Seven Antwerp hospitals ask ‘urgently’ in an open letter for the support of the Antwerp population. “What you do determines the chances of others.”
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‘Dear Antwerpers’. This is how the open letter begins, which is signed by seven Antwerp hospitals and hospital umbrella organizations: Hospital Network Antwerp, the University Hospital, GZA, AZ Klina, AZ Malle, AZ Monica and AZ Rivierenland. Their boards of directors and management are asking for the support of the population to slow down the spread of the virus, which is ‘fast train’.
“Our nurses and doctors and all care staff have thrown themselves fully into accommodating the first wave,” they write. ‘Today they are again committed at risk to their own health. Not yet or barely recovered, they are now fighting another wave whose impact may be even greater than the previous one. ‘
‘The question is: how long can we still do this? With this rate of spread, the limit of what we as staff and hospitals can handle is in sight. A doubling of the current number of covid patients will be extremely difficult, we dare not think of a further increase. ‘
‘Vital choices’
That is why, write the hospitals, ‘it is vital that we now all build a barrier against the virus. It must be crystal clear to everyone that the choices we make are not only of vital importance to ourselves. What you do determines the opportunities of others. Anyone who does not adhere to the measures regarding physical distance and the limitation of contacts to an absolute minimum, is a threat to many fellow human beings. ‘
“We urge you to strictly follow the rules and support each other in this difficult period,” the open letter concludes. ‘For our part, we do everything we can to continue to provide the best care for our sick fellow citizens.’
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