Coronavirus: support and information

Because of the coronavirus many residents are requesting help or have concerns or need good advice. The municipality would like to make it easy for residents of The Hague to find information which could be important. This page will be updated as needed.

Telephone numbers for support and care

• There is a national crisis line for all questions related to the coronavirus: 0800 - 13 51. This number can be reached daily between 8.00 and 20.00 hrs. Are you abroad? Then you can phone tel. (0031) 202 05 13 51.
• For general questions about your health call The Hague’s Public Health Department (GGD Haaglanden) on tel. (088) 355 01 00.
• Do you have questions about money, benefits, work, debts, legal issues or (Ooievaars) measures? Go to helpdeskgeldzaken.nl or call SZW customer service on tel. (070) 353 75 00. Available from Monday to Friday from 8.30 to 17.00 hrs.
• Nearly every city district of The Hague has a telephone befriender circle.
• You can also call the Luisterlijn. Volunteers are on standby 24 hours a day to talk with callers on tel. 0900 - 07 67. They will lend their  time and attention to anybody in need of a sympathetic ear. You can speak to a volunteer about sadness, loss, worries, loneliness or anything else.
• There is a special helpline for seniors who have an immigrant background. They can call and ask questions about the coronavirus or just to talk. Volunteers who themselves have an immigrant background will be manning the lines The telephone number of the helpline is (030) 340 06 00.

GGD Haaglanden testing for coronavirus

Anybody with mild coronavirus symptoms can call the national number 0800-1202 to make an appointment to get tested at the Public Health Department (GGD). You can phone this number 7 days a week from 8.00 to 20.00 hrs. to make an appointment at a testing location in the area. Do you live in The Hague and are you unable to get to the testing location on your own? Indicate this during the telephone call.

More information can be found on the website of the RIVM.

Health care workers, caregivers and volunteers were already able to get tested. GGD Haaglanden set up a testing location for them in Pijnacker-Nootdorp. More information can be found on the website of GGD Haaglanden.

Assistance from organisations, initiatives and volunteers

Sociale Kaart

You will find many organisations offering extra assistance during the corona virus on the Sociale Kaart Den Haag. Here you will also find information on shopping and meal delivery services.

Initiatives for and by city residents

There are many volunteer initiatives and people helping each other. Solutions to many questions and issues are being offered by and for residents. You can find them on pepdenhaag.nl/corona.

Become or find a volunteer

Would you like to actively help others? Or is your organisation looking for volunteers? Go to www.volunteerthehague.nl.

Citizens initiatives - supply and demand

PEP Den Haag brings together the corona initiatives by volunteers and the requests for help by residents on 1 website. Would you like to offer your help or would you like to get assistance? Go to www.do-good.nu/denhaag.

Assistance on internet

Eerste Hulp bij Eenzaamheid

Loneliness is an obvious danger when everyone is at home in isolation. This is certainly true when everybody has to stay inside and it is not possible to visit with friends and family. Seek contact in another way. The website ehbe.nl gives tips on how to do this.

Family and corona

How can you deal with problems in the family due to the corona crisis? The municipality has created a website about this. Read the information and tips on gezinencorona.nl/den-haag.

Tips on money matters

The corona crisis is having an impact on many people's spending power. Are you dealing with a lower income but still with the same (fixed) costs? Make sure you do not get into trouble - use the free tips and assistance. Look at the website of Helpdesk Geldzaken (in Dutch).

Domestic violence

The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport has designed a special factsheet to call attention to domestic violence during the corona crisis. We are all staying home as much as possible, which is putting a strain on some relationships. The ministry is trying to help as much as possible in homes where tensions are rising. The factsheet not only provides tips to prevent tensions from boiling over but also options for help if things spin out of control. The factsheet ‘Wat als de spanningen thuis oplopen?’ can be found at: www.ikvermoedhuiselijkgeweld.nl (in Dutch).

Newcomers and corona

The Platform Integration & Society has opened a helpdesk for newcomers to the Netherlands with questions about corona. Go to www.kis.nl.

Guide to living at home

The measures surrounding the coronavirus can make it difficult to live at home independently, especially for vulnerable and older residents of The Hague. Technology can help them to get through this time as healthy, safely and pleasantly as possible. This is why Thuisleefgids and the Municipality of The Hague have created the Corona guide to living at home: haagsecoronathuisleefwijzer.nl (in Dutch).
Residents of The Hague, caregivers and professionals can use this tool to find and acquire technological aids to help them in this time. The Corona guide will show suitable products on the basis of a number of questions about the living situation and health of the person in questions. The tool will provide tailormade advice.

Corona explained simply

On corona.steffie.nl complicated information about the coronavirus is explained in a simple way. The website is meant for people who find it difficult to understand the information about corona. For questions such as: what if you get the virus? And why are measures needed?

A simple explanation about the coronavirus and the measures to combat corona can be found on the website of the Dutch government and the website of Stichting Lezen en Schrijven (in Dutch).

Transportation for healthcare providers

AV070 has resumed its regular service. In addition it can still be used as transportation for healthcare providers. There are conditions for using this service. The healthcare provider must live in The Hague and be providing care in the Haaglanden region. Would you like to make use of this service? Contact the Serviceline on (070) 205 30 03.

Emergency childcare for parents/guardians in crucial sectors

Do you or your partner work in a crucial sector or are you a key worker in a critical process? Are you unable to organise childcare for your child(ren) yourself? Then you can bring your child(ren) to childcare facility (day care, after school or childminder). This is possible even if you have never used these facilities before. Contact a childcare organisation or childminder agency for day, evening and/or night childcare services. As of 8 June the emergency childcare is available only in the evening, night and weekend for the children of parents working in crucial sectors.

Emergency childcare locations

In The Hague there are 3 locations which are providing care 24/7: Daan Dak, Jane’s Bond flexibele 24/7 kinderopvang and Funny Kids. Are you unable to arrange the childcare? Or call or email the Municipality of The Hague’s childcare facility register on tel. (070) 353 79 00 (Monday to Friday from 8.00 to 17.00 hrs.) or send an email to registerkinderopvang@denhaag.nl. You can send an email to the register to get a list of all the emergency childcare locations in The Hague.

Reimbursement of the personal contribution

The emergency childcare is free. This is possible because the government has asked parents to continue to pay their bill for childcare. The government is compensating parents for their personal contribution up to the statutory maximum hourly rate. This is in effect not only for parents who get a childcare allowance from the Tax and Customs Administration (Belastingdienst) but also for parents who get compensation from the municipality for the costs of toddler care. Read more about this reimbursement on the website of the SVB.

Information for caregivers

Are you a caregiver (mantelzorger) and would you like to know what you can do and what you need to know? Go to denhaagmantelzorg.nl.

Information for businesses

Are you a resident of The Hague and do you have a business in The Hague? Both the municipality and the Dutch government aim to support you as much as possible. Look at the most frequently asked questions on the page Coronavirus: information for businesses.

Information for neighbourhood and community centres

As of 1 June 2020 social organisations, such as neighbourhood and community centres, are allowed to open their doors again. Would your organisation like to organise meetings and activities again? Look at the most frequently asked questions and answers on the page Coronavirus: informatie voor wijkcentra en buurthuizen (in Dutch).

Municipal services

Do you soon need to renew your driving licence? Do you have an appointment about a social matter? Or do you want to know when you can go to the swimming pool? For more information on how the municipality is operating during the corona crisis go to the page Coronavirus: changes to municipal services.