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Haarlem corona patient to Germany
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A coronavirus patient from Haarlem taken by helicopter to German hospital

On Monday 21 December, a  coronavirus patient from Haarlem was taken by helicopter to a hospital in Dortmund. This is first infected patient in two months that has been transported to Germany. The last time patients were admitted to…
Sint Maarten 2020 in HaarlemSven Brandsma
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Sint Maarten 2020 in Haarlem

Every year, children sing songs at the door during Sint Maarten on 11 November. This could increase the chance of coronavirus spreading, though the chances are reduced when everyone is careful and follows the guidelines. The celebration can…
Refilling water bottle more dirty than licking toilet seatPhoto by Kate Joie on Unsplash
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Refilling water bottle more dirty than licking toilet seat

While reusing water bottles is good for the environment, it may not be as good for us. Research has shown that recycled water bottles can contain more bacteria than a toilet seat. For the study, water bottles of athletes were tested to…
covid-19 rise
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We have a rise in COVID-19 infections in the Netherlands, please remember to stay safe

As COVID-19 cases rise, people in the Netherlands seem to act like the virus doesn't exist. Please remember that the first wave of the pandemic has never ended in the Netherlands. Let's make sure we, our families and the people around us are…
keep your distanceroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Government’s next steps to ease measures for tackling the coronavirus

The Dutch government announced a step-by-step approach on 19 May to further ease the measures for tackling the coronavirus. Throughout June, some restrictions will start to be relaxed at a local and neighbourhood level first, with the situation…
6th may corona measures
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Government press conference on relaxation of coronavirus measures

On the evening of 6 May, the prime minister Mark Rutte and minister Hugo de Jonge gave a press conference in which they explained which corona measures are relaxing and which stay the same. In this latest conference, it was said that…
natural skincareroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Natural skincare using ingredients found at home

Imagine this scenario, you are at home and about to make your favourite beauty ritual. Finally, the kids went to sleep and you have time to yourself. You go to the bathroom and suddenly realise that you don't have any products left. If it wasn't…
stay homeroyalty free (reuse without attribution)
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Government measures to control coronavirus extended

Announced this week, the Dutch government has extended most measures to control the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) until 19 May inclusive. Plans are in place for primary and pre-schools to open in May, with all events cancelled until 1 September.…
flowers and healthy skinroyalty free (reuse without attribution)
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Don’t forget to be kind to your skin

Even though we are staying indoors and not getting as much fresh air as usual, we can still take steps to make sure our skin is cared for. After all, it is the first thing people notice about you. Here are ten golden rules for how you can highlight…
coronaPhoto by Martin Sanchez on Unsplash
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Dutch crisis committee announces tougher coronavirus measures

The government’s crisis committee met again on Monday afternoon and decided that extra measures are needed to halt the spread of coronavirus in the Netherlands. The Dutch government now bans gatherings until 1 June 2020, gives mayors more…
coronavirus
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Netherlands closes schools, bars, cafes and restaurants in coronavirus fight

All schools and daycare centres in the Netherlands will be shut from Monday 16 March until at least Monday 6 April in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus. In addition, bars, cafes, restaurants, sex clubs, cannabis cafes, saunas and…
Hand washingRoyalty free with no accreditation required
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Will Dutch hand washing habits improve in order to combat coronavirus?

With the announcement today of the second case of coronavirus in the Netherlands, the advice from authorities is to stay hygienic and keep on top of hand washing habits. The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment…
caterpillars
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Danger poisonous caterpillars in the Netherlands

A plague of poisonous caterpillars explodes throughout the country. It is an annual summer problem in the Netherlands, but the number of complaints about the Oak Processionary moth caterpillars have soared this year, according to the…
dental carehttps://www.pexels.com/@fr3nks
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What You Need To Know About Dental Care For Expats In Haarlem.

Roughly 25.7% of the Haarlem population are foreign expats. There's many important aspects to take care of when you move to a new country and dental care is no exception. Looking after your teeth is important and, fortunately,…
healthhttps://pixabay.com/users/rawpixel-4283981/
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MANAGING A HEALTH CONDITION ABROAD.

