Four people were euthanized due to post-Covid complaints in 2025

Four people were euthanized in the Netherlands in 2025, with post-COVID syndrome cited as the main reason for ending their lives. Medical journal Medisch Contact obtained the figures from the Regional Euthanasia Review Committees (RTE), which confirmed the report.

The youngest of these patients was 51 years old when he was euthanized in 2025. The other three patients, who all struggled with post-COVID, were 65 or older.

In total, COVID-19 played a role in 10 euthanasia cases, but post-COVID syndrome was not the main reason cited in the other six cases. There were four similar cases in 2024 resulting in euthanasia requests, in which post-Covid syndrome was not named as the main reason in any of them.

Only one euthanasia case in 2023 cited post-Covid syndrome as the main reason, concerning a 73-year-old, although Covid played a role in three other cases.

It was reported by the Volkskrant in January 2026 that figures from the benefits agency UWV showed that 15,000 people with post-Covid syndrome were so severely ill that they had been partially or completely unfit for work.

Specialist expertise centers that work with people suffering from post-Covid syndrome are set to close at the end of 2026 due to budget cuts. This has led to several initiatives to have the specialist care continue in a different way.

In July, health minister Sophie Hermans announced that a budget had been found for the expertise centers, meaning that they will be able to remain open in 2027.

Figures up to late May show that 1,550 adults and 350 children were treated at the center after they had suffered from lengthy complaints from Covid-19 infections. The Cabinet has asked the organizations involved in this to work on a proposal about how these patients can receive the best possible care after 2027.