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抗击新冠疫情,首先要保护好医护人员

抗击新冠疫情,首先要保护好医护人员

Arianna Huffington 2020-03-14
在中国,迄今已有超过3000名医护人员受到感染,其中一些人不幸罹难,让举国上下唏嘘不已。

航班上的安全演示总是不厌其烦地教导我们,在帮助其他乘客之前,首先要确保自己的氧气面罩安全无虞。个中道理不言而喻:只有首先做好自身防护,我们才能有效地帮助其他人。

对于所有奋战在全球抗击新冠疫情一线的公共卫生工作者来说,这一概念的重要性再强调也不过分。就像2014年埃博拉疫情爆发时一样,由于长时间暴露在新冠病毒环境下,这些医生、护士和社区卫生工作者被感染的风险远比普通人大得多。要知道,这种病毒比流感更狡猾、更具传染性。据世界卫生组织,到目前为止,已有超过13万人感染了新冠病毒。测试的延迟意味着,还有许多人很可能被感染而不自知。

我们已经看到,新冠病毒正在对全球公共卫生工作者的身体、精神和情绪造成巨大伤害。

在中国,迄今已有超过3000名医护人员受到感染,其中一些人不幸罹难,让举国上下唏嘘不已。需要指出的是,有些因公殉职的医生并非死于病毒本身,而是死于心脏骤停和过度劳累导致的其他疾病。在英国,国家医疗服务体系(NHS)的合同工正生活在恐惧之中。这些医护人员担心,一旦被隔离,他们将连续几周无法工作,拿不到薪水。在美国,一位申请新冠病毒检测被拒的病患,致使加州大学戴维斯分校医学中心的数十名,甚至可能多达数百名医护人员暴露在感染风险之下。这一事件凸显了安全防护措施不到位的可怕后果。

应对这场危机时,各国尤为重视为医护人员提供各种旨在避免感染的防护装备,比如口罩、手套、防护服和护目镜等等。当然,这些都是必要的预防措施。但我们要做的不仅仅是确保一线医护人员配有必要的防护装备,我们还要专注于维护他们的身心健康。

随着美国和世界各地报告的新冠确诊案例越来越多,医护人员势必会面临越来越大的压力。相应地,医疗用品储备将持续减少。随着病患如潮水般涌入医院,检测试剂盒的供应缺口将与日俱增。流感将继续扰乱医护人员的工作,使得他们很难及时确认哪些是新冠感染者,哪些不是。此外,长时间轮班、人手不足和常人难以想象的精神压力,很可能危及医护人员的免疫系统,使得他们比平常更容易受到新冠病毒和其他疾病的侵袭。睡眠不足也会削弱他们的免疫系统反应。

每当面临有限的资源、紧迫的工作时间,疲于应对似乎无穷无尽的医疗需求时,公共卫生工作者往往很难优先考虑自身的健康。而此次新冠疫情乱象更是进一步凸显了这种挑战。事实上,这些问题并非危机时期所独有,而是一种长期存在于公共卫生领域,并且不断恶化的模式。

无论是对公共卫生工作者,还是对他们护理的病人来说,这种模式都有可能酿成灾难性后果。我们知道,医生倦怠与医疗事故的增加有关。不止于此,身体有恙、疲惫不堪的医护人员可能会加剧医院的人手短缺问题,延长病人的候诊时间,并对总体治疗效果产生负面影响。

至关重要的是,医院和其他医疗机构要有足够的资源来组建一支人员充裕的医疗团队,以便每位医疗工作者都能休息片刻,恢复精力,睡上一觉,保持健康。应急响应培训应该与身心健康培训相辅相成,尤其要向医护人员强调健康饮食、坚持锻炼和压力管理的重要性。唯如此,医护人员才能具备足够强悍的身体和精神韧性,才能从容应对公共卫生危机期间的高负荷压力,以及对医疗服务的无尽需求。

