KUCHING, May 23: Eight frontliners who were constantly in personal protective equipment (PPEs) under the hot weather experienced heat strokes and fainted yesterday (May 22).
Kuching Covid-19 One Stop Centre commander in chief Dr Cheong Yaw Liang said the eight male and female medical personnel passed out at about 2pm when they were on duty at the registration, screening and swab test stations
He said they became unconscious for about 20 minutes, but after some rest they were now fine and well.
“As too many staff members fainted at one time, the entire registration and inspection lines were forced to stop which caused a little bit of a welter.
“However, we managed to mobilise staff as soon as possible and resumed to normal operations within a short period of time,” he said when interviewed by Sinchew Daily Sarawak yesterday.
Dr Cheong also pointed out that there was a downpour at noon yesterday but the rain did not drive out the heat, instead, it made the weather hotter and damper.
He said the PPEs that have zero ventilation can actually be worn for continuously four hours only, which is from 9am to 1pm, but the queue for swab test yesterday was exceptionally long so they had to extend their working hours in the suit. — DayakDaily
