Commentary: Healthcare workers need more than just thank you notes from Singapore
SINGAPORE: As an active septuagenarian, it is somewhat sobering to know that near 80 per cent of those who passed away in the last 28 days were above 70 years one-time, according to Health Ministry information.
Singapore reported 18 more than COVID-19 deaths on Midweek (October 20), bringing the total virus death cost to 264, against a gloomy properties of increasing number of new cases and concerns almost overwhelmed hospitals.
Challenges faced by healthcare frontliners – long working hours, manpower shortage, institutional and structural issues – are cipher new.
Merely the prolonged fight against COVID-xix has undoubtedly added weight on their tired shoulders, even though they soldier on by believing "this is what nosotros railroad train for" as Dr Melvin Chua of Sengkang General Hospital said on CNA's Heart of the Thing podcast.
There'due south a limit to how much clapping from our windows or posting thanks notes online tin can really do, sincere every bit we may be.
A doc said equally much in response to a recent social media campaign, that while they are greatly appreciated, battered doctors and nurses can't "eat thoughts and prayers" nor use them to spend time with loved ones or reduce the stress and toll on their own health.
Instead, they advocated policy and institutional improvements and more than importantly, for a change in attitudes toward healthcare workers.
So how tin nosotros, members of the public as users and beneficiaries of the healthcare system, exercise our office to testify our support in a concrete way?
Go THE COVID-19 VACCINATION
Ane of the simplest means to ease the strain on the healthcare system is to become your COVID-xix shot.
Some have legitimate health issues, such as severe life-threatening allergic reactions, and cannot receive whatever of the available vaccines.
But there are others who stubbornly refuse to do so out of misguided beliefs or following advice from well-intentioned but misinformed friends.
Worse still are those who advocate unfounded anti-vaccination theories and peddle unproven remedies , such as ivermectin, an anti-parasitic drug – even though wellness agencies and experts over the globe have come out emphatically to warn confronting it.
As they have clarified, mRNA vaccines don't alter your DNA, there are no trackers in them and the post-vaccination effects have been studied and deemed rubber.
How are Singapore hospitals fighting off a fresh wave of infections, afterwards many months at the frontline? Mind to two doctors discuss dealing with recent surges on CNA'south Middle of the Affair:
After the multi-ministry taskforce announced the latest vaccination-differentiated measures, disallowing nigh unvaccinated people from entering malls and dining in, many such individuals decried the "bigotry" and even started an online petition that got 6,000 signatures before it was removed.
My question to these naysayers is: Why?
By insisting on having your own way and looking at things in such a binary mode, nosotros don't merely potentially hurt ourselves, nosotros increase risks to people around united states and add stress to our healthcare workers.
Local data suggests that the risk of unvaccinated people getting a severe infection is fourteen times higher than that of vaccinated people, co-ordinate to Singapore's director of medical services Kenneth Mak.
A quick look at the daily press releases will bear witness that the unvaccinated accept up a asymmetric amount of hospital resource in terms of oxygen supplementation or ICU beds.
Nigh vaccinated persons who get infected accept but balmy or no symptoms and are unlikely to require hospitalisation.
Those currently ineligible for vaccination, take legitimate wellness issues or those with poor immune systems whose vaccinations are not always sufficient to aid, depend on the rest of us to limit the spread of COVID-nineteen in the community and continue them rubber.
For example, former U.s.a. secretary of state Colin Powell passed abroad on Mon (Oct 18) from complications due to COVID-19, at historic period 84. Though fully vaccinated, he had multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that reduces the body'due south ability to fight infection.
There may but be a small-scale per centum of people who refuse vaccination despite being eligible, while the largest segment of the unvaccinated likely consists of children younger than 12 currently ineligible for the shot.
But in the face of a raging pandemic, every shot in arm counts, and then we can lift rules permanently and regain normalcy.
EMPATHY DOESN'T COST The states Annihilation
If we are genuinely concerned for healthcare frontliners, we should mind their calls to exist kinder patients under their care.
We are shocked to hear of outrageous harassment directed at healthcare workers. Only it should exist equally disconcerting to hear their anecdotes of verbal abuse when patients are unhappy with wait times or when they are unable to get non-urgent assistance or information immediately.
Let's not forget that many healthcare frontliners feel overworked but go on to have on grueling shifts with little time to eat and even go to the bathroom, so much then that one doctor said that they hadn't "seen the daylight in ages".
Those lamenting their inability to enter malls and dine in at eateries should remember that the healthcare workers toiling valiantly behind the scenes barely accept time to head to the shops themselves or eat something other than a takeaway bento box.
It costs us nothing to convalesce the stressful weather of their demanding jobs. Merely it tin can hateful i fewer thing for them to stress virtually.
BE A MODEL PATIENT
Just over a year agone, I was admitted to a public hospital for five days to investigate a persistent low-class fever. I fabricated a resolution to be a model patient.
I went in with much gratitude, reminding myself that I am i lucky bloke who has access to a well-equipped hospital with trained and highly professional doctors, nurses, centrolineal health personnel and other healthcare workers – something non easily bachelor to more than than half the world and taken too easily for granted in Singapore.
While hospitalised, I was determined to be thankful for everything and be patient with everyone who cared for me. So I was cheerful in my disposition, lavish in my compliments, and lacking in my complaints to all who participated in my time in that location – from the consultants to the cleaners.
I had a pleasant stay in the infirmary and hoped that the fond farewell the staff gave me meant that they had an as positive feel taking intendance of me.
Nosotros experience empathy and profound gratitude for our healthcare workers. Simply allow us recollect to also exist responsible and not add on to their patient load, or to exist gracious patients that they can appreciate.
Dr William Wan is Full general Secretary of the Singapore Kindness Movement.
Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/covid-19-healthcare-workers-singapore-thank-overworked-295431
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