换句话说,我们务必要确保公共卫生工作者首先戴好自己的“氧气面罩”,这样他们才能继续帮助其他人。

公共卫生界正在全力阻击新冠疫情,并竭力减轻卫生系统和广大医护人员的负担。哈佛大学陈曾熙公共卫生学院的研究人员正在潜心开发新的方法,以加深对新冠病毒的理解,更加准确地预测其传播路径。由于缺乏现成的美国疾控中心检测试剂盒,哈佛大学科学家马克·利普西奇和迈克尔·米娜等人正在研究各自的新冠病毒检测方式,以期更快地筛查患者。

Thrive Global正携手其企业合作伙伴,一起评估各种旨在加强免疫力的预防性行为,比如睡眠、补充水分、营养和健康的心理习惯等等,并致力于帮助最近开始远程办公的人适应他们的新常态。对于远程工作者来说,保持专注度和人际关系尤为重要。此外,我们还在制定方案,尝试着解决持续不断的医生倦怠问题,更好地照顾医护人员——不仅是在这场疫情期间,而是在长期内。

事实上,通过采取一些简单的步骤来保护自身健康,增强免疫系统,我们每个人都可以为阻击新冠疫情做出贡献。只要勤洗手、不摸脸、远离感染者、为医护人员留有足够的外科口罩,我们就能大大降低自己患病的风险,减轻一线人员的压力。

最后,就像医护人员一样,我们在日常生活中必须首先保持自身的身心健康。睡好觉、多运动、补充营养和水分,这些健康的生活习惯有助于我们减轻压力,避免倦怠,真正地恢复精力。归根结底,对于我们所有人来说,这些才是最重要、最根本的疾病预防措施。(财富中文网)

本文作者Arianna Huffington是Thrive Global公司创始人兼首席执行官;Michelle Williams是哈佛大学陈曾熙公共卫生学院院长。

译者:任文科

航班上的安全演示总是不厌其烦地教导我们,在帮助其他乘客之前,首先要确保自己的氧气面罩安全无虞。个中道理不言而喻:只有首先做好自身防护,我们才能有效地帮助其他人。

对于所有奋战在全球抗击新冠疫情一线的公共卫生工作者来说,这一概念的重要性再强调也不过分。就像2014年埃博拉疫情爆发时一样,由于长时间暴露在新冠病毒环境下,这些医生、护士和社区卫生工作者被感染的风险远比普通人大得多。要知道,这种病毒比流感更狡猾、更具传染性。据世界卫生组织,到目前为止,已有超过13万人感染了新冠病毒。测试的延迟意味着,还有许多人很可能被感染而不自知。

我们已经看到,新冠病毒正在对全球公共卫生工作者的身体、精神和情绪造成巨大伤害。

在中国,迄今已有超过3000名医护人员受到感染,其中一些人不幸罹难,让举国上下唏嘘不已。需要指出的是,有些因公殉职的医生并非死于病毒本身,而是死于心脏骤停和过度劳累导致的其他疾病。在英国,国家医疗服务体系(NHS)的合同工正生活在恐惧之中。这些医护人员担心,一旦被隔离,他们将连续几周无法工作,拿不到薪水。在美国,一位申请新冠病毒检测被拒的病患,致使加州大学戴维斯分校医学中心的数十名,甚至可能多达数百名医护人员暴露在感染风险之下。这一事件凸显了安全防护措施不到位的可怕后果。

应对这场危机时,各国尤为重视为医护人员提供各种旨在避免感染的防护装备,比如口罩、手套、防护服和护目镜等等。当然,这些都是必要的预防措施。但我们要做的不仅仅是确保一线医护人员配有必要的防护装备,我们还要专注于维护他们的身心健康。

