Health workers and COVID-19: flailing working conditions? Artigo De Pesquisa / Dossiê Covