High Labor Intensity in the Heat... Medical Staff Face 'Burnout' Concerns

Fatigue High Among Frontline Medical Staff at Screening Clinics and Testing Centers
Risk of Dehydration, Heat-Related Illnesses, and Stress Affecting Health and Emotional Well-being
Experts Urge Improvement of Medical Staff Treatment and Compensation Measures

On the morning of March 23, medical staff wearing protective suits are heading to the ward at Keimyung University Daegu Dongsan Hospital in Jung-gu, Daegu. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy reporters Seunggon Han and intern Juhyung Lim] Amid the ongoing cluster infections of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Seoul metropolitan area, concerns are growing about the healthcare workers on the front lines of quarantine efforts, such as those at screening clinics and specimen testing institutions.

Wearing heavy protective suits during the hot summer and enduring high labor intensity puts them at high risk of health deterioration, including dehydration and heat-related illnesses, as well as burnout. Furthermore, accumulated fatigue among frontline medical staff may lead to errors in testing procedures that require high concentration.

Experts suggest that since healthcare workers are the main players in COVID-19 prevention, it is urgent to establish measures to improve their working conditions.

On the 9th, three nurses working at a temporary screening clinic at Nam Incheon Girls' Middle School in Michuhol-gu, Incheon, collapsed and were transported to a hospital. These three experienced exhaustion while working in protective suits under heat exceeding 30 degrees Celsius.

The working environment at screening clinics is known to be very demanding. First, healthcare workers wear 'Level D protective suits' to prevent COVID-19 infection, which include full-body protective clothing, goggles, masks, and face shields. The protective suit weighs a total of 5 to 6 kg, and since sweat does not evaporate properly, the internal temperature reaches 40 degrees Celsius.

Moreover, most temporary screening clinics, established to expedite specimen collection, are located outdoors. Healthcare workers bear the double burden of heavy protective suits and summer heat while working.

On the afternoon of March 23, medical staff were sitting and taking a short break at the drive-through screening clinic set up at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa-gu. / Photo by Yonhap News

In fact, the health and emotional states of healthcare workers and quarantine response teams have significantly deteriorated during the COVID-19 crisis.

On the 11th, a team led by Professor Yoom Yoosoon from Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Health, in collaboration with the Gyeonggi-do Public Health Medical Support Group, surveyed 1,880 medical quarantine response team members in Gyeonggi-do (1,600 healthcare workers and 280 field response team members). The results showed that 37.5% reported a decline in their health while working. This means that 4 out of 10 healthcare workers experienced worsening health conditions.

The deterioration of emotional states was even more severe. 16.3% of respondents were classified as being in a 'high-stress state requiring immediate help,' and 73% were categorized as a 'group requiring re-monitoring.' In contrast, only 10.7% were in a group that did not require follow-up observation.

The top three causes of job stress among healthcare workers were physical fatigue (45.3%), dealing with complaints (44.4%), and lack of economic compensation for additional work (41.4%), in that order.

As frontline healthcare workers accumulate fatigue, concerns arise that such fluctuations could lead to errors in testing, including misdiagnoses.

Amid concerns of a secondary outbreak from the cluster infection originating at Itaewon clubs in Seoul, medical staff are busily working at a screening clinic set up at the National Medical Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 10th of last month. / Photo by Yonhap News

So far, there have been four cases of false-positive COVID-19 test results in South Korea, including middle and high school students in Gwangju and a person in their 70s in Nonsan.

Regarding this, Jung Eun-kyung, head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, explained at a regular COVID-19 briefing held on the 15th at the Osong Disease Control Headquarters in Chungbuk, "As the workload for specimen testing increases significantly, errors due to accumulated fatigue can occur."

The government plans to improve working conditions by preparing summer operation plans for screening clinics and conducting on-site inspections of specimen testing institutions.

The quarantine authorities are supporting the installation of air conditioners in about 600 screening clinics nationwide and have prepared 'Summer Operation Guidelines for Screening Clinics,' which include reducing clinic hours during the hottest afternoon periods.

The Disease Control Headquarters, together with the Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine, will conduct joint on-site inspections of specimen testing institutions within this week and will take measures to strengthen specimen management and prevent cross-contamination at these institutions.

Experts advise that improving the working environment and providing both material and psychological compensation for healthcare workers and quarantine teams are necessary. Professor Yoom said, "Sustainable living quarantine is not possible without healthcare workers and quarantine teams as the main actors. Social investment and support must be secured to make their working environment safer and fairer, and authorities' support and social solidarity should be demonstrated to enable early response to mental and psychological risk signals."

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