Doctors, nurses & Covid vaccines dispatched to Curaçao

Over the Easter weekend, twenty Dutch medical experts left for Curaçao to help with the increasing number of Covid-19 patients on the Dutch Caribbean island. The medical team will also be able to help with administering the 30 thousand coronavirus vaccines the Netherlands sent to Curaçao and Aruba.

“It is quite something to put your life in the Netherlands on hold to help with the difficult circumstances in Curaçao. I wish everyone support with the intensive work that lies ahead of them”, State Secretary of Health, Paul Blokhuis says.

In addition, the Netherlands is sending extra medical equipment, including respirators, to the island.

Coronavirus infections on Curaçao have spiked in recent weeks. According to data from the John Hopkins University, the seven-day average is currently at 333 new cases per day on the island, which has a population of about 165 thousand inhabitants.

Hospitals have reached maximum capacity causing the Netherlands to issue a negative travel advice for the island on Friday.

Through April 15, nine additional Dutch doctors and nurses will be sent to Curaçao. The team will be supported by American colleagues from the Agency for Medical Innovations (AMI). Both in the Netherlands and in the United States, further medical professionals are being recruited for deployment to Curaçao.