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KZN paramedic on his work during Covid-19 pandemic: ‘The work I do is important to me, but so is the wellbeing of my family’

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(PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES).
(PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES/GALLO IMAGES).

We have all been hit hard by the global coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent local lockdown, but it’s the healthcare workers who have had to take extra precautions to protect themselves and their families from possible infection.

DRUM speaks to a KwaZulu-Natal paramedic to find out how he is keeping himself and his family safe from the virus while working.

Read more: This is why South Africa is not building coronavirus hospitals, yet!

“I have my own sanitiser that I carry with me all the time, and I make sure to wash my hands as well. Even when I get home, I make sure I do not make contact with my partner or our kids before removing my uniform and cleaning myself from anything that might put them at risk. The work I do is important to me, but so is the wellbeing of my family.”

When asked about how it has been working under the current circumstances he explains, “There isn’t as much work, people are hiding out.”

There has also been a lack of supplies in terms of protective gear, aprons and gloves, which they need in their field of work, and this has led to  healthcare workers having to go above and beyond the measures put in place by government.

“The most change has been among us as workers, we must now be extra careful. Even if someone has a normal cough, it’s hard to tell whether the person we’re helping is indeed infected or not,” he says.

Read more: Cape Town traffic officer buys homeless people food during the Covid-19 pandemic

He further encouraged South Africans to follow the guidelines put in place by government. “It is important that everyone does their bit to help contain the spread of this virus. We cannot wait until our neighbour or someone in our community has it to react, we must do so now. Things will only get better if we start taking this virus seriously. Prevention is better than cure.”

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