For a year now, humankind has been fighting a serious threat – Covid-19. But this is not the first pandemic that the world is witnessing. Spanish influenza hit our ancestors in 1918 and posed a similar threat. But back then, they did not have sufficient knowledge and resources to combat it. They did not know what caused the disease, how it spread, or how to contain and treat it.
But today, the circumstances are quite the opposite. We know a lot about Covid-19 and are trying very hard to contain its spread by practicing adequate preventive measures. And all the healthcare experts and professionals are also working hard to keep the situation under control. Their role in the fight against this pandemic is unforgettable. From public health workers to healthcare coordinators, here is a list of 7 healthcare experts you might need during this pandemic:
1. Epidemiologist
Epidemiologists study the spread of health-related problems in different populations. During this pandemic, their role has been significant. They helped identify the cause and pointed out the risk factors to help us adopt healthy behaviors. Epidemiologists closely monitor how public safety measures like school closures and lockdowns contribute to flattening the curve.
By doing so, they try to understand how things will work out in the future. Thanks to their efforts, the Covid-19 vaccination has started, but that’s not the end of their contribution. They have yet to study the aftereffects of the vaccine. Furthermore, they will draft the strategy to prevent such situations from occurring in the future.
2. Public health workers
Unlike the frontline healthcare providers, public health workers operate in the background. That’s the difference between studying public health vs medicine. While physicians treat the sick, public health workers develop, implement, and oversee healthcare programs to improve the entire community. They not only educate people about health and safety concerns but also teach them how to overcome these threats.
During this pandemic, public health workers are working hard to raise awareness. Thanks to them, everybody now understands the importance of social distancing and proper hygiene. But the public still needs them to promote preventive strategies. As the more aware an individual is, the safer he/she will be.
3. Physicians
Physicians are the front liners during this pandemic. Their time-honored sense of duty has always led them to help those in need. In this case, at the risk of their own life. In fact, their responsibilities have doubled as they continue to provide care for their patients while preventing the disease from spreading to their homes. Yet, they are answering the call of duty in today’s testing time with their commitment, hard work, and thoughtfulness.
From treating suffering patients to preventing the spread and seeking safe therapeutics, they are the heroes who have indebted us. Yet moving forward, their duty is mosttough of all. With cases increasing each day and the vaccine underway, the physicians must continue to provide high-quality services.
4. Healthcare Coordinator
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought numerous challenges for healthcare organizations and their coordinators. Healthcare coordinators are having a hard time altogether from the shortage of equipment and protection gear to attendant staffing concerns. But despite these problems, they are not giving up. Not only are they working hard to fulfill the shortages, but they are also encouraging their staff to do their best.
Some have even cut their healthcare coordinator salary to make ends meet. During this pandemic, the efforts of these heroes are indeed praiseworthy. There are many operations in which they help us make the right decision. A health coordinator needs to oversee many major functions, from setting up isolation wards to ensuring infection containment. Furthermore, they ensure that their workers’ safety is necessary while treating infected patients to control the disease spread.
5. Nurses
Nurses are the backbone of the healthcare system. These healthcare experts were already dealing with serious levels of burnout, but Covid-19 made it much worse. Earlier, they helped restore health, mended broken bones, welcomed new life, and provided support when normal life was nothing but lost hope.
However, during this pandemic, they are fighting alongside other healthcare workers on the frontline. Donning their Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), they are working long shifts inwards where nobody else can enter. Aside from administering treatment, they also offer compassion and love to lonely patients. That’s why pandemic or not, the need for nurses will never lessen.
6. Laboratorians
A laboratory technician’s job is to collect samples, conduct tests, and study different biological specimens. They do so to identify and assist the diagnosis of medical conditions. When Covid-19 emerged near the end of 2019, the epidemiologists worked hard to identify the causative pathogen. Upon identifying the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as the cause, laboratorians developed a laboratory diagnosis for testing purposes.
Thanks to their efforts, this technique is still in use today for the confirmation of the disease. That said, the need for laboratorians during pandemic has not lessened yet. With cases increasing rapidly, the laboratorians have to conduct thousands of tests a day to help overcome the infection.
7.Psychologists
As Covid-19 was declared a pandemic, countries worldwide had to take drastic measures to prevent its spread. These included school closures and the imposition of lockdowns. These measures caused many to change their lifestyle and behaviors. The long-term social distancing and stay at home culture have had their toll on individuals’ mental well-being.
It has given rise to negative emotions like loneliness, anger, and frustration. And it is not just the adults as kids are also suffering from this problem. The parents have a hard time explaining to a kid why he is not going to school anymore. Similarly, the travel restriction and other limitations have raised a lot of questions for them. That is why it is the psychologist’s job to support and help them cope with this ongoing stress.
With this professional help, we have to ensure that this loneliness doesn’t have any long-lasting effects on their growing personality. During this pandemic, psychologists are as important as physicians and nurses. People need all the help they can get to cope with stress, both during and after the pandemic.
Conclusion
Covid-19 has unquestionably increased the need for healthcare experts. From raising awareness and treating the infected to helping people cope, these professionals contribute heroic efforts to better humanity. And it’s not just now; the actions they are doing today will also benefit humankind for many years to come.
