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  2. Vol 53, No 4 (2021)
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Prioritizing Health Care Workers Safety: The International Year of Health and Care Workers 2021

Evy Yunihastuti

Abstract


Healthcare workers pose a substantial risk of acquiring COVID-19 infection during their daily works. We have seen various conditions during the pandemic, such as limited adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), accurate diagnostic tests, lack of information regarding disease management, unsupportive work environment, and excessive workload, increased the number of HCWs-infected COVID-19. Compared to the general population, the risk of COVID-19 infection was several-fold higher in HCWs.

Employers and health care workers both should share the responsibility to prevent occupationally acquired infections and avoid causing harm to patients by taking reasonable precautions to prevent vaccine-preventable disease transmission.

This year, WHO has launched a year-long campaign under the theme -protect, invest, together’. It highlights the urgent need to invest in health care workers, not only during COVID-19. We need to ensure that all health care workers are supported, protected, motivated, and equipped to deliver safe health care at all times, to provide a high-quality standard of care to the patients.


Keywords


healthcare workers; safety; personal protective equipment; vaccination; COVID-19

References


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