Bystanders in Covid ward raise concern

Coimbatore: Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) is one of the few hospitals in the district that allows bystanders for Covid-19 patients. This has triggered concerns from health experts, who urge hospital authorities to monitor them strictly.
Many of the 700-odd patients in the hospital’s Covid-19 ward had a bystander sitting on the same bed, TOI found on Friday.
Nurses in the ward said that the bystanders do not follow precautions including maintaining distance, wearing masks properly or even washing hands regularly. “We keep telling them to be careful and not to sit close to the patient, share water or food with them or mingle with other bystanders. But we are too short-staffed to be strict,” she said.
“What is scarier is that it is not the same bystander who is with the patient throughout their stay. Several relatives turn up at different time to take care of the patient,” said Gladys, who was taking care of a Covid patient.
“Some of them travel home via public transport. They also meet other relatives who brings fresh clothes and food,” said choreographer Footlose Edwin, whose relative is admitted in CMCH.
Bystanders are required to administer medicines, feed patient and alert a doctor or nurse if oxygen saturation drops, said a doctor. “As we are short-staffed, this is a small way to reduce our burden,” he said.
Agreed former deputy director of public health Dr K Kolandasamy. “The district is at a stage beyond community spread or transmission. While bystanders are required to reduce health workers’ burden, they have to be regulated to a young healthy individual, preferably fully-vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19. They should not be allowed to step outside the ward. After the patient is discharged, they must also isolate for 14 days,” he said.