90 percent of healthcare workers report long-term complaints from coronavirus

Nine out of ten healthcare workers who contracted the coronavirus say they have long-term complaints after becoming infected with the disease, the AD reports.

According to the research platform Pointer, nearly 140 thousand employees in the medical field tested positive for the coronavirus; 900 of whom had to be hospitalized. 30 healthcare workers died as a result of Covid-19 complications.

The labor union FNV wants the government to compensate affected healthcare workers. A survey by the FNV and Pointer, amongst 3,600 healthcare workers found that a quarter who were infected with the coronavirus during the first wave experienced financial difficulties as a result.

Many healthcare workers said that rehabilitation costs were often not covered by their health insurance or other work benefits.

“We are talking about people who often did not have another choice and who risk their lives, often unprotected in order to help other people”, FNV, Kitty Jong said to the newspaper. “They are being punished for it in an especially cruel manner.”

“Especially during the first wave, the government took insufficient responsibility and there was not enough protective gear available”, Jong continued. “Moreover, we pointed out to the Ministry of Health for months the unclear RIVM guidelines behind which Minister van Ark and her predecessors always hid. Many employers refused to give employees necessary protective equipment when they asked for it because the guidelines did not mandate it.”

FNV wants funds reaching up to 20 thousand euros per person to be made available for healthcare workers who suffer long-term complaints from contracting the coronavirus. The scheme would be similar to already existing funds for asbestos victims.