{"id":5657,"date":"2026-07-14T13:16:44","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T11:16:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rotterdammakeithappen.bureaurotterdam.nl\/verhaal\/tired-of-corona-this-app-helps-young-people-during-these-difficult-times\/"},"modified":"2026-07-14T14:22:54","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T12:22:54","slug":"rotterdam-collaboration-behind-erasmus-mc-pandemic-apps","status":"publish","type":"verhaal","link":"https:\/\/rotterdammakeithappen.nl\/en\/stories\/rotterdam-collaboration-behind-erasmus-mc-pandemic-apps\/","title":{"rendered":"Rotterdam collaboration behind Erasmus MC&#8217;s pandemic apps"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;187904&#8243;]<strong>During the pandamic, Erasmus MC launched two remarkable apps. A VR app for nurses was developed in partnership with Rotterdam organisations. And the Grow It! app is still being used today for scientific research aimed at improving the wellbeing of young people.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text]<blockquote class=\"br-custom-quote\">More and more young people were struggling with loneliness and stress.<\/blockquote>[vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;263040&#8243;]Many young people were stuck at home during the corona crisis. Schools were closed, there was a curfew, more and more young people were struggling with loneliness and stress.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why Erasmus MC, in collaboration with Erasmus University Rotterdam and the City of Rotterdam, developed the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.growitapp.nl\/\">Grow It! app<\/a>. The app lets young people track their mood and keeps them engaged through fun challenges.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;4587&#8243; caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;147073&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;174575&#8243;]<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Research<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The Grow It! app was developed with a team of researchers, young people, and game designers. It is now part of <a href=\"https:\/\/ehealthjunior.nl\/wordpress\/\">eHealth Junior<\/a> and continues to be used in scientific research.<\/p>\n<p>That research focuses on children and young people with chronic conditions, and on young people whose parents have psychiatric problems, all with the aim of improving their wellbeing.[\/vc_column_text]<div class=\"br-custom-youtube\" style=\"max-width:100%; margin: 20px 0; position: relative; aspect-ratio: 16\/9; background: #000; border-radius: 4px; overflow: hidden;\"><div style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; background: #1a1a1a; color: #fff; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; justify-content: center; text-align: center; padding: 20px; box-sizing: border-box;\"><p style=\"margin-bottom: 20px; font-family: sans-serif;\">Accepteer marketing cookies om deze video te bekijken.<\/p><button type=\"button\" data-action=\"show-consent-banner\" style=\"background: #ff0000; color: #fff; border: none; padding: 12px 24px; font-weight: bold; cursor: pointer; border-radius: 4px; text-transform: uppercase;\">Cookie instellingen<\/button><\/div><script>\r\n            (function() {\r\n                var checkConsentAndReload = function() {\r\n                    if (document.cookie.indexOf('marketing') > -1) {\r\n                        window.location.reload();\r\n                    }\r\n                };\r\n\r\n                \/\/ 1. Luister naar het offici\u00eble event\r\n                document.addEventListener('consent_studio_consent_updated', function() {\r\n                    setTimeout(checkConsentAndReload, 500);\r\n                });\r\n\r\n                \/\/ 2. Backup: Luister naar clicks op de knoppen in de banner (die pas later in de DOM komen)\r\n                document.addEventListener('click', function(e) {\r\n                    \/\/ Zoek naar knoppen die de banner opslaan (vaak classes zoals cs-accept of data-attributen)\r\n                    if (e.target.closest('.cs-accept-all, .cs-save-settings, [data-action=\"hide-consent-banner\"]')) {\r\n                        setTimeout(checkConsentAndReload, 800);\r\n                    }\r\n                });\r\n\r\n                \/\/ 3. Extra interval check voor 5 seconden nadat de knop is ingedrukt\r\n                var btn = document.querySelector('[data-action=\"show-consent-banner\"]');\r\n                if (btn) {\r\n                    btn.addEventListener('click', function() {\r\n                        var attempts = 0;\r\n                        var interval = setInterval(function() {\r\n                            attempts++;\r\n                            if (document.cookie.indexOf('marketing') > -1) {\r\n                                clearInterval(interval);\r\n                                window.location.reload();\r\n                            }\r\n                            if (attempts > 20) clearInterval(interval); \/\/ Stop na 10 sec\r\n                        }, 500);\r\n                    });\r\n                }\r\n            })();\r\n        <\/script><\/div>[vc_separator sep_color=&#8221;&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;207769&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;205579&#8243;]<\/p>\n<h3><strong>VR app for nurses<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Covid-19 was a new and unknown virus, and as a leading university medical centre, Erasmus MC rapidly built up the knowledge needed to treat patients. To train nurses quickly and efficiently in assessing and caring for Covid-19 patients, the hospital developed a Virtual Reality app in record time.[\/vc_column_text]<blockquote class=\"br-custom-quote\">Rotterdam businesses and organisations contributed their services free of charge.<\/blockquote>[vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;199107&#8243;]The app included VR training films for nurses across the Netherlands, produced in collaboration with Rotterdam businesses and organisations. The City of Rotterdam, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lifesciencesandhealth010.nl\/\">Life Sciences &amp; Health 010<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vr-gorilla.com\/\">VR Gorilla<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.philogirl.nl\/\">Philogirl<\/a>, and Cardboards all contributed their services free of charge.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image media=&#8221;3681&#8243; caption=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_lightbox=&#8221;yes&#8221; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;207255&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;147189&#8243;]<strong>Long COVID<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>As a leading treatment and knowledge centre, Erasmus MC played a pivotal role in researching and combating the pandemic in the Netherlands. The hospital hosts an Expertise Centre for Long COVID, where one of the six <a href=\"https:\/\/www.erasmusmc.nl\/nl-nl\/patientenzorg\/poliklinieken\/post-covid\">Long COVID outpatient clinics<\/a> in the Netherlands is based.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;187904&#8243;]During the pandamic, Erasmus MC launched two remarkable apps. A VR app for nurses was developed in partnership [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":12374,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5657","verhaal","type-verhaal","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Rotterdam collaboration behind Erasmus MC&#039;s pandemic apps - Rotterdam Make It Happen<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"During the pandemic, Erasmus MC developed 2 apps, a VR app for nurses and a wellbeing app for young people.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/rotterdammakeithappen.nl\/en\/stories\/rotterdam-collaboration-behind-erasmus-mc-pandemic-apps\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Rotterdam collaboration behind Erasmus MC&#039;s pandemic apps - 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