All healthcare workers will receive a coronavirus bonus of €200 to €240

Everyone working in the healthcare sector will receive a bonus of between 200 and 240 euros, the caretaker minister of medical care, Tamara van Ark, said in the Tweede Kamer on Thursday. This decision followed a dilemma Van Ark outlined in a letter to Tweede Kamer earlier, saying she was undecided between offering a larger bonus to coronavirus frontline health workers, or a smaller amount to everyone working in the healthcare sector, NOS reported

Van Ark decided against a bonus of 500 euros for all healthcare personnel as that would cost 765 million euros extra which has not been budgeted. She also explained she wanted the Tweede Kamer to make a decision as quickly as possible, so the bonus could be delivered as quickly as possible.

A total of three billion euros was previously budgeted for health care bonuses during the coronavirus pandemic. Last year a bonus of 1,000 euros was allocated to healthcare workers, leaving about 720 million euros in the fund.

Van Ark said it was not possible to give everyone 500 euros under the current financial constraint.

Several parties have demanded that more money be made available for the care bonus. The left wing parties SP and PvdA were among those most vocal in criticizing the government for not providing enough financial support to healthcare workers, while simultaneously offering cash and billions in loan guarantees to help national airline KLM weather the coronavirus crisis.