Relief of measures against the corona virus will also slowly restore health care and taxi transport for consumers and businesses. To make this safe, branch organization Royal Dutch Transport (KNV), together with FNV and CNV, drew up protocols. The parties made use of advice from, among others, the RIVM, the Netherlands Disability Care Association (VGN) and client organizations.

With the exception of patient transport to and from kidney dialysis and oncological treatments, the transport of care fell largely or even completely at the beginning of the corona pandemic. At the end of April last, schools for special primary education opened their doors again and primary schools started at half strength. This brought about 70% of student transport back on track.

Schools for secondary (special) education will reopen in June and student transport will therefore expand further. A security protocol to make that possible appeared a few days ago. In addition to the new sector protocols, RIVM has a protocol prepared for necessary transportation for patients infected with the coronavirus. 

care transport protocol

Healthcare institutions want to restart day care for adults and young people in June. In addition, older people and people with a physical disability who are indicated for this will use the WMO and Regional taxi transport in their own region and Valys for longer distances. Transport for the WSW institutions (social work facilities) will also get going again. The protocol for transport for health care is now being published for all this care transport.

Carefully considered The expertise of health care providers and employee representatives has been used to draw up the protocol for care transport, but advice has also been obtained from RIVM, the ministries of VWS and OCW and various other stakeholders, including the VGN and client organizations. As RIVM states in its 'frameworks', the transport protocols had to be weighed up between 'being able to start and scale up again' and respecting the basic principle that as much distance as possible should be kept. 

Account should also be taken of the fact that healthcare transport travelers are often among the risk groups for coronavirus infection. Drivers also include people who are at risk groups, and the protocol must also provide protection for them. In addition, it has been taken into account that care transport is 'public transport' for the people who have to rely on it. Without it, they cannot go to school or daytime activities, a doctor or shopping, and they cannot maintain the necessary social contacts.

The following considerations have been made. The basic principle for group transport is that there will be a fixed composition as much as possible. For adult healthcare transport travelers, the number of people per vehicle is capped at four in a taxi bus and two in a passenger car. Finally, in line with public transport, passengers are required to wear a mask, unless this is impeded by a physical or mental limitation. This requirement has therefore been omitted in transport to and from day care. The fact that this transport in principle takes place in fixed groups, together with the health check in advance and the maximum vehicle occupancy for safety. 

realistic start date 7 June

This health check is mandatory for all categories of travelers prior to transportation. In healthcare transport, it is always known in advance who will be participating. Additional costs When drawing up the protocols, the prevention of unnecessary extra costs was implicitly taken into account. For example, by continuing to combine four adult passengers or eight children / young people in the vehicles. However, additional costs are unavoidable, as it is no longer possible to transport eight adults in a vehicle together, drivers must use protective and cleaning agents for the careful implementation of the directive and drivers will need extra time for cleaning during each journey due to the hygiene measures. airing the vehicle.

Social partners are pleased with the promise of the Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport that additional costs that public clients must reimburse will be compensated by central government. Without this extra money from central government, the people who depend on healthcare transport would suffer. Social partners assume that these reimbursements will soon be paid by the government to the clients, so that carriers can be reimbursed for the additional costs in the shortest possible time.

Instead of I&W protocol With the opening of restaurants, museums, etc., transport for ordinary consumers is expected to recover very slowly. Transport of employees for companies is also starting again on a small scale, whereas it had almost come to a standstill in mid-March. The sector protocol for taxi transport is intended for all these forms of taxi transport. This protocol will replace the protocol presented by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management for taxi transport at the beginning of the crisis.

KNV: realistic start date June 7 Chairman KNV Bertho Eckhardt is happy that transport is getting going again with the help of the protocols. Eckhardt: 

“Our members are doing their utmost to be of service to travelers and their clients quickly. I do think that drivers will have to be instructed here and there and that consultations must take place between transporters and municipalities and care institutions. Monday, June 7, therefore seems to me to be a realistic start date for healthcare transport. ”, Says Bertho Eckhardt. 

sector has been waiting for regulations for quite some time

According to Eckhardt, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management is still working on drafting regulations for safe use of screens in taxi vehicles, based on a recommendation from the RDW. The sector has been waiting for some time for regulations that will make the installation of screens legally possible. A screen would be suitable for separating the driver and his passenger (s) during a journey. In healthcare transport, a driver must in many cases provide assistance with getting in and out and for those moments, a surgical mouth mask remains useful as a means of protection.

FNV: drivers with concerns in consultation with employer FNV driver Minke Jansma is also pleased with the two additional protocols: 

“We now have three sector protocols for healthcare and taxi transport with regulations for safe transport and safe working: for student and childcare transport, for all other care transport and for taxi transport for consumers and companies.” 

The protocols provide clarity for the driver on how to work safely with minimal risks in taxi transportWhere drivers are still concerned about safety, it is important to discuss this with your employer. If you are unable to resolve this, please contact the union.

CNV Professionals: protocol is a living document and can be modified if circumstances require this. Driver CNV Professionals Agostino di Giacomo Russo: 

“We saw at the start of student transport that although many questions arise from our members, on average it goes well. Perhaps in the coming weeks things will come up again that we must respond to with our protocols. Then we will release an update. "

Also read: No more 'disclaimer' with corona protocol students VSO