Recently, Covid-19 cases are the talk of the Internet. Many people’s lives have been changed due to this unexpected virus outbreak that sent the whole world into a pandemic. After around two years and the development of vaccines, however, the threat of this virus begins to wane. This doesn’t mean that the virus has been completely stopped. With the withdrawal and the leniency of safety protocols, cases start to rise in several parts of the world. Many medical personnel are tasked to clear out rooms for many patients in various hospitals and able clinics. Doctors and nurses who are assigned to help treat Covid-19 patients are growing sparse because they have been working harder to try and save as many people as possible with the limited medical supplies at hand.
To understand the extent of the effort doctors exert when treating these patients, we will follow a fellow doctor working in a hospital who is readily accepting Covid-19 patients. Dr. Saraswati works in the Kensaras Hospital, which is located in Semarang, Indonesia. As a newly recruited doctor, she experienced first hand experiences with the troubles of adjusting and adapting to the new and hectic schedules as medical staff are slowly being overworked to the bone with administering treatment and dealing with several deaths every week.
Her hospital had recently received an influx of patients that managed to fill all the rooms available, especially with the decrease in important medical supplies needed to treat these patients. The hospital staff are constantly ready to accept any new shipment of supplies given by the government. The staff are also tasked with checking on the supplies and making a rough estimate to make efficient use of them before the next shipment arrives. Sometimes, the shipment arrives later than anticipated; sometimes, the shipment contains less supplies than they estimate, so every doctor has to make do with limited use of supplies to every patient registered in the hospital.
Along with Dr. Saraswati, the doctors in the hospital have three different shifts every day: one in the morning, one at noon, and one at night. Each of these shifts have a duration of 7 hours, 7 hours, and 10 hours respectively. The doctors who are assigned to these shifts change occasionally depending on their availability and energy. Every doctor is required to wear a hazmat suit to protect themselves from contracting the virus as they treat each patient in isolation. The hazmat suit includes their hospital uniform, a haircap, a surgical and N95 mask, the hazmat suit, two layers of gloves, boots, goggles, and a face shield. They aren’t allowed to take their suits off during their shift as these suits can only be used once and the hospital is running low on hazmat suit supplies for doctors to change into a new one in the middle of their shift.
After countless cases and administering treatment, many doctors are physically tired with sore muscles from the constant standing and hurrying along each room. Some are experiencing burnouts but still encourage themselves to keep working for the sake of their patients. They are in constant pressure as a result of trying their best to keep each and every patient alive as well as managing their supplies. Breaking the news of a patient’s death is also a difficulty doctors face. Many close friends and family of the patients end up in various forms of grief. It creates a huge reminder that the other patients who are all fighting for their lives may end up passing away despite the treatment and help the doctors provided.
Spreading awareness towards the general public is a struggle all medical staff deal with, especially when safety procedures aren’t strictly being followed. Many doctors are still encouraging the general public to be more aware of the situation as the cases in Indonesia don't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Many citizens are unaware of the extent of damage and stress this pandemic has done to the lives of many families and medical staff all around the world. Many people are still victims to this virus and many doctors and nurses are stretched thin as more medical staff have been affected by the virus itself. This pandemic is still ongoing, especially in highly dense populations. Everyone should still become aware of the safety protocols and take care of themselves.
A final message from Dr. Saraswati herself: she wants to spread more awareness of the hectic and stressful situation many medical personnel are in. She hopes that this insight will help encourage everyone to take care of themselves and others, as well as being able to abide by the safety protocols for a bit longer, despite the large amount of vaccines distributed. She hopes that you all will stay well and stay safe!
Take care, everybody!
SOURCES CITED
Saraswati, Laras. Personal interview. 20 July 2021.
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