Work for 10 days, get 10 days off: Kerala's new plan for COVID care workers

Thirty-nine healthcare workers, including field level staff, have tested positive for COVID-19 in the state since May.
A medic wearing a PPE prepares to collect samples for COVID-19 tests. (Photo | PTI)
A medic wearing a PPE prepares to collect samples for COVID-19 tests. (Photo | PTI)

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With more healthcare workers testing positive for the coronavirus, the government has decided to introduce a three-tier pool system for workers engaged in COVID care.

As per the decision, the available human resources will be divided into the COVID pool, off-duty pool and routine pool. Those in the COVID pool will go to the off-duty pool, then to the routine pool and finally back to the COVID pool.

The arrangement will be applicable for doctors, nurses (including staff nurses, head nurses, nursing superintendents, nursing officers), pharmacists, lab technicians, nursing assistants, hospital attendants, drivers and others. At the same time, healthcare workers who become low-risk contacts will continue to work.

“Those engaged in COVID care will work continuously for 10 days and then get 10 days off. They will work three shifts per day. Each work day will be of eight hours – four hours with personal protection equipment (PPE) and four hours without it,” read an excerpt from the work management flow prepared by the health department.

It said nurses and doctors will have to follow a buddy system which will allow two health workers to look after each other and allow performing examination and procedures on infectious and critical patients without any breach in PPE protocols.

There will also be an emergency relievers/backup team and a district pool comprising 15 staff in each category. While those falling in low-risk contact will continue working, they will monitor their own health to check for symptoms. In case they develop symptoms, they should inform the authorities concerned.

Healthcare workers have also been asked to take bath in the hospital itself after COVID duty and take necessary personal hygiene measures to prevent infection.

Thirty-nine healthcare workers, including field level staff, have tested positive for COVID-19 in the state since May. In some cases, the functioning of healthcare centres also got affected as health staff were asked to undergo quarantine due to suspected exposure to infected persons.

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