As mercury rises, Covid warriors in Mohali hospitals feel ‘stifled’ in PPE kits

The rising temperatures have made life difficult for medical staff using personal protective equipment while working in designated Covid-19 treating centres in the district

The rising temperatures have made life difficult for medical staff using personal protective equipment (PPE) while working in designated Covid-19 treating centres in the district, with most of them unable eat, drink or even use toilet facilities during their eight-hour shifts.

Healthcare workers attending to a patient at the Covid centre in Gian Sagar Hospital, Banur. (HT Photo)

Gian Sagar Hospital in Banur, which is treating 71 Covid-19 patients from three districts, Mohali, Fathegarh Sahib and Rupnagar, has a team with seven members in every shift, including a doctor, two nursing staff, two ward attendants and two persons from housekeeping, all wearing the PPE kits for eight hours.

Dr SPS Goraya, the hospital’s medical superintendent, says: “Once the staff wear the kits they can only remove it at the end of their duty hours. These days due to the soaring temperatures the situation is getting worse.”

Dr Rajendra Bhooshan, medical specialist at the Phase-6 Civil Hospital, says “after wearing the kit, we cannot eat or drink anything. We sweat a lot and sometimes it’s difficult to breathe.”

Nothing can be done about it, however, he says, adding, “Duty comes first and our passion to treat patients keeps us in high spirits.”

So how do they cope? Dr Bhooshan says the mantra is “drink very little water and eat a heavy meal before the shift.”