This March, news about the coronavirus hit home in the Netherlands.

The Dutch by nature, love skating and going on short vacations. Every school holiday means a holiday for the whole family.

So, many people had travelled outside the Netherlands, and we understand so many of them returned with symptoms of Covid-19.

The latest statistics, according to the National Health Institute RIVM, show that the number of confirmed cases is 1,705, with the death toll rising to five. This number accounts for the number of reported cases. It may not represent the actual numbers since so many people have been advised to stay home and self-quarantine if they experience any symptoms. 

Recently, the World Health Organization has upped the status of COVID-19 and declared it a pandemic, which is just indicative of how widespread it is. 

So what has the Dutch government been doing? Health Minister Bruno Bruins stated that the Netherlands is taking “appropriate measures” to contain the spread, but citizens are not entirely convinced. There’s even a Change.org petition created calling on the government to take more drastic actions, as opposed to their lackadaisical approach to containing the spread. Asking citizens to stay home and rest is not enough, especially if they have travel history and showing apparent symptoms of COVID-19.

So many organisations are taking it upon themselves to close their offices and businesses should the problem escalate. Some of the employees by law will continue to earn a salary whether their offices remain open or closed.

The Dutch Government met to discuss the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation in the Netherlands and measures have been put in place to contain the spread of the virus.

Some of the measures include the closure of workplaces, restaurants and sports halls and schools.

We don’t know just how long Covid-19 will be affecting the world and The Netherlands, in particular. It is crucial, though, not to panic. Practising proper hygiene and limiting physical contact with others, while seemingly unimportant in light of what’s happening around the world, is excellent advice. You can read up more on Covid-19, how it spreads, and how you can limit its spread in your community from the WHO Q&A.

It’s also vital to prepare for the future.

For this reason, we will be offering free virtual training for our Rise and lead Women who want to learn new skills, host online events or improve their online presence. 

Details will be shared soon on all our social media platforms.

Please feel free to share with us how this Pandemic is affecting you. How can we support you?