随着美国和世界各地报告的新冠确诊案例越来越多,医护人员势必会面临越来越大的压力。相应地,医疗用品储备将持续减少。随着病患如潮水般涌入医院,检测试剂盒的供应缺口将与日俱增。流感将继续扰乱医护人员的工作,使得他们很难及时确认哪些是新冠感染者,哪些不是。此外,长时间轮班、人手不足和常人难以想象的精神压力,很可能危及医护人员的免疫系统,使得他们比平常更容易受到新冠病毒和其他疾病的侵袭。睡眠不足也会削弱他们的免疫系统反应。

每当面临有限的资源、紧迫的工作时间,疲于应对似乎无穷无尽的医疗需求时,公共卫生工作者往往很难优先考虑自身的健康。而此次新冠疫情乱象更是进一步凸显了这种挑战。事实上,这些问题并非危机时期所独有,而是一种长期存在于公共卫生领域,并且不断恶化的模式。

无论是对公共卫生工作者,还是对他们护理的病人来说,这种模式都有可能酿成灾难性后果。我们知道,医生倦怠与医疗事故的增加有关。不止于此,身体有恙、疲惫不堪的医护人员可能会加剧医院的人手短缺问题,延长病人的候诊时间,并对总体治疗效果产生负面影响。

至关重要的是,医院和其他医疗机构要有足够的资源来组建一支人员充裕的医疗团队,以便每位医疗工作者都能休息片刻,恢复精力,睡上一觉,保持健康。应急响应培训应该与身心健康培训相辅相成,尤其要向医护人员强调健康饮食、坚持锻炼和压力管理的重要性。唯如此,医护人员才能具备足够强悍的身体和精神韧性,才能从容应对公共卫生危机期间的高负荷压力,以及对医疗服务的无尽需求。

换句话说,我们务必要确保公共卫生工作者首先戴好自己的“氧气面罩”,这样他们才能继续帮助其他人。

公共卫生界正在全力阻击新冠疫情,并竭力减轻卫生系统和广大医护人员的负担。哈佛大学陈曾熙公共卫生学院的研究人员正在潜心开发新的方法,以加深对新冠病毒的理解,更加准确地预测其传播路径。由于缺乏现成的美国疾控中心检测试剂盒,哈佛大学科学家马克·利普西奇和迈克尔·米娜等人正在研究各自的新冠病毒检测方式,以期更快地筛查患者。

Thrive Global正携手其企业合作伙伴,一起评估各种旨在加强免疫力的预防性行为,比如睡眠、补充水分、营养和健康的心理习惯等等,并致力于帮助最近开始远程办公的人适应他们的新常态。对于远程工作者来说,保持专注度和人际关系尤为重要。此外,我们还在制定方案,尝试着解决持续不断的医生倦怠问题,更好地照顾医护人员——不仅是在这场疫情期间,而是在长期内。

事实上,通过采取一些简单的步骤来保护自身健康,增强免疫系统,我们每个人都可以为阻击新冠疫情做出贡献。只要勤洗手、不摸脸、远离感染者、为医护人员留有足够的外科口罩,我们就能大大降低自己患病的风险,减轻一线人员的压力。

最后,就像医护人员一样,我们在日常生活中必须首先保持自身的身心健康。睡好觉、多运动、补充营养和水分,这些健康的生活习惯有助于我们减轻压力,避免倦怠,真正地恢复精力。归根结底,对于我们所有人来说,这些才是最重要、最根本的疾病预防措施。(财富中文网)

本文作者Arianna Huffington是Thrive Global公司创始人兼首席执行官;Michelle Williams是哈佛大学陈曾熙公共卫生学院院长。

译者:任文科

There’s a reason that in-flight safety presentations always instruct us to secure our own oxygen masks before assisting fellow passengers. We can’t help others effectively unless we first protect ourselves.

Nowhere is that notion more important than for the frontline public health workforce involved in the global COVID-19 response. Just like during the Ebola outbreak of 2014, these doctors, nurses, and community health workers are bearing a disproportionate burden of this epidemic, due to their constant contact with the virus, which is more contagious than the flu. To date, more than 100,000 have already contracted the virus, and delays in testing mean that many more have likely been exposed.

