The coastal city of Ostend in the West-Flanders province gave a "corona jewel" to the staff of the AZ Damiaan and AZ Sint-Jan, campus Henri Serruys hospitals on Friday.
As the pressure on hospitals is easing, the city council of Ostend wanted to pay a symbolic tribute to all the health care workers who have worked with and for the coronavirus patients in recent months.
The jewel was designed and made by Walter Van den Branden, an inhabitant of Ostend who wanted to pay homage to "all the heroes of the health care sector" and handed over to the management of the two hospitals by Ostend mayor Bart Tommelein.
"It is a silver ball with bulges on it. It's actually a symbolic representation of the virus," he said. Both hospitals received a jewel each, and they will be on display in the hospitals for a while. After that, it will be raffled off among the staff.
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"The jewel is not only an expression of thanks to the health care sector in general, but also to those who contributed to the fact that a large part of the people of Ostend were spared from the virus. So, too, in the AZ Damiaan and the AZ Serruys hospitals," Van den Branden told Het Laatste Nieuws.
"These ones were made in silver, but the jewel can also be made in gold," he said, adding that his greatest wish is that the jewel will be worn.
"We symbolically dedicate the 'corona jewel' to all employees of our hospital, who in recent months have risen -and are still rising- above themselves in exceptional circumstances in order to provide the best possible care and support," the AZ Damiaan hospital said.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
