Health workers overwhelmed by the Omicron variant find themselves in a very vulnerable position according to Dr. Joseph Dahine.
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He says his colleagues who dare to take a day off during this fourth wave feel guilty for leaving their team with fewer employees.
“It’s a double-edged sword, that is to say that because we feel guilty, when we are not there, when we are exhausted, when we want to take a day off and ‘we know that work doesn’t stop, well, it causes moral wounds to always sacrifice your personal life for your professional role. So, I would tell you that fatigue and guilt make a bad combo, but we are still there for the patients because they need us, ”explains this specialist.
Still, he says healthcare workers continue to be present in these difficult times.
“The greatest feeling we have is the guilt of knowing that we may not have enough energy or resources to treat everyone. It is this guilt that ensures that we are still there, two years later, so devoted to the health of the population and out of solidarity for our colleagues, ”says Dr Dahine.
Unlike the Delta variant which more affected patients, the Omicron variant exploits the weaknesses of the Quebec health system.
“We have never seen a single disease found in so many people and put so much pressure on the system. The pressure is also, I would tell you, multiplied by the fact that the teams are exhausted because there is no relief, ”says the expert.
According to this doctor, there are two types of patients. The first is between 30 and 60 years old and is not vaccinated and often needs mechanical ventilation.
The second is older, often around 70, and has only two doses of the vaccine.
“These patients were therefore probably among the first to receive their vaccine and therefore their immunity effect wanes. It is they who would benefit from having a third dose to raise their level of immunity, ”emphasizes the doctor.
See the full interview in the video above.
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