Alternative healers want to be open during lockdown

Alternative practitioners like chiropractors, acupuncturists and osteopaths want the government to give them permission to practice during the five week-long lockdown implemented on Monday. "We understand the strict measures that are needed to fight the virus, but are not able to explain to our patients why we have to close," the Dutch chiropractors' association NCA said to news wire ANP.

According to the NCA, "similar contact professions in exercise care" are allowed to practice, but the around 300 chiropractors in the Netherlands have to close shop. They find it "especially sad for the patients who have now been deprived of our care for at least a month, while it is so much needed now."

According to the association, there are many more people with back and neck problems due to working from home in unsuited chairs. "Too little exercise and too few breaks, but also an often unsuitable workplace and hardly any social contacts can often lead to serious complaints."

The Dutch associations of osteopathy NVO and acupuncture NVA also said they regret having to close and are working behind the scenes to try and rectify this.

The government decided to allow medical and para-medical care during the lockdown. This includes things like physiotherapy. But as chiropractic, osteopathy, and acupuncture have not been scientifically proven to actually work, they are classified as alternative medicine. And there is no exception for alternative medicines in the lockdown.