Thread by @alexandreafonso

The most-read article on @elespanolcom says that "The Netherlands accuses Spain and Italy of admitting patients that are too old for intensive care". It is a shameful piece of misreporting and bad translation (thread)

The article misquotes Frits Rosendaal, a Professor at Leiden University. The article in Spanish reads "Rosendaal believes they (the elderly) shouldn't be taken to hospital". He never said that.

Here is the original Dutch, from an article on how corona statistics are difficult to compare between countries. He says that in Italy "they take people (to intensive care) that we (in the Netherlands) wouldn't take to hospital because they'd be too old"
nu.nl/coronavirus/60…

Google translate transformed a "wouldn't" in "shouldn't". He goes on to say that elderly people in Italian society have a different position, but doesn't make any moral judgement.

In the Netherlands, admission to intensive care is discussed with the patient and the family, factoring in chances of success. Many elderly people prefer to die at home if chances of recovery in IC are very low.
nrc.nl/nieuws/2020/03…

Now look at the torrent of abuse Prof. Rosendaal is subjected to for something he didn't say.

Here on the Dutch policy, from the NRC article linked above.

Also from the same NRC article.

And I don't think it's excessive to say that there are cultural differences across European countries, e.g regarding euthanasia.
euronews.com/2019/09/25/whe…

Disclaimer: Frits Rosendaal is the Head of Clinical Epidemiology at my local hospital. I have an interest in him not receiving a torrent of insults and death threats from keyboard warriors while he's at the frontline.