It can be extremely stressful when we or someone we love becomes ill abroad. As well as the (very normal) physical and mental turmoil of illness, we often find ourselves dealing with additional challenges that are unique to international life. At…
sleepless nights
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When expat worries become sleepless nights.

“I can’t sleep.” “I don’t sleep through the night.” “I lie awake for hours each night before I fall asleep.” Do any of these sleepless nights sound familiar to you? People suffer from disturbed sleep for different reasons,…
Interview of the month
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Interview of the month November 2016

Arriving in a new country is such a change, and  how to feel ‘’at Home’’ can be a challenge. How can an expat integrate easily? In my goal to support people with confidence and languages, I hear many real-life stories.  Through…
Massage
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Zen Through ‘Hands By Ellen’ Holistic Massage

Today I visited the Holistic massage practice of Ellen Goossens, Hands By Ellen. I had never heard of Holistic before and it was completely new to me. But Ellen introduced me to her way of massaging and the meaning of Holistic in a pleasant…
Photo credit: jjwyy.com
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Sitting is the new smoking, and the Dutch are the official European champions!

Yep that’s right, Dutchies apparently like to sit, more so than any other nation in Europe. With a national average of 6.8 hours per day versus the European average of 5.2 hours, the Dutch are, (surprisingly) a nation of dedicated sitters…
Schiphol
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Schiphol pollution levels potential health risk

Many of us live relatively close to Schiphol airport. Where the volume of polluting particles in the air could form a potential health risk for people living nearby, the public health institute RIVM writes in a new report. The concentration…
Finally! The first comparison site for Dutch health insurance in English (Photo: Globelink)
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Finally! The first comparison site for Dutch health insurance in English

ZorgWijzer.nl has launched the first and only Dutch health insurance comparison tool in English! Expats that are living or moving to the Netherlands can now easily compare different health insurance plans based on their wishes and requirements. The…
How to lose those extra kilos weight (and never get them again)
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How to lose those extra kilos weight (and never get them again)

I've never considered myself fat. Moreover, most of my life people have admired me for being slim and for how good I look. I gained 22 kilos weight during my pregnancy and then within four months they had disappeared without any effort on my…
Horsemeat yay or nay (Photo: Tracy Brown Hamilton)
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Horsemeat: Yay or Neigh?

While the horsemeat scandal highlighted the aversion many have to eating horse, Lisa Wisker – the daughter of a horse butcher – says it only boosted business. “The same day the story broke in the newspapers, there were lines down to the…
NLs in top five countries for mothers (Photo; Arianna Ardia)
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NLs in top five countries for mothers

The chance of a woman in the Netherlands dying during pregnancy or childbirth has decreased by over half since the start of the century. This makes the Netherlands the fifth-safest country in the world to have a baby. While at the end…
Dutch population not getting enough sleep
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Dutch population not getting enough sleep

Many people in the Netherlands are not sleeping well. According to a study by NSWO, the Dutch sleep research organisation, almost one in two people are dissatisfied with the amount of sleep they get. NSWO conducted a sleep study in honour…
Endocrine disrupting chemicals in cosmetics found to affect sperm (photo by Shutterstock)

Endocrine disrupting chemicals in cosmetics found to affect sperm

For a first time a direct link between exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals from industrial products and adverse effects on human sperm function has been found. These are the findings of a German - Danish team of researchers from the…
Haarlem is Ready for Food Revolution Day tomorrow! (Photo: Katherine Strous)
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Haarlem is Ready for Food Revolution Day tomorrow!

Food Revolution Day 2014 is coming on May 16th and it’s happening here in the Netherlands. The Food Revolution Day (FRD) is an initiative organised by famous chef and food activist, Jamie Olivier to inspire people to eat more healthy and to…
The government has extended the leave regulation (Picture: Arianna Ardia)
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The government has extended the leave regulation

If a mother dies during giving birth to her child, the father will get from now on her maternity leave. This should ensure that the newborn can count on the care of a parent in the first period of his life. This plan of the Minister of Social…
A lot of tick bites in our dunes
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A lot of tick bites in our dunes

The amount of tick bites is increasing in the Netherlands. There is a relative big chance to be bitten. Tekenradar counted almost 9.000 tick bites. People sent 1.500 ticks to the RIVM Institute. 20% of these seemed to be transporters of…