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Covid-19 lock down in the Netherlands
Last Update: March 16, 2020
Hi all, these are difficult times worldwide.
The Covid-19 virus aka as Corona is taking hold and governments are forced to take extreme measures to contain the virus. I fully understand the measures taken to protect the weak of the population. It became almost inevitable, with our globalization, there would be such a virus outbreak once.
Now we are in the middle of it and it frightens us, especially that we cannot predict how it will end and when it will end. There are sad times ahead for many. People who are going to be confronted with deaths from this Corona infection.
The Netherlands is facing a lock down right now.
- All schools are closed
- No hands, kissis or hugs
- The catering industry is closed
- All sport events are cancelled
- Everyone is asked to stay at home!
- Care centers for older people have introduced a visit ban (with the result that we are no longer allowed to visit my mother-in-law)
- Air traffic is flat, with the exception of freight plane
- Hospitals are building tents to screen patients before entry.
This virus is a very dangerous one, and not only "old" people will die from it. There is no medicine. It can cause severe pneumonia and even young people are put on a ventilator. The youngest person here in the Netherlands who is on a ventilator and fighting for his life is 16 years old.
I would like to wish everyone who has to deal with the consequences of the Corona virus the strength they need. This also passes again.
Corona virus benefits
- The Chinese people breathe for the first time "clean air".
- The traffic jams have been resolved.
- CO2 emissions are down.
- We've had Sars and Mers, now with this third Corona virus and this pandemic, a vaccine will be developed much faster.
- Hopefully people will start thinking about unlimited travel.
- Perhaps from now on we will be going for more local products, which would certainly be good for limiting Co2 emissions.
This virus does make humanity think!
Stay safe, stay home!
Join the Discussion
megawinner
Premium
Very good observation on the good it brought to humanity. Now we are much ready to be more human with love and care towards others. --- hopefully!👁🗨💕💖💝💗💓🙏
Reply
CarolMeador
Premium
Great post, Loes. Thanks for sharing. The response to the virus in the US is varied. As far as I know, we do not have a national shutdown on anything. Decisions are more or less left up to the governors of the individual states.
We are asked to curtail any unnecessary travel, such as vacations, but unless quarantined with the virus, are allowed to leave our homes to get groceries and necessities.
Many people are working from home if possible, but a lot of people are now unemployed.
Restaurants are not allowed to serve people to eat on the premises. They are only allowed to provide delivery or drive up service. However, I am not comfortable utilizing either because we have no way of knowing if the person preparing the food is sick or positive for the virus. Are they using gloves to handle the food? Or wearing masks? I'm not willing to take the risk that they might not be.
Lots of businesses are closed at this time, and it is unknown how many of them will be able to stay in business due to this interruption in their services. I imagine this is a world wide situation.
Here in Florida, schools and universities are all closed; most are doing online learning. The schools will not reopen this year, since most of them would be finished for the year in May or June.
Our beaches are mostly closed, but a few in central FL are still open with the parking lots closed. Our airports are still open, which I think is a huge mistake because people who are locked down in other states are flying down here to avoid staying inside. There was a man who knew that he was positive for Covid19 who flew into either Orlando or West Palm Beach. When he told authrorities here that he was positive, he was told to self quarantine, intitially refused, but supposedly finally did quarantine himself.
Many businesses have cut back on their hours, and several grocery store chains have set aside hours to accommodate older customers who are at higher risk of getting sick. While we think this is an admirable thing to do, we do not partake of that special shopping time. Being in a larger group of the population who are most vulnerable seems like risky business to us. We prefer to take our chances with the general population at a time when there are not many people out and about. Here in central Florida, where the temperature is already 92 degrees in March, our best bet to avoid crowds is during the middle of the day when the heat is greatest.
There is very little traffic on the roads, and few people in the stores when we have gone out to get groceries and necessities. Although we are not under quarantine because we are not sick, we do stay home as much as possible to avoid contact with other people.
Stay well, and have a great weekend.
Carol
We are asked to curtail any unnecessary travel, such as vacations, but unless quarantined with the virus, are allowed to leave our homes to get groceries and necessities.
Many people are working from home if possible, but a lot of people are now unemployed.
Restaurants are not allowed to serve people to eat on the premises. They are only allowed to provide delivery or drive up service. However, I am not comfortable utilizing either because we have no way of knowing if the person preparing the food is sick or positive for the virus. Are they using gloves to handle the food? Or wearing masks? I'm not willing to take the risk that they might not be.
Lots of businesses are closed at this time, and it is unknown how many of them will be able to stay in business due to this interruption in their services. I imagine this is a world wide situation.
Here in Florida, schools and universities are all closed; most are doing online learning. The schools will not reopen this year, since most of them would be finished for the year in May or June.
