"Every Day Feels Like a Bulgama Sauna" Medical Staff Struggle Amid 35-Degree Heatwave

Level D protective suit, mask, hair cap, face shield, gloves worn... Entire body soaked in sweat

Enduring with a sense of duty for citizens anxious about COVID-19 infection... Repeating sleep and commute life patterns

Medical staff wrapped in full protective gear at the screening clinic of Nam-gu Public Health Center in Gwangju Metropolitan City are attending to citizens relying on a single fan despite the apparent temperature exceeding 35 degrees Celsius. Photo by Cho Hyung-ju

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters reporters Park Jin-hyung and Jo Hyung-joo] "Every day, I am showering in sweat as if I were in a bulgama sauna."

At around 10 a.m. on the 6th at the screening clinic of Nam-gu Public Health Center in Gwangju Metropolitan City, the mercury had already soared well above 30 degrees Celsius, with the perceived temperature nearing 35 degrees, as the sweltering heatwave raged on. Yet, the medical staff’s attire looked as if they were preparing for winter.

The medical personnel wore Level D protective suits that completely covered their arms and legs, masks, hair caps, face shields covering their faces, and gloves. Although they had only been on duty for about two hours, exhaustion was clearly visible.

Moreover, they wore N95 masks, which are thicker and more tightly woven than regular surgical masks, adding to the heat and making it difficult to breathe.

To try to beat the heat even a little, some wore cooling vests over their protective suits, but the cold did not last long. Due to the extremely high temperatures, the cooling vests lost all their chill within less than two hours.

To reduce the heat, large shades were added to various parts of the tent roof, and outdoor air conditioners and fans were run nonstop inside, but with a steady stream of citizens coming for testing, it was hard to feel any coolness.

With their entire bodies wrapped in protective gear, they could not even wipe away the sweat flowing down. In other words, the medical staff were working for hours as if they were in a sauna.

Medical worker Jeong Sora (28, female) said, "During summer, the physical exhaustion is so great that after work, I collapse and fall asleep immediately, only to wake up the next morning and go to work again, following the same routine," wiping sweat from her brow.

Nevertheless, the medical staff made every effort to appear bright while prioritizing the safety of citizens. They could not afford to show signs of fatigue to the citizens standing in long lines for testing.

One medical worker said, "Citizens who come here subconsciously carry anxiety about 'What if I have contracted COVID-19?'" and added, "Our biggest mission as medical staff is to provide them with as much reassurance as possible."

The medical staff unanimously agreed that with the COVID-19 spread showing no signs of slowing, they must prepare for a prolonged battle.

Specimen collection assistant Lee Kwang-yong said, "Just the other day, a high school student came for testing but collapsed in less than five minutes and was transported to the hospital," adding, "Medical staff are also at risk of health deterioration due to the heat."

Given this situation, despite their best efforts to fight the heat, the medical staff are gradually reaching their limits.

Seeing this, citizens raised their voices, calling for measures such as setting up clinics inside buildings instead of the war-like tent conditions to support the medical staff.

Citizen Son Yoo-jin (47, female) said, "Those getting tested only endure the heat briefly, but it is heartbreaking that medical staff have to work in protective suits in the middle of summer," and added, "Local governments should prepare heatwave countermeasures for the medical staff."

Thank-you letters sent by citizens have been a great source of strength for the medical staff battling the heatwave.

The Nam-gu Public Health Center has densely hung all the letters received so far on the office partition walls. They draw strength from reading these letters as they come and go.

Team leader Kang Gyu-jeong said, "Once the COVID-19 situation ends, we plan to collect these precious letters and other records to hold an exhibition."

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