of pharmaceutical drugs

Vlad Moca-Grama
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The coronavirus crisis might cause a long-term shortage of pharmaceutical drugs

India and China produce 80% of the pharmaceutical drugs sold in the Netherlands. Because these factories are now closed due to the coronavirus outbreak, there might be a potential shortage. 

Factories in China have been closed for weeks, and due to the lockdown in India, production has come to a standstill. This creates a scarcity of products. The shortage of pharmaceutical drugs in the Netherlands might potentially last years, according to RTL Nieuws.

The shortage could potentially last years

How long the shortage will last depends entirely on how long the coronavirus crisis lasts, says Ludwig Castelijns, the director of the medicine wholesaler Mosadex.

Any impact on the normal production chain means that overtime hours will be required from those working in the industry to make up for the lost time, but given the current crisis, that may not happen anytime soon.

The dependence of the Netherlands on imports of pharmaceuticals is not a new problem, and experts have expressed concern over this issue in the past couple of years.

Precedent in 2017

A similar situation happened back in 2017 when 1500 Chinese factories had to close due to air pollution.

The situation caused a severe shortage of tuberculosis medicine, and the World Health Organization even requested that the factories open again.

The Minister of Health at the time, Bruno Bruins, expressed that the Netherlands should develop an emergency stock of pharmaceuticals for these kinds of situations back in 2018, but the plans were unfortunately never realised. The price tag of the project at that time was €50 million.

Now, with the current crisis, the price tag would be substantially higher.

Risk of deaths that are normally preventable

The current shortage of pharmaceuticals means that people might die from causes that may normally be preventable.

The Ministry of Health has confirmed that it is now looking for ways to build up stock as soon as possible and a decision will be made during summer.

Follow the DutchReview Facebook page for more updates on COVID-19 in the Netherlands.

Feature Image: freestocks/Pexels

 

 

 

Caterpillars strike nation while it’s down, #cancelcaterpillars

Ailish Lalor
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Caterpillars strike nation while it’s down, #cancelcaterpillars

The Netherlands will be overwhelmed by the oak processionary caterpillar this summer, in addition to its other woes. The protective suits that fighters of the oak processionary caterpillar usually wear are in short supply, as they are being used by healthcare workers treating coronavirus patients. 

The oak processionary caterpillar might not sound like much of a threat- and compared to coronavirus, of course, it isn’t. But it is a real nuisance to anyone who wants to be in nature this summer. Usually, the nests are sucked off trees by people wearing the protective suits because the evil little caterpillars release stinging hairs, which can cause itching, bumps, red spots and eye complaints.

It is definitely not a good idea for people to attempt sucking the caterpillars off the oak trees, according to Marc Kusters of VHG, the Gardener’s Association of the Netherlands. “That would really go wrong,” he said in an interview with NOS.

However, the oak processionary caterpillar is a growing annoyance in the Netherlands: last year 150 in 100,000 people were affected by the stinging hairs, in comparison to 20 in 100,000 as an average of the years before.

Basically, caterpillars are striking us while we’re down, and that’s just not nice. #CancelCaterpillars.

Feature Image: MrsJacqueline/Pixabay

One billion euros from the Netherlands for European coronavirus relief fund, says Hoekstra

Ailish Lalor
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One billion euros from the Netherlands for European coronavirus relief fund, says Hoekstra

After being criticised by Spain and Italy for its lack of compassion, the Netherlands is now beginning to change its stance on a coronavirus emergency fund for countries particularly hard hit by the virus.

Hoekstra, the Minister for Finance, wants the Netherlands to put about one billion euros into a European emergency fund for countries struggling with coronavirus.

Fund should total between 10 and 20 billion euros

This fund is hoped to total between 10 and 20 billion euros, according to Prime Minister Rutte. He did not want to be more specific about exactly what the Netherlands would put into the fund until it was all established. “I am not going to speculate. We must first see whether that fund will be created.” The amounts countries are expected to donate should be proportional, according to the Prime Minister.

The Netherlands changes its stance

This is a back-track from the Netherlands’ original, fairly harsh position, which was criticised by Spain and Italy. The original plan was to use money from the European Stabilisation Mechanism to help out affected countries, but that would have imposed very strict conditions on those countries (which no one needs right now). Yesterday, Hoekstra admitted that he had not shown enough empathy towards affected countries, and noted that it was in the Netherlands’ interest to have a strong European Union.

Now, the fund will be an emergency fund, which countries will not have to repay.

Follow the DutchReview Facebook page for more updates on COVID-19 in the Netherlands.

Feature Image: Still of NOS press conference, by DutchReview. 

Virologists expect most coronavirus rules to continue until July at the earliest

Ailish Lalor
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Virologists expect most coronavirus rules to continue until July at the earliest

Bad news if you were hoping to go on vacation this summer- or if you were hoping to resume normal life any time soon. Dutch virologists expect that coronavirus rules, such as the required 1.5 meter distance between people and the closures of restaurants and bars, will persist until July at least.

Most of us probably already knew this, in some dark corner of our brain, but it seems that normal life will not be returning any time soon, NOS reports with a series of interviews with virologists. None of them expect public life to resume before July, and several expect that many of the rules, especially those about public gatherings, may persist into next winter.

Peak of patients expected in May

There is no official prediction from the RIVM yet, and as of Tuesday, the government extended its current measures until April 28. But Director of the RIVM Jaap van Dissel told the House of Representatives on Wednesday that there is still a long way to go. Those of us who paid attention to Rutte’s press conference on Tuesday also won’t be surprised that measures are expected to continue past April 28: Rutte himself said that he would not plan to go away for the May holidays.

