Complacency is the biggest enemy in the battle against the Covid-19 virus and it is important that people are on their guard and remain compliant in the run-up to Christmas, a nursing union official said this week.
Anne Burke, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation’s industrial relations officer in the west, said we are entering a “very tricky” period in relation to the virus and her union members are appealing to the public to be vigilant.
The Galway-based nursing representative was speaking as the number of healthcare workers contracting Covid-19 continues to grow. New figures reveal there were 1,957 cases reported among the general population in a recent week for which statistics are available (December 6 to December 12 ). A total of 283 (14 per cent ) of these were among healthcare workers. Eighty (four per cent ) of these were nurses, the single largest infected group among healthcare workers.
While there is no breakdown of local or regional figures available, Ms Burke said she has had “significant contact” from INMO members in the western counties of Galway, Mayo, and Roscommon which she represents, who have contracted the virus. The INMO has 3,500 members in this region in a number of settings, including public health, acute hospitals, and private and public nursing homes.
Significant number
“Since the beginning of Covid, a significant number of nurses and midwives in the west have contacted us about contracting the virus,” she said. “It goes from one extreme to the other. Some may get it and are asymptomatic.” Others are not so fortunate, they become very unwell and their recovery is slow.
“The majority of those contacting us would be in their 30s and 40s. About 10 members [in the west] at the moment are still out [sick] because of contracting the virus. Two members, in particular, have gone back to work but are out again because of fatigue syndrome.
“The INMO has very clear knowledge of some members left with significant consequences and side effects. Fatigue is a big one and ongoing hoarseness. We know of a number of members [not in her region] who developed Covid-19 and were left with some memory loss. It is not known if it is transient or long-term.”
Ms Burke, stressed that those affected are young and were previously healthy. Some fear their careers are over.
“Some members are concerned that their future earning prospects will be affected, that they will never be able to work again. These are people in their thirties and it is terrifying for them. They are at the height of their career progress and they have been struck down by Covid-19.”
Fear their careers are over
Employees with immuno-compromised conditions could avail of Covid-19 leave during the pandemic, under the Vulnerable Worker Protocol, she said. “For example, anybody with severe asthma, on steroids, who had a chronic condition, such as rheumatoid arthritis, or who was on immunosuppressant medication, was able to avail of this leave. They could work from home, doing administration work. We worked with their employers to secure this leave.” Due to the fact that the most vulnerable availed of Covid leave, the healthiest staff remained and it was people from this group who contracted the virus, she said.
Staff numbers were severely impacted by Covid in some hospitals. Ms Burke said in October, 16 nursing staff at GUH (University Hospital Galway and Merlin Park University Hospital ) had to self-isolate because they were deemed close contacts of a case.
Amid growing concern over the increasing number of nurses nationwide affected by the coronavirus, the local nursing organisation official has called for a number of measures to be introduced. These include:-
The introduction of bespoke clinics for healthcare workers who have contracted the virus
The repeal of the derogation policy which brings potentially Covid-positive healthcare staff back to work before completing their self-isolation period;
The application of the same self-isolation periods to healthcare workers as for the general public (currently seven days for healthcare workers compared to 14 days for the public );
The Government to classify Covid-19 as an occupational illness and to give the Health and Safety Authority the power to carry out investigations and inspections in this regard
She emphasised that the ending of the derogation policy must be a priority. “The HSE has a [Covid] derogation policy whereby it is able to call healthcare workers, who are in self-isolation, back to work after seven days. The return-to-work period for the public is 14 days. What it means is management can ask that healthcare worker to return to the workforce when they could still be [Covid] positive.
“In addition, we are looking for Covid-19 to be classified as an occupation illness. If you contract TB or MRSA in the workplace there is a special policy set out to deal with occupational acquired illnesses such as these. We are looking for the Government to make specific provision for sick leave for employees who contract the virus by virtue of being at work. We are also asking the Government to give the Health and Safety Authority the power to investigate in this regard.”
Ms Burke stated that while every precaution is being taken by hospitals to protect patients from the virus, it is important that people abide by the health regulations.
“A huge number of measures have been put in place in Galway [UHG] to ensure compliance. But all that is only as good as the compliance of the public. In order to keep everybody safe, everybody has to play their part.
“Healthcare workers are relying on the public to remain compliant with handwashing, social distancing, and sneezing and coughing etiquette. In that way, healthcare workers will be kept safe. Complacency is the biggest enemy. If healthcare workers’ [health] is compromised, then society is compromised,” she warned.
