‘How many times do we have to suit up?' Frontline fatigue hits doctors

Not only is there a surge of infections among healthcare workers, there is also physical and mental fatigue at the prospect of dealing with another wave

- Himanshi.Dhawan

Exhausted, frustrated, stressed… doctors who are back again at the frontline of the Covid battle are going through a gamut of emotions. For them, it’s back to a long arduous slog in sweaty PPEs with very few breaks thanks to staff shortages, and the pain of staying apart from friends and family.

Though vaccinations have meant fewer cases of deaths, physical and mental fatigue has set in. Many are recovering from Covid themselves while others are scared about reliving the nightmare of the second wave again. Dr Joyeeta Basu, who works at a Gurugram clinic, says several colleagues have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and some are undergoing therapy. About her own state of mind, she says, “I have had no time to think. I am just doing what needs to be done.”

AIIMS Delhi junior resident Dr Suvrankar Datta, who recently recovered from Covid, says that he is concerned with how lightly people are taking Omicron. “I am shocked and disappointed at the gatherings and political rallies. It’s frustrating that there is a complete lack of understanding about the gravity of the situation and how catastrophic things will become in two weeks,” he says. Datta says many of his colleagues have fallen ill at a time when all hands should be on deck.