[At the heart of the Dutch COVID-19 epidemic: experiences of a municipal health service and a look at the future].

COVID-19 first appeared in the Netherlands at the end of February 2020. North Brabant province was the epicentre, which led the municipal health service (GGD) 'Hart voor Brabant' to register 1495 cases in a single month in its area. As the GGD spearheaded the fight, it was faced with a rapid increase to a major epidemic.