A third of daycare centres are expecting to close their doors in the near future because of a lack of staff, which has been made worse by Covid-19 testing delays, a survey by sector association Kinderopvang has shown.

Now that staff who develop seasonal colds have to be tested, it takes too long to fill the gaps, association director Emmeline Bijlsma told broadcaster NOS. ‘The centres are unable to schedule in enough people. On top of the structural staff shortage, one in three centres is now unable to use 10% of its workers [because of coronavirus testing] and that means they will have to close.’

Some 220 of the 1,100 daycare centres represented by the association participated in the survey, an unusually high number, Bijlma said. The solution for the crisis lies in prioritising testing for daycare centre staff and the association has put in a request with the social affairs ministry to that effect.

However, other people in essential professions, such as healthcare and education, are also calling for preferential testing. Bijlsma said a list of crucial professions should be made to make sure key workers are tested quickly ‘otherwise the Dutch economy will grind to a halt again’.