Healthcare workers ‘suit up’ for battle

Story and photos by Vishani Ragobeer

At the frontlines of the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, there are the healthcare workers who ‘suit up’ daily to fulfil their responsibility of taking care of the Guyanese public. 

The News Room went behind the scenes of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) to document the changing dynamics of working in the health sector, prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Even before you step into the hospital, the healthcare staff are present in the COVID-19 screening and triage area. It is their job to make sure that every person who enters the hospital does not put any patient or staff at risk.

Once inside, surgical gowns, foot covers and of course, masks are ubiquitous. No patient is seen or treated by a doctor or nurse who isn’t covered from head to toe.And, for those ‘higher risk’ areas, dealing with those persons who may be infected with the virus, added layers of protection are necessary.  

With the advent of the pandemic, persons everywhere have been forced to adopt a myriad of measures to protect themselves. But, if you think a face mask is an inconvenience, imagine working gruelling 12-hour shifts in a healthcare worker’s ‘battle armour’