Kerala Nurse talked to Mammootty explained daily ordeals of Medical staff in Covid 19 Ward
We perform our normal duties, like writing a report and interacting with patients, but everything is from within layers of protective gear for six straight hours… It cannot be explained without experiencing it,” Sheena, a nurse on COVID-19 duty, told actor Mammootty. Sheena, a staff nurse at the Infection Control section of the kozhikode Medical college, was on a phone conversation with mammootty as part of a radio show. On the actor’s enquiry, Sheena patiently explained the daily ordeals of a nurse and other members in a COVID-19 ward.
We get about 20 suspected cases almost every day. Only after testing can we conclude if they are positive. But we treat them with utmost precaution, anticipating that they might have the infection. At the end of the conversation, which lasted for almost 20 minutes, mammootty said, “I could only listen as a layman. But, the public should know the struggles of saving the life of a person infected with coronavirus.” The most affected section of medical workers, Sheena said, is the cleaning staff. They have to handle the masks, papers and food waste of COVID-19 patients and those who haven’t yet been confirmed, and dispose of all this waste separately according to the Biomedical Waste Management guidelines.
According to Sheena, the medical staff including doctors, nurses, assistants and X-ray staff, are on nine to 10 days of continuous duty, which is followed by a 14-day quarantine at the hospital. A majority of the nurses are women and many have young children. We should appreciate their commitment and sincerity towards their work.