According to an investigation report, the Netherlands were insufficiently prepared for the pandemic. Since there were no national plans and little experience, the authorities mainly improvised in the initial phase of the 2020 crisis. This was determined by the State Council for Security Issues (OVV) in an initial investigation into the actions of the authorities during the corona pandemic.
The government initially assumed that there would only be regional outbreaks. The report says that for too long people have only focused on fighting the corona virus and have not considered the serious consequences for society.
The council complained that the nursing homes in particular were left alone. In 2020, “a silent catastrophe” took place there. According to the report, there was a lack of protective clothing and masks. “Protective equipment was mainly made available to hospitals and acute health care providers, but not to nursing homes.” The government later imposed a ban on visits with “major social and psychological consequences,” the investigators note.