ABSTRACT
Since the end of January 2020, covid-19 is a group A infectious disease according to the Public Health Act (in Dutch: Wet publiekegezondheid or Wpg). To avert the risk of infection with covid-19, coercive measures can be imposed under this law. Almost at the same time, since January 1 2020, two new Dutch laws regulate the mandatory care for people with intellectual disability and dementia (the Care and Compulsion Act (in Dutch: Wet zorgendwang or Wzd) and for people with a mental disorder (the Mandatory Mental Health Care Act (in Dutch: Wet verplichte GGZ or Wvggz). Just like the Wpg, the Wzd and Wvggz allow coercion for the benefit of third parties. In this clinical lesson we describe the use of the Wpg, Wzd and Wvggz in order to avert covid-19 infection risk.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/prevention & control , Coercion , Intellectual Disability/therapy , Mental Disorders/therapy , Public Health/legislation & jurisprudence , Humans , Netherlands , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
A 68-year-old female with an extensive history of unexplained problems presented at the Department of Internal Medicine for an analysis of painful cutaneous abnormalities of the lower legs. A systemic cause could not be found. Later on the general practitioner noted haematoma and petechiae and subsequently a hypovitaminosis C. The patient received active vitamin C supplement for this. The cutaneous abnormalities on the legs had significantly improved after 3 weeks. This patient was found to have symptomatic hypovitaminosis C, also known as scurvy, as a complication of an psychiatric disorder. Although scurvy might appear to be a disease of the past that rarely occurs nowadays, it should nevertheless be given due consideration. This requires a good history taking.
