Elderly association joins hospitals calling for new coronavirus restrictions

Elderly association ANBO joined hospitals and opposition party PvdA in calling on the Cabinet to take measures against the rising coronavirus infections. Older people are particularly vulnerable to Covid-19, and action is needed to reduce the infection rate, Renate Evers of the ANBO said to NOS.

The ANBO called it particularly worrying that several hospitals are postponing regular care again. The ANBO called it particularly worrying that several hospitals are postponing regular care again. Diederik Gommers, ICU doctor and head of intensive care association NVIC, said on talk show Humberto on Sunday that hospitals are continuing acute care, but "a lot of operations" are being postponed. "Everyone now has a family member or acquaintance who is on the waiting list and whose surgery is postponed," he said.

"We really think that something has to be done," Evers said to NOS. "The basic measures still apply in the countries around us, but not in the Netherlands." She referred to measures like social distancing and wearing face masks when out in public. Evers called it obvious to reintroduce the measures. "But we would like to leave exactly which measures to the experts," she said.

The ANBO also called on the Cabinet to quickly decide on booster shots for the elderly. They were among the first in line for vaccinations, which means many were vaccinated over six months ago. The protection the vaccines offer may have decreased somewhat by now. "A third jab would be a solution," Evers said.