•
Yesterday
•
reading time 2 minutes
•
700 views
•
save
Anne Vroegindeweij
Long Covid patient and author of ‘The laggards’ About the forgotten pandemic of long Covid (Uitgeverij de Geus, 2023)
1.3 million Dutch people have suffered long-term health complaints from the corona pandemic. And even though the pandemic seems to be over, the coronavirus has not gone away: new long-covid patients are emerging every day. At least ninety thousand of them are chronically and seriously ill and can no longer work, go to school or participate in social life. They have been in bed at home for months or years. They have no prospect of treatment or recovery.
The Rutte III and IV cabinets have done too little for long-covid patients. This group has not been sufficiently supported and insufficient efforts have been made to find a solution to their complaints or appropriate care. It is virtually impossible for patients to ask for this themselves because they are too ill to travel to the Malieveld, let alone to take action. Their disappointment and that of their loved ones in the political approach to the long Covid crisis is great.
But: new round, new opportunities. An opportunity to finally take real action for the enormous group of Dutch people with long covid. An opportunity to offer them the perspective they deserve.
This is a call to future politicians to finally take responsibility for those left behind by the pandemic. As a country, we have the honorable opportunity to play an international role in tackling the long Covid crisis. We can do this by pursuing coherent and decisive policy. Seize this opportunity and initiate the following four actions as soon as possible:
Fund substantial biomedical research into the biological basis and treatment of long Covid. Facilitate that researchers can get started quickly without lengthy subsidy procedures. Ensure the deployment of multidisciplinary specialists throughout the Netherlands. In addition, facilitate the further training of medical professionals, especially general practitioners, company doctors, WIA medical examiners, physiotherapists and occupational therapists. Long Covid manifests itself differently in children than in adults. Work on biomedical research into long Covid in children and specific policy for children with long Covid. Provide information to the Dutch population about the risk and consequences of long Covid.
It is essential that patient organizations such as Long Covid Netherlands are involved in all these action points. Long Covid is a new disease on many fronts and effective policy is therefore only possible if patients are consulted and their knowledge and experiences are integrated. At the same time, long Covid is not entirely new: even before the pandemic, the Netherlands had tens of thousands of chronic and seriously ill patients with similar conditions, which also arose after experiencing an infection, such as chronic Lyme and Q fever or myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). They have also been waiting far too long for treatment and prospects. It is time for politicians to give them and those left behind by the corona pandemic that perspective.
2023-11-28 16:13:05
#Future #cabinet #started #long #covid #Joop #BNNVARA
