Tonight there will be another corona debate in the House of Representatives. It promises to be a long and tough debate. The House of Representatives has run out of patience. The Minister of Health, Hugo de Jonge, is responsible for the testing policy and that policy is faltering is food for criticism from opposition parties.
“He looks stressed, he is as white as a dead person,” said Wilders earlier this summer about De Jonge. Since then, the pressure on the minister has only increased.
‘It’s not going well’
If it were up to the SP and PvdA, the cabinet will go back to crisis mode as soon as possible. The significant increase in the contamination figures forces the cabinet to consult more often and to be accountable, the parties believe.
“It’s just not going well,” said SP leader Lilian Marijnissen to RTL News. “The right measures must now be taken urgently.” According to PvdA leader Lodewijk Asscher, the cabinet is lagging behind. ” in order, “he says.
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Shortage of testing policy
For weeks now, the testing policy has been a headache issue that De Jonge continues to haunt. Despite all kinds of promises, there is still a serious shortage of capacity in laboratories.
Serious, because the testing policy is an important pillar in the corona approach with which the cabinet wants to get the virus under it. The entire House of Representatives has therefore been very critical and concerned about the lack of testing for a long time.
Especially now that, according to the minister, we have already entered the second wave. And then winter has yet to begin.
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Faltering source and contact research
Another important part of the corona approach is also showing cracks: the source and contact investigation. This weekend, ten GGDs indicated that they were limiting their investigation due to persistent crowds. People now have to call their contacts themselves as much as possible.
And then there is another new issue that worries the cabinet: the unveiling of Nieuwsuur about the masks guideline in elderly care. Until August, the RIVM did not consider the use of a mouth and nose mask necessary. This advice now appears to be partly prompted by the scarcity of materials, the program discovered.
Gross scandal
Opposition parties reacted furiously to the revelation. That’s how Jesse Klaver called it ‘a gross scandal’. “So healthcare workers and patients are knowingly endangered? Outrageous,” says GroenLinks leader Jesse Klaver. According to Wilders, the ‘code is red for the minister if this is true’.
Until now, Minister Tamara van Ark has spoken about the disclosure, but Hugo de Jonge will undoubtedly be questioned harshly about the matter tonight, which is much unclear. He will have to come up with a good explanation.
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Strong language from Rutte
Not only De Jonge awaits a lively debate. Prime Minister Rutte will not be spared either. Yesterday, the prime minister was highly irritated about football supporters who do not adhere to the corona rules.
Many people no longer feel the need to comply with the measures, and the prime minister is against this. To be ‘shut up statement’, was not well received by many opposition parties. ‘Scolding loudly at people who do not follow the rules, but do not have your own affairs in order’, is the criticism.
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‘The question is how high the House will bet tonight’
“The problems for Rutte and De Jonge are piling up”, says political reporter Fons Lambie. “Less understanding and support among the population, fussing about the masks guidelines, problems with testing and meanwhile the consideration of tougher measures to break this second wave in the bud.”
“The problems with testing and the mouth masks directive are causing a fierce debate and threatening motions towards the Minister of Health. De Jonge is also struggling with the aftermath of the CDA party leader battle, with criticism within his own circle. Chamber tonight commitment: a minister in political problems does not help the crisis response either, you hear in opposition circles. “
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