Deputy Richard Renouf confirmed at a States sitting that 16 staff had tested positive for the virus, while 11 were isolating as direct contacts. He added that others were ‘supporting family members who are positive or maybe having to isolate’.
His comments came as active coronavirus cases in the Island hit another new peak of 2,813, while 13,332 direct contacts were also identified.
Responding to a question from Deputy Inna Gardiner about workload stress as a result of the sharp increase in Covid cases in recent weeks, the minister said: ‘The health wellbeing service has been regularly monitoring the wellbeing of staff throughout the pandemic. Throughout this time we have seen an increase in the number of staff who have taken absence from work. Some of these absences relate to emotional difficulties that are work-related while many relate to factors outside work.
‘Our staff have been telling us through a number of forums that working through Covid has been difficult for them, and that is understandable. Many of the stories we have heard show the most significant impact on their wellbeing has related to health
staff not being able to use their normal support networks during Covid, particularly where staff are struggling because of their families not living in the Island.
‘They have not been able to visit them for a long period of time, while perhaps knowing they are unwell or even that they have lost a family member and have not been able to say goodbye personally or attend their funeral.
‘As of today, we have 16 positive cases among staff at Health, 11 are isolating as direct contacts and we have 38, in total, listed as absent due to Covid.’
Deputy Renouf also admitted that an increase in recent cases had raised concerns about the potential impact of long Covid.
Responding to a question from Deputy Rob Ward, he said: ‘We would all have concerns around the possibility of long Covid and what its effects might be. These are yet to be fully understood so there is support within Health and Community Services for those who may be suffering currently or who may be concerned about the effects of long Covid.
‘I know [deputy medical officer of health] Doctor [Ivan] Muscat is working closely with those studying long Covid nationally and internationally.’
Deputy Renouf also dismissed a question from Senator Kristina Moore about the wider morale within the Health Department. Senator Moore said a theme that had emerged in submissions to Scrutiny was that the ‘culture is currently terrible’.
The minister said: ‘I don’t accept that morale is at rock bottom. This is an extremely difficult time for staff for the reasons I outlined in my answer to Deputy Gardiner. The staff in Health have been doing a wonderful job in looking after Islanders, whether with Covid-related illness or not. The Hospital has kept operating and we have an excellent staff who are responding.
‘We are all on a journey through a period of change and, of course, those transitions are sometimes difficult and people come along at different speeds but there is good joint working. I think we should be conscious that we should not take simply the comments made by one person in isolation but try to have a more rounded view of 2,400 people working in Health and Community Services.’
