Health workers pressured to report for work before the end of their 14-day isolation period

DUBLIN: Health workers who are isolated for 14 days following close contact with the COVID-19 patient are forced to return to work before the completion of their isolation period.

Health workers’ unions allege that managers are forced to report for work before the 14-day isolation is completed.

According to HSE’s special guidelines, health workers, including nurses, can return to work before the end of the observation period to ensure that there is no risk of injury in emergencies.

However, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) and Forsa have raised concerns that health workers are not receiving adequate care as the COVID-19 spread among health workers has crossed 10,000.

Managers call health workers back before the end of the monitoring period, saying there are not enough employees. INMO believes that this will result in more risks.

Between October 26 and November 1, some 532 health workers entered the country in isolation following close contact with COVID-19 victims.

Meanwhile, Tony Fitzpatrick, director of INMO Industrial Relations, also criticised the government for asking them to return to work before the end of their isolation period. “It puts at risk not only their own health but that of their colleagues and their patients, and it also puts the staff under enormous psychological pressure,” he said.

At the same time, HSE stated that “there is no evidence to link the derogation policy to outbreaks among healthcare workers.”

It is alleged that the government failed to ensure the safety of health workers despite their close association with COVID-19 patients. INMO also demands that the COVID test be conducted on health workers on the first and seventh days, just like any other individual.

Since nurses are considered essential employees, the INMO has raised widespread opposition to HSE’s new system, which allows managers to call back before the end of the isolation period, even if there is close contact with the COVID-19 patient.

INMO has criticised the HSE’s statement that the new measure is part of its efforts to monitor health workers. The INMO says the system is impractical and unimplementable.

The INMO also asks if the monitoring of health workers is practical as there are no managers during night duty.

Meanwhile, Head of health for Forsa Éamonn Donnelly, said the new monitoring system increases the risk.