News item | 28-04-2023 | 2:00 PM
Healthcare workers who have cared for COVID patients in the first wave (March to June 2020), who have been ill for two years due to long-term post-COVID complaints and have therefore become incapacitated for work, can receive financial support. On the recommendation of Minister Helder for Long-Term Care and Sport, the cabinet has decided that this group is eligible for an amount of €15,000 per person.
“Health care workers intensively cared for COVID patients under high pressure and in uncertain circumstances during the first wave. Some of them also became infected themselves at the time. We now know that there is a small group of healthcare workers who can no longer work as a result, and that has a huge impact on their lives. We want to support this group,” said Minister Helder for Long-Term Care and Sport.
Financial support specific group of healthcare workers
Healthcare employees have often and intensively worked in the vicinity of COVID patients, because this was necessary to provide the necessary care. As a result, the risk of infection for this group was considerably higher than for other crucial occupational groups that society has called upon. During the first wave, there was also a very exceptional situation in which little was known about how the virus spread and what the exact risks of infection and transmission of COVID-19 were. This distinguishes this period from later periods in which healthcare workers cared for patients.
Although the Council of State refers to the employer as the liable party in the event of damage caused as a result of illness contracted during work, the government wants to provide additional financial support to this group of healthcare workers based on a moral obligation. Healthcare employees who have frequently and intensively cared for COVID patients during the first wave, who have contracted a COVID infection during that period and are therefore incapacitated for work, can receive a one-off amount of €15,000. The government aims to open the application desk in September 2023, so that the allocated amount can be paid before the end of the year.
Support long-term post-COVID complaints
A large group of people in the Netherlands suffer from long-term post-COVID complaints. Naturally, the government also wants to support them as much as possible. A broad package of support measures has already been developed for this purpose. For example, research is being done to get a better picture of the complaints and effective treatment of post-COVID. In addition, there is a support offer for people with post-COVID, for example by temporarily reimbursing paramedical recovery care for people with post-COVID from the basic package and via C-support.