Dutch ICU boss calls for tough lockdown to rein in virus
ABC News
Social distancing has became mandatory again across the Netherlands as coronavirus infections continue to soar
THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- Social distancing became mandatory again across the Netherlands on Wednesday as coronavirus infections soared and the country's leading intensive care physician called for even tougher measures to rein in the pandemic.
The Netherlands is in the midst of a surge that has seen a string of new daily records for numbers of coronavirus infections in recent weeks. The country's public health institute last week recorded a 39% spike in infections and said hospital and intensive care unit admissions also rose.
The head of the national association of intensive care units, Diederik Gommers, appealed Tuesday night for a tough lockdown, including closing schools, something the government has been keen to avoid.
He told a committee of lawmakers that the country's hospitals are 10 days away from being so overburdened with COVID-19 patients that intensive care doctors will have to start making choices about which critically ill patients get care.
