The government’s corona policy can and must be improved on a number of points, the National Ombudsman concluded in a report on Monday. The ombudsman, Reinier van Zutphen, has taken stock of corona-related complaints in the past two years and shared his insights with the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS), Ernst Kuipers.
The ombudsman notes, for example, that the effect of corona measures on people’s lives has not been looked at enough due to the need to intervene quickly. “Not only the protection of public health, but also other fundamental rights (such as education, equal treatment and inviolability of the body) and values (such as social and physical contact) must be considered in advice and decision-making,” said the ombudsman.
In addition, Van Zutphen believes that decisions, considerations and measures taken should be better explained. And that the government must always be easily accessible to citizens and must not be sent from pillar to post. He also wants more attention for the consequences of the corona crisis for people in vulnerable positions. “The mental consequences of a crisis can last for years. Children and young people, citizens with long covid and small entrepreneurs deserve extra attention.”
Complaints
In 2020, the ombudsman received 1985 corona-related complaints, in 2021 there were 3,263. Peaks occurred around the first lockdown in April 2020 and the opening of a self-employed hotline in March 2021. Authorities that received the most complaints were the ministry. from VWS, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), the Central Bureau for Driving Proofs (CBR), the regional GGDs and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).
With regard to corona policy, the ombudsman says that an incredible amount of work has been done. “But now it is time for a broad, long-term approach with a future perspective that gives citizens confidence.”