SowetanLive reports that there are growing fears among frontline health workers in SA, with the biggest union in the sector claiming more than 300 employees have contracted Covid-19.  

In the latest case, a member of the Gauteng health department's Covid-19 tracing team in Pretoria tested positive.  According to the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu), there was now anxiety among workers who feared they might be next.  Nehawu spokesperson Khaya Xaba said: "Of course, anxiety exists amongst workers. They get scared when they see other workers get infected and we have been calling for assistance for workers' mental health during this tough time and this must include counselling."  Xaba added:  "According to the national department of health, more than 300 workers have been infected and this is caused by lack of PPEs [personal protective equipment], noncompliance to occupational health and safety standards as prescribed in the act, [and] most workers have not been trained on putting on and removing PPEs including disposing safely of used PPE."  National health department spokesperson Popo Maja said he did not know where Nehawu got that figure from.  Rich Sicina, general secretary of the Young Nurses Indaba Trade Union, claimed that the positive cases were as a result of the poor quality and shortages of PPEs.

Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Isaac Mahlangu and Thomo Nkgadima at SowetanLive

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