Our beaches are mostly closed, but a few in central FL are still open with the parking lots closed. Our airports are still open, which I think is a huge mistake because people who are locked down in other states are flying down here to avoid staying inside. There was a man who knew that he was positive for Covid19 who flew into either Orlando or West Palm Beach. When he told authrorities here that he was positive, he was told to self quarantine, intitially refused, but supposedly finally did quarantine himself.
Many businesses have cut back on their hours, and several grocery store chains have set aside hours to accommodate older customers who are at higher risk of getting sick. While we think this is an admirable thing to do, we do not partake of that special shopping time. Being in a larger group of the population who are most vulnerable seems like risky business to us. We prefer to take our chances with the general population at a time when there are not many people out and about. Here in central Florida, where the temperature is already 92 degrees in March, our best bet to avoid crowds is during the middle of the day when the heat is greatest.
There is very little traffic on the roads, and few people in the stores when we have gone out to get groceries and necessities. Although we are not under quarantine because we are not sick, we do stay home as much as possible to avoid contact with other people.
Stay well, and have a great weekend.
Carol
Loes
Premium
Hi Carol, stay safe and healthy. The best method is self isolation. I am 70% at home, I still have to work, taking care of my friend. My husband is staying home entirely. And my resident son moved into the home of his girlfriend to have as little as possible contacts.
These are sad times, not to be able to hug family members who need it so much. And we are not allowed to visite our mums. Both 92.
But we will beat this thing!
And will look to the future to see it brighten up.
These are sad times, not to be able to hug family members who need it so much. And we are not allowed to visite our mums. Both 92.
But we will beat this thing!
And will look to the future to see it brighten up.
CarolMeador
Premium
You are so right, Loes. We are both healthy and staying home as much as possible. Please stay safe when you have to work. Yes, they are sad times, especially when you are not able to see your mothers. Keeping a positive attitude and following the guidelines we should be OK. And as you said, we have to keep looking to the future when this pandemic is over and things can get back to normal.
MarionBlack
Premium
Here in Oz (Australia) people who are at "high risk" should be practicing social distancing https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2020/03/coronavirus-covid-19-information-on-social-distancing.pdf
I'm 73 and I have chronic health problems so I'm considered "high risk".
It's not just the risk of dying, it's the risk of getting seriously SICK. For every person who dies another 5 go into intensive care and another 20 are hospitalized.
If elective surgeries are still going ahead I'll be having a preventive surgery on Thursday because it's a lot safer to have day surgery at my local small hospital now than it would be to spend a few days in a major hospital with a gastric bleed later.
I'm 73 and I have chronic health problems so I'm considered "high risk".
It's not just the risk of dying, it's the risk of getting seriously SICK. For every person who dies another 5 go into intensive care and another 20 are hospitalized.
If elective surgeries are still going ahead I'll be having a preventive surgery on Thursday because it's a lot safer to have day surgery at my local small hospital now than it would be to spend a few days in a major hospital with a gastric bleed later.
Loes
Premium
This virus is risky for everyone, and a high Risk for people with health problems and elderly. They have cancelled regular surgery over here, because of the overload of corona patients. I hope they deal with this more carefully down there Marion. We expect 1 million sick within a month or 2.
Good Luck and a quick recovery to you.
Good Luck and a quick recovery to you.
CassiOfTroy
Premium
lynnsam61
Premium
We are experiencing the same here in the US. Some of the newest restrictions make sense, others do not. I stood in pouring rain outside Trader Joe's this morning since they were restricting the number of people in the store at any one time. I get the 6 feet social distancing recommendation but once inside the store there's no way to keep shoppers from being in close contact. We must all try to keep calm and stay home as much as possible.
Erica
Erica
Loes
Premium
I think a lot of measures do make sense, once you have seen the results of the severe infection it can cause. 4 weeks of ventilation and a year of rehabilitation after that time is not nice. And in 3%of all cases you die from it. It's a nasty one Erica.
Best is to stay home and order online.
Best is to stay home and order online.
Rich908
Premium
Great post - Loes, glad you well. My wife and I are supposed to be traveling from Dublin to Cape Town via Amsterdam Schippol airport.
KLM has notified us that if that if they cancel our flights we can rebook our flights at no extra charge.
The virus has its plus and minus. The community has defintely been more caring.Some kind neighbours thought we had the virus so they offered to feed us through the letter box.
We have to have a laugh! Keep safe - keep healthy
Richard
KLM has notified us that if that if they cancel our flights we can rebook our flights at no extra charge.
The virus has its plus and minus. The community has defintely been more caring.Some kind neighbours thought we had the virus so they offered to feed us through the letter box.
We have to have a laugh! Keep safe - keep healthy
Richard
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