“Please, please wear masks. I don’t know about other people but I’m physically and mentally exhausted with crazy shifts and calling more deaths than I did in all my years of service combined,” reads a tweet by Dipshikha Ghosh, a doctor in critical care medicine, per her Twitter bio.
India is experiencing what many are calling the second wave of COVID-19 infections, with several states reporting a surge in the number of coronavirus cases being reported every day. This comes even as India is in the third phase of its vaccination drive, and also trying to meet vaccine shortages as reported by many states. If doctors, healthcare workers and frontline workers reported burnout and stress in 2020 due to the pandemic, they barely had any respite before this second wave loomed large.
Many, including the Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, have pinned the second wave of infections on people becoming lax in COVID-appropriate behaviour like wearing masks properly and practicing physical distancing and hand hygiene. Some experts have pegged this on ‘caution fatigue’– essentially people getting tired of being on guard, in fear and alert against the virus, and being cooped up in their homes, leading to lower motivation to follow these protocols. Further, with most places such as pubs, eateries and function halls having opened up, people have started mingling and attending gatherings too. Prior to the recently held Assembly elections in Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry too, political leaders took out large rallies, roadshows and organised gatherings with terribly lax COVID-19 compliant precautions.
With the above situations playing a significant role in rising caseloads, along with shortage of beds, oxygen supply and so on – much like last year – medical practitioners have once again found themselves in a bad situation with barely any respite. “I’ve distanced from family for almost 10 months. I’ve not done anything “fun” outside. I haven’t gone on leisure trips for my mental health. I’ve survived. I haven’t contributed to the pandemic. And it’s been a total waste,” Dipshika added in another tweet.
Please, please wear masks. I don’t know about other people but I’m physically and mentally exhausted with crazy shifts and calling more deaths than I did in all my years of service combined. If you still don’t care, please go inside COVID units as my proxy. Thanks.
— Doctor (@DipshikhaGhosh) April 12, 2021
I didn’t test positive. I’ve distanced from family for almost 10 months. I’ve not done anything “fun” outside. I haven’t gone on leisure trips for my mental health. I’ve survived. I haven’t contributed to the pandemic. And it’s been a total waste. Thanks, you know who you are.
— Doctor (@DipshikhaGhosh) April 12, 2021
She also said that having to break the news of a death to family members of the person, and hearing them cry in grief and shock was the hardest thing she has ever had to do. “I don’t think any healthcare worker will ever be the same again,” she said.
It’s just heartbreaking.. Breaking news of death to family members over phone and hearing them scream and howl in shock and grief is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to sit through. I don’t think any HCW will ever be the same again.
— Doctor (@DipshikhaGhosh) April 12, 2021
Another Delhi-based medical professional, Dr Parul M Sharma, an eye surgeon according to her bio, urged doctors to protest against large gatherings across the country, pointing out that young doctors on COVID-19 duty are already fatigued.
Plea to all Indian doctors / nurses association’s / public & private hospital admins to collectively protest against large gatherings across the country . Our healthcare system will collapse with tsunami of cases @IMAIndiaOrg young doctors on Covid duties are already fatigued
— Dr Parul M Sharma (@DrParulSharma1) April 13, 2021
Another doctor named Meenu on Twitter, by way of chiding a person who was speaking against the Kerala medical students whose dance on ‘Rasputin’ went viral, said, “Are doctors only allowed to work breaking their backs, sweating in PPEs to the point of dehydration, while there are COVIDiots walking around and partying like there's no pandemic going on?”
Are doctors only allowed to work breaking their backs, sweating in PPEs to the point of dehydration, while there are COVIDiots walking around and partying like there's no pandemic going on????
— Meenu (@_meen_curry) April 13, 2021
Let the kids dance man. https://t.co/ByJ74cjXyn
A medical intern further said that they did not want to experience the number of deaths they had seen in the last one year of internship, ever again.
The number of deaths I've seen in one year of internship,
— StethoscopeOnView (@Kshitizu4) April 13, 2021
I don't want to experience 'em again ever in my life.
Please wear your mask#MaskUpIndia https://t.co/9fRrNoAfmv
A resident pathologist, Pallavi, pointed out that she had not been able to touch her books in a year because they were understaffed. “I have been on call 4 nights a week in addition to COVID duty,” she said. “And to everyone who says, "Thank you," to doctors, all I have to say is, "Shut up, stay home, wear a mask and act like a responsible human being." No, it's NOT important. Whatever it is, is not as important as people's lives,” she added.
The fallout of this pandemic has truly been so bad!
— Pallavi (@DanceObsessed93) April 13, 2021
I'm a resident, I haven't touched my books in a year, our department is "understaffed" which means they are holding funds in case of a crisis. I have been on call 4 nights a week in addition to covid duty.
Every single day, we give up our time, our interests, family's best interests just to show up and do an honest day's work for people whom we don't know. Now, these idiots have spoiled it for everyone and I'm not sure whether, if the time came id have it in me to care for my own.
— Pallavi (@DanceObsessed93) April 13, 2021
And to everyone who says, "Thank you," to doctors, all I have to say is, "Shut up, stay home, wear a mask and act like a responsible human being."
— Pallavi (@DanceObsessed93) April 13, 2021
No it's NOT important.
Whatever it is, is not as important as people's lives.
Dr Lancelot Pinto, a pulmonologist in Mumbai, told BBC last month that while they are doing everything they can, doctors “don’t have the same mental strength as last year.” Dr Yatin Mehta, the chairman of the critical care department at Medanta Hospital, pointed out that India should have used the time when caseloads had dropped “to strengthen safety protocols, increase testing and tracing and ramp up vaccination" which wasn’t done. He too said that people should remember that healthcare workers are exhausted and overstretched, both physically and mental health-wise.