Crew Members on Leave Due to COVID-19, the Story Behind Their Appearance at the Hospital?

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Flight attendants from global airlines, who are largely on leave due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), are increasingly appearing in hospitals. As hospital staff shortages worsen due to COVID-19, flight attendants skilled in emergency response are stepping in to assist medical personnel.

According to foreign media on the 31st (local time), flight attendants from Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) began receiving three days of basic training at Sophiahemmet University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, covering the use of sterilization equipment, hospital bed arrangement, and providing information about patients. The Swedish and Danish governments, which hold partial stakes in the airline, temporarily laid off 10,000 employees to reduce costs. In Stockholm, Sweden, the recent rise in COVID-19 cases has led to a shortage of medical staff.

Johanna Adami, a university official, told foreign media, "Local governments and hospitals are all hiring retrained staff, and the number is expected to reach about 300 within the next few weeks," explaining that flight attendants are particularly well-suited to assist in the medical field. She added, "Flight attendants have received basic health education for their duties, have diverse experiences from various situations, and know how to handle complex circumstances."

Sweden is not the only country deploying flight attendants to hospitals due to staff shortages caused by COVID-19. In the UK, thousands of employees from easyJet and Virgin Atlantic were asked yesterday to support medical work at the temporary COVID-19 hospital 'NHS Nightingale' set up in East London. Virgin Atlantic and easyJet requested this from 4,000 and 9,000 employees respectively, gauging their willingness to work at the temporary hospital. Virgin Atlantic explained that employees working at the hospital would receive wages under the government’s job retention scheme.

The NHS stated that many airline employees have been trained in initial response methods and will assist with changing and arranging beds and supporting non-medical tasks. The UK Department of Health plans to use the ExCeL Centre in East London, which is normally used for trade fairs and large exhibitions, as a temporary hospital starting this week. Separately, temporary hospitals are also being established in Birmingham and Manchester.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.