Chinese doctors face severe staff shortage amidst COVID-19 surge

China continues to deal with the coronavirus outbreak. As per some of the recent reports, many of the doctors in the country are being told to continue working despite being infected with COVID-19. Fresh infection surge has been reported as the restrictions have been eased in the country. There are some hospitals in Beijing, where about 80 percent of the staff members are reportedly infected. However, a number of them, that include staff and residents, continue to work due to staff shortage.

One of the doctors while talking about the condition has said that all surgeries have been cancelled at hospitals unless the patient is dying the next day. The doctor spoke about the situation on the condition of anonymity. On the other hand, one of the senior officials from the World health Organization revealed that the infection flare-up started long before the restrictions were lifted. But the big shift in the policy has some of the big cities like Beijing experience a huge surge in COVID-19 cases. Authorities have expressed that it has now become impossible to measure as many people are not tested.

Michael Ryan, the chief of WHO emergencies on December 14, 2022 said that  the surge in the COVID-19 infections started off long before the restrictions of zero-Covid policy. He also added that there has been a theory that China lifted the restrictions suddenly and now the disease is out of control. Ryan also said that the disease was spreading intensely as  the control measures were not effective. One of the doctors  while talking to a news agency revealed that the hospital was overwhelmed with patients. The doctor added that nearly 700 to 800 people come with fever everyday and that they are also running out of medicines for fever and cold.

The staff member also expressed that there are no special protective measures for the staff and that a few nurses at the hospital have also tested positive.

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