[사회]”This holiday season is a climax” … the sighs of the medical staff

[앵커]

People who can’t rest this holiday season, Corona 19’s medical staff can’t be left out.

I cannot rest because I am in charge of the examination and treatment, but I am more repressed by the memory of the explosive number of confirmed patients during the May holidays.

Reporter Dayeon Kim reports.

[기자]

The medical staff at Seonam Hospital in Seoul, which has been fighting Corona 19 for 24 hours since February, was designated as a dedicated infectious disease hospital.

When I lie down with my legs stretched out, I have been indulging in treatment every day, thinking there will be an end.

[서울시 서남병원 임상병리사 (지난 4월) : 저희도 줄어든다는 생각 때문에 ‘5월에 끝날까? 6월에 끝날까?’ 이런 마음을 가지긴 했는데 언제까지가 될진 모르겠지만 어쨌든 끝까지 해야겠다는 생각으로 하고 있습니다.]

Eight months later, things haven’t changed much.

I don’t have time to feel the cool breeze, I’m still sweating in thick protective clothing and can’t take my eyes off the patient.

Even this vacation, as usual, I will go to the hospital.

Only 800 confirmed corona19 patients treated so far

In mid-August, when the number of church- and meeting-related confirmed cases skyrocketed, we also served nearly 200 people a day.

The increased workload was difficult to bear, and I was concerned not to pay less attention to seriously ill patients in need of intensive care.

[한건희 / 서울시 서남병원 가정의학과 : 중환자를 옮길 수 있는 병원이 제한적으로 느껴져서 굉장히 심적인 부담이 컸습니다. 그런 분들은 집중 케어를 해야 하는데 집중적으로 볼 수 있는 병원이 줄어드는 것 같아서 많이 걱정했었고요.]

As the number of hospitalized patients decreased somewhat due to the strengthening of distancing, the situation calmed down for a time.

However, tensions cannot be relaxed as a group infection occurred around the Itaewon Club during the May holidays, when the amount of movement increased rapidly.

[한건희 / 서울시 서남병원 가정의학과 : 사람들이 많이 이동하거나 모여있거나 하면 감염병은 위험도가 증가할 수밖에 없습니다. 그냥 저희끼리 얘기인데 바이러스도 휴가나 명절이 있었으면 좋겠다고 생각하거든요.]

The same goes for screening clinics that forget about vacations.

Approximately 10 people, including medical staff, reside in this screening clinic.

It is also open every day as usual this Christmas season.

I am concerned that the number of people visiting the Christmas season will increase dramatically.

[이윤희 / 간호사 : 추석 연휴에는 푹 쉬고 싶었어요. 이번 추석 연휴가 긴 만큼 또 장기화할까 봐 사실은 많이 걱정되고….]

Cheering is important too, but it’s time we all responded with a ‘pause’ so as not to change the medical staff’s sigh of relief that they breathed out long ago into a worried sigh.

YTN Dayeon Kim[[email protected]]is.

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