Coronavirus: still on the front line, how are caregivers experiencing the 3rd wave?

At the front for a year, caregivers are exhausted by the never-ending coronavirus epidemic.

And if they say they are touched by the popular support of the first wave, they deplore the relaxation of part of the population, and are rather relieved by the establishment of a new containment. 

REPORT

On the front line for a year and the start of the coronavirus epidemic, caregivers continue to take care of patients seriously affected by Covid-19 every day.

But while hospital pressure has only increased for several weeks, these staff are exhausted by the extended days and the lack of staff.

And if they remain marked by popular support during the first wave, they regret today to see their fellow citizens less vigilant in the face of the disease.

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For many caregivers, the lassitude is explained by the feeling of never seeing the end of this health crisis, as explained by Samia Kasser, health manager in the intensive care unit of the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital.

"We can no longer quit work and make sure to get some fresh air and see something else. We have the impression that we are locked in a kind of Covid loop. Work, sleep, work, sleep, Work, sleep. In the media, we hear 'Covid', when we come to work, we have Covid. We experience Covid every day. " 

And while the government has announced the reconfinement of 16 departments, caregivers are worried because they see that the French are less and less supportive of the restrictions.

But any collective relaxation has consequences on hospital pressure.

This is why Samia Kasser sends a message to the French, and asks them not to lose hope and to continue to think about barrier gestures.

"Serious situations, we have gone through and we will go through others. But we must remain united, and these people who applauded us on their balconies, that they help us by protecting themselves", she declares.

"When we protect ourselves, we protect others. It prevents us from having too many patients and not being able to do our job properly. Just that would help us tremendously."

"We were very touched by the mobilization during the first wave"

Marked by the great wave of support from the French during the first confinement, the caregivers nevertheless knew that it would only last a time, like Thomas De Bock, a nurse in intensive care.

"During the first wave, we were very touched by the mobilization. We had meals, we came home in the evening, we were heroes. But afterwards, we understood that life had to start again because it There is a whole country that stopped for a month and a half. Today, we do not miss it. It was able to shed a little light on our profession, "he explains.

And to add: "What made us happy is that at least the French can no longer deny what it is the job of nurse, doctor, caregiver, ASH , internal ". 

And even in the daily lives of caregivers, this crisis has changed a lot.

"People ask us questions. I went to the bank to make a mortgage and we came to talk about our life. The branch manager asked me how things were going at the hospital," says Thomas. From Bock.

"We have this light that really makes us feel good and keeps us going."

Caregivers rather in favor of confinement 

For Jean-Michel Constantin, head of the intensive care unit at Pitié-Salpêtrière, this epidemic will also have made it possible to highlight the very specific profession of intensive care staff.

"Before the crisis, 70% of French people did not know what an intensive care unit was. They thought it was where you would wake up after anesthesia, and it was quite difficult for people. who work in sheaves, ”he recalls.

"So I understand very well that there, for all the teams who finally have a profession that is recognized, this feeling of pride helps them to hold out, even in the most difficult moments". 

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Regarding government announcements, healthcare workers are rather satisfied with the implementation of the re-containment.

Many have been asking for it for several weeks, because they know that it is the only way to put a big brake on contaminations, and therefore also in intensive care.