Earlier this month the flu epidemic officially began in the Netherlands. As more and more people have become sick, Dutch hospitals and schools are struggling to cope. Health experts are calling for more advice to be shared with the public. 

Crowded Dutch hospitals due to spike in flu cases

According to Nivel, a health research institute, more people have gone to the doctor with flu-like symptoms in the past few weeks. "The number of people with flu-like symptoms is increasing rapidly and we are seeing in more and more sources that the flu virus is circulating," Nivel reported on their website.

The influx of patients suffering from the flu, especially those who are vulnerable such as the elderly, combined with the RS virus which is also going around at the moment means that hospitals are more crowded than usual. Due to this, some hospitals in the Netherlands are opening special wards for flu patients, while also scaling down non-life-saving care such as knee replacement surgeries.

According to NOS, staff shortages are not helping the situation either as the flu epidemic increases the need for more staff. "We have shortages anyway - too few staff, too much demand - and with a peak like this, the bucket in elderly care quickly overflows,” said Esther Cornegé-Blokland, chair of the Dutch Association for Clinical Geriatrics (NVKG). “Patients can still be helped now, but it is under pressure.

Rise in sick teachers puts pressure on Dutch schools

Many schools are also feeling the pressure of the flu wave that’s currently hitting the Netherlands, as there is a major teacher shortage.

"Four of the 12 teachers are sick, so I have to stand in as a teacher for groups 5 and 6,” said Ivonne de Bondt, director of de Sterrenschool in Hilversum. However, it’s not only the teachers who are affected as many children are also off sick. "38 children are sick at the moment. That is much more than normal."

Mounting calls to inform public on ways to prevent infection spread 

The Dutch Health Institute (RIVM) has released advice to reduce the chance of spreading the flu to others and this has proven helpful, however, experts believe the government should do more to inform the public. “With the coronavirus, that advice helped enormously. That advice is just as useful now, there should be more attention to that," Ted van Essen of the Dutch Immunisation Foundation told NOS.

For example, it is important to remember to stay home when you are sick and work from home if possible, cough and sneeze into your elbow and wear a mask when visiting vulnerable family members while you are ill. Getting the flu vaccine is also very important according to Van Essen. “The epidemic is probably not at its peak yet, so it can still make a big difference if the people who have already been invited get the shot."