Protect our families, demand health workers

New Delhi: Covid-19 has infected many health workers in Delhi and other parts of the country in three months. Doctors and other medical staff across India and globally are working at a stretch in hospitals to save Covid-19 infected patients. But according to the new guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, health workers have been asked to vacate hotels and other quarantine centres immediately, failing which money will deducted from their salaries.

“There are many asymptomatic patients and also critically ill patients. On several occasions, we get in contact with them, but according to the new guidelines, quarantine will be given only for high-risk exposure. Under the current circumstances, at least seven-day quarantine, along with adequate testing of all doctors, after Covid-19 duty should be necessary,” Dr Shivaji of Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) said. “We want to prevent spread of infection among colleagues and their family members,” he added.

They worry about carrying the virus into their homes where their children, partners and parents could be exposed. They are ready to stay away from quarantine themselves to save their families. But now, things have been changed after the revised guidelines on quarantine issued by thte Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Dr Parv Mittal and his wife both are doctors. They are working in Covid-19 wards from the time the hospital has started getting patients. “We are working many hours despite knowing the risk of becoming infected with Covid-19, but now the government has revised the guidelines and we can’t stay in quarantine which is not less than an alarm in risking our lives to get infected after exposureto high risk patients.”

Many doctors are working in ICUs where the chances of infection are very high. Such doctors and medical staff take precautions by staying in quarantine centres for months, away from their families to protect them from infection.