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How The COVID-19 Virus Is Affecting The Medical Industry In Metro Atlanta

The first COVID-19 patient was discovered in Wuhan, China, on 17th November 2019, and by the end of 2019, the viral disease had broken out of the Chinese city. At first, the spread was handled lightly, but steadily the disease gained more grounds, spreading to 7 out of the 8 continents of the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) has characterized the disease as a pandemic and advised people in affected countries to stay home, avoid crowded gatherings, and wash hands frequently to combat further spread.

As of the 25th of March 2020, the number of infected people in Georgia had risen to 1387, with 47 recorded deaths. Many firms have instructed their staff members to work from home, schools are also holding their classes online, and many other services and industries have gone virtual. However, the medical industry is one of the most critical sectors that need to remain active in the times of a pandemic, and their services can rarely be provided remotely. In this article, we’ll be discussing how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the medical industry in Metro Atlanta.

1.      Reduced Work Hours

For many people who work in other industries in Metro Atlanta, they have taken to working remotely. However, for workers in the medical industry, working from home is a luxury they can ill-afford. Thus, they have resorted to clocking lesser hours at work to reduce the risk of exposure they face.

The implication of this is, hospitals, pharmacies, and laboratories are increasingly getting under-staffed and the personnel who are willing to take up extra shifts are currently overworked. The situation on hand now is one in which the demand for medical attention is way above the supply, and this has created an imbalance in the quality of healthcare provision.

2.     Enhanced Screening Protocols

Before now, you could just wake up and walk into hospitals and pharmaceutical stores, unchecked. With the outbreak of COVID-19, times have changed. Public spaces, including those providing health care services no longer accept visitors without proper screening. The screening includes that of temperature and brief inquiry about one’s state of health.

Due to the nature of the disease and how fatal it can be to older people, nursing homes, and health care facilities in Metro Atlanta are putting in more protective measures to protect those in their care. Vendors and visitors are no longer allowed into most health facilities in Metro Atlanta; only caregivers have access to these facilities.

3.     Furlough for Non-Essential Staff

More medical firms in the Metro Atlanta areas have relieved non-essential staffers temporarily. Since their services are not particularly essential to the health of sick people coming into the hospital, it will be unwise to have them get exposed to COVID-19 patients.

Key Takeaway

As the COVID-19 pandemic cases continue to rise, more workers in the medical industry around Metro Atlanta are having a higher work burden despite working shorter hours. Non-essential staff members are now home on furlough and medical facilities now have more enhanced screening protocols. The COVID-19 pandemic is changing how the medical industry works in Metro Atlanta, and the world at large. If you need help with staffing your medical practice to combat this crisis, you can reach out to us at (insert company name) today!