We’re already seeing the tremendous toll—physical, mental, and emotional—that the coronavirus is taking on the world’s public health workforce.

In China, more than 3,000 health care workers have been infected—and the death toll includes health workers who died not from the virus itself, but from cardiac arrest and other conditions caused by overwork and exhaustion. In the U.K., NHS contract workers live in fear that a quarantine could keep them from work for weeks on end—and without pay. And here in the U.S., a single patient who was denied a coronavirus test exposed dozens, if not hundreds, of UC Davis Medical Center staff to the disease, highlighting the dire consequences of having insufficient safety measures in place.

In response to the crisis, much emphasis has been placed on providing medical personnel with the right equipment to avoid contracting the disease—masks, gloves, gowns, goggles, and the like. These are essential precautions, of course. But we have to do more than ensure those on the front lines have the necessary protective gear. We also have to focus on maintaining their holistic well-being.

As more cases of the disease emerge here in the U.S. and around the world, we can expect the strain on health care personnel to get worse. Stockpiles of medical supplies will dwindle. The tide of hospital patients will rise and the shortage of test kits could grow. The flu will continue to muddle efforts to identify who has coronavirus and who doesn’t. And the combination of long shifts, understaffing, and high stress could compromise the immune systems of health care workers and make them more vulnerable to the disease—and other illnesses—than they normally would be. An associated lack of sleep also threatens to weaken their immune system response.

The chaos of coronavirus underscores the challenge that public health workers face in prioritizing their own wellness in the face of limited resources, often brutal hours, and seemingly endless demands on their bandwidth. These issues are not unique to times of crisis, but a chronic and worsening pattern in our field.

And it’s a pattern that can have devastating consequences—not just for the public health community but for that of the people they care for. We know that provider burnout is associated with an uptick in medical errors. And sick, exhausted health workers can lead to further staff shortages, longer hospital wait times, and poorer patient outcomes overall.

It’s critical that hospitals and other health care organizations have the resources they need to put enough boots on the ground, so that individual workers can take breaks to recharge, get some sleep, and stay well. And emergency response training should be accompanied by overall wellness training, with an emphasis on healthy food, exercise, and stress management, so that staff can build the resilience—both physical and mental—that is necessary to weather the stress and endless demands during a health crisis.

In other words, we need to make sure public health workers can put on those proverbial oxygen masks first so they can go on to assist others.

The public health community is working diligently to mitigate the spread of coronavirus and alleviate some of the burden on health systems and workers. Researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health are developing methodologies to better understand—and predict—the spread of the disease. And in the absence of readily available CDC test kits, scientists like Harvard Chan professors Marc Lipsitch and Michael Mina are working on their own coronavirus tests with the hope of screening patients more quickly.

Thrive Global is working with its corporate partners to both scale immunity-building preventive behaviors—like sleep, hydration, nutrition, and healthy mental habits—and help newly remote workers adjust to their new normal (with a special emphasis on focus and interpersonal connection). And we are developing programs to address the ongoing crisis of provider burnout and better care for health workers, not just during this epidemic, but over the long haul.

But all of us can help combat the spread by taking simple steps to protect our own health and boost our immune systems. By simply washing our hands regularly and vigorously, avoiding touching our faces, steering clear of anyone who is sick—and leaving the supply of surgical masks in place for health care personnel—we can significantly mitigate our own risk of illness and lessen the strain of those on the frontlines.

And finally, just like doctors and nurses, it’s imperative that we prioritize well-being in our own lives—building healthy habits around sleep, movement, nutrition, and hydration that help us mitigate stress, avoid burnout, and truly recharge. Ultimately, these are the most important disease prevention steps all of us can take.

Arianna Huffington is founder and CEO of Thrive Global.Michelle Williams is dean of the faculty at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

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