Lucknow: 30% health staff in grip of coronavirus

LUCKNOW: As Covid-19 crisis deepens in the city, nearly 30% of hospital staff, including doctors, nurses, technicians, ward boys and administrative officials at major Covid hospitals, are themselves fighting infection. The situation has put additional pressure on these hospitals which have high influx of Covid patients.

At least 30% staff is infected at KGMU which has been converted into a full-fledged Covid facility. “The disease is so infectious that every time a team goes on 14-day Covid duty, nearly one-fourth of them return with infection,” a senior KGMU official said. “Many are under home isolation while some have been admitted to hospital. Bed availability is low and pressure has doubled due to shortage of workforce,” he added.

At Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, at least 600 out of 2,000 staff members are Covid- positive. “Around 30% of our staff is infected. Even non-Covid teams are also falling prey to the virus because identifying positive patients is even more difficult there,” said RMLIMS spokesperson Dr Shrikesh Singh.

“We have almost completely vaccinated our staff and asking them to use protective gear while working,” said Dr Singh. Similar situation prevails at Balrampur Hospital. “In about 72 hours, at least 24 staff members, including 15 doctors, tested positive. The testing unit has been shut for 48 hours for sanitization,” said nodal officer for Covid facility at Balrampur Hospital Dr VK Panday.