A health worker in PPE kit
A health worker in PPE kit

Improper use and lack of PPE main reasons for COVID-19 among Kerala health workers

In a study released by the Health Department, it was found that 14% of the health workers gave a history of absence of adequate PPE while at work.

By July 20, 267 health workers across Kerala were infected with COVID-19, while more than 40% of them are doctors and nurses, 70% of them have come in contact with an identifiable coronavirus patient.

Findings in a study on the positive cases among health workers in Kerala by the Health Department reveal that the absence, lack of or reuse of Protective Personal Equipment (PPE) is one of the reasons behind the spread of the disease.

"Around 14% of the health workers gave a history of absence of adequate PPE while at work. Lack of PPE and reuse of PPE also have been mentioned by a few health care workers," says the study report, released on July 25.

Eight-percent of healthcare workers have also mentioned having tea, lunch and snacks in groups without proper protection or PPE.

A few healthcare workers also identified improper handling of throat swabs and fomites as a reason for contracting COVID-19.

While 62.55% of them were involved in institution-based patient care, 41% were in direct patient care. The latter includes nurses (23%) and doctors (18%). Other healthcare workers infected are field staff, nursing assistants or attenders, other paramedical staff and office staff.

From the study, 70% of the infected cases have had an identifiable positive person as contact — a patient, colleague or relative.

Fourteen percent of the cases were identified through the sentinel surveillance in which priority groups that come into contact with a lot of people are tested.

As of July 26, there are 9,656 active cases of COVID-19 in the state, 2,666 of which are in Thiruvananthapuram. The capital district also has the most number of infected health workers at 20%.

Reshma Mohandas, staff nurse at the Kottayam Medical College, was the first healthcare worker to test positive for the coronavirus in the last week of March. She had contracted the disease from looking after the oldest couple in Kerala to have got COVID-19 and recovered from it — Thomas and Mariyamma. Reshma too recovered in a few days and joined back work after following the two-week quarantine.

Watch: How to don and doff PPE kits

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