Conclusion:
- Investigate and observe healthcare worker having signs and symptoms of
covid-19 as well as cases having potential exposure within 14 days
before onset of symptoms. Keep these in suspected cases list.
- Triage of Health workers as per laboratory confirmed and suspected
cases, mild/moderate / severe cases and provide treatment as per
prescribed latest guidelines.
- Vaccination of healthcare workers on priority basis with due
consideration to efficacy and effectiveness of vaccines.
- Maintaining critical utililities and infrastructure is necessary to
provide adequate treatment as well as rostering personnel according to
requirements keeping reserve for future.
- Supportive policy and communication to ensure continuum of activities
and services. Stocking supplies and using multiple suppliers to ensure
continuity of operations.
- Covid-19 workplace plan should be made with management leadership with
hazard identification and risk assessment. Strategy for hazard
prevention and control, risk communication, education, training,
system evaluation and improvement etc should be implemented.
- Special precaution for healthcare elderly workers and those with
pre-existing health conditions and co morbidities
- With the rapid spread of COVID-19, the healthcare systems & HCWs are
facing severe burdens.
- A large number of medical staffs are infected due to the lack of
adequate protection.
Currently, the COVID-19 pandemic is growing day by day with lack of
essential facilities for treatment. Some experts have warned of a
possible third wave of COVID-19.
In the long run, proper protection from contracting COVID-19 in
clinics/opd/ipd and hospitals is necessary and should be made norm.
The protection of HCWs and appropriate training are of paramount
importance in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
I hope my protocol of measures will successfully control COVID-19
infection in our Health department, can help HCWs minimize the risks
of infection in medical facilities around the public and private
health facilities of Bihar and also useful at national and
international levels.