He expects the number of people in intensive care will hit its peak in May, and won’t return to current levels until July (that’s 1200 beds occupied, by the way). It is necessary to continue the coronavirus rules until the virus is fully under control, van Dissel says, otherwise you can expect it to just come back again.

A lot is still unknown about the virus

A lot is still uncertain about the virus, and how long it will take to get it under control. Plenty is still unknown: for example, it is not yet clear if children spread the virus. If research shows that they do not, they may be able to return to school sooner than otherwise expected. It is also unclear what percentage of the population is immune to the virus: if that’s higher than expected, we can also return to regular life sooner rather than later.

At the moment, it seems that the transmission rate of the virus is 0.3: a number low enough that if it remains constant, the virus will eventually extinguish itself. However, its ability to do that relies upon our continuation of social distancing measures.

Lifting social distancing measures will be staggered

It is likely that the coronavirus prevention measures will not be lifted all together: instead, they will probably be staggered and targeted. Restaurants will probably reopen before festivals or concert halls, for example.

Despite their uniform prediction that the measures against the virus will persist well after April 28, the virologists thought that it was a good date for the government to have chosen for a reevaluation. More information will be available to them then, including an indication of how effective the current measures are.

Follow DutchReview on Facebook for more information about coronavirus in the Netherlands.

Feature Image: Free-Photos/Pixabay

Sex workers still open for business, despite coronavirus

Vedika Luthra
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Sex workers still open for business, despite coronavirus

The Red Light district may not be quite so lit due to coronavirus measures that have shut down most businesses across the country. But sex workers are still in business — from home, that is. 

To prevent the spread of coronavirus in the Netherlands, the (former) Minister of Medical Care, Bruno Bruins announced that restaurants, sports clubs and — you guessed it, sex clubs, were to be closed. This announcement was made over two weeks ago.

Additional measures announced on March 24, include the prohibition of contact professions, including escort services and sex workers.

So what does that mean for sex workers?

Working from home

According to NOS, sex workers across the country are, like many of us in the Netherlands, working from home now.

“You shouldn’t think I’m lying around all day,” says Monica (a pseudonym) to NOS. “We also do some kind of work. A lot of my colleagues from the clubs do the same thing, either they work from home or they rent a room with a friend.”

Monica expects that more and more sex workers will increasingly relegate their work to the private sphere. “You can’t go hungry,” she notes. “It’s like the hairdresser, I can’t go there now so they must come to my house. Life continues, but under the radar.”

Money matters

Although the measures have been put into place for a reason, “the rent still has to be paid and the bread still has to be put on the shelf,” escort Lyle Munns of the non-profit brothel, My Red Light states. According to Munn, the longer the lockdown lasts, the more people will return to work to prevent losing customers.

Although some sex workers can claim remuneration from the government through social security schemes and emergency funds, a proportion is not covered here. Firstly, not all prostitutes are self-employed, and not all of them have a DigiD, making it impossible for this group to claim benefits.

Do you think stricter measures should be in place to restrict practices that go against the social distancing measures? Let us know in the comments.

Feature Image: Massimo Catarinella/Wikimedia Commons

See someone break coronavirus measures? Now you can report them through an app

Vlad Moca-Grama
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See someone break coronavirus measures? Now you can report them through an app

In the past couple of weeks, it’s not hard to spot people who are clearly breaking the restrictions in place to contain and limit the spread of the coronavirus.

Well, if you felt like you wanted to take matters into your own hands (which are washed, of course) you’re in luck. Now you can report people who break these rules through a phone app, according to NOS.

MyMunicipality apps options for reporting rule-breakers

In North-Holland, two municipalities, Purmerend and Beemster give MyMunicipality app users an option to submit reports about broken streetlights and that kind of stuff. A new report-category is now activated strictly to limit the spread of coronavirus.

So far, 132 reports have been made through the apps, mostly about groups of three or more people roaming the streets and/or not respecting the distance of 1.5 meters.

What makes the app so efficient is that the report reaches the law straight away, so they can also act faster upon the issue rather than making a phone call that can take longer.

Other municipalities have also implemented a similar category in their app, and another alternative is to call at a specialised police number for these types of issues — 0900-8844.

What about just talking to the people in question?

Obviously, the more preferable option is that you just address the people who break the measures, rather than reporting them outright.

If you do choose to talk to them, there’s a few things you should keep in mind. Carsten de Dreu, Professor of Social and Organisational Psychology at Leiden University, suggests that you should avoid being too blunt in your tone (obviously, a bit of bluntness is expected in the Netherlands) That’s because people who are confronted with their mistakes aggressively are less likely to implement any sort of behavioural change.

A better way of addressing them is by resorting to their common sense and empathy, such as telling them something like ‘I’m worried about my elderly mother, could you help me by keeping a bit more distance?’ That way, they are less likely to lash out at you for confronting them, while also adjusting their behaviour accordingly.

Reports also made for commercial crimes

People have not only reported social distancing or group misdoings, but so-called commercial crimes as well. This includes businesses that are still open, such as bars that bring their clients through the backdoor, gyms that are still operating, or even brothels.

So far, 90 such cases have been reported to the police.

Should a coronavirus crime category be added to all local municipality apps? And it this being a good citizen or just a bit too much? Let us know in the comments!

Feature Image: natureaddict/Pixabay.
https://pixabay.com/nl/photos/pokemon-games-digitale-elektronica-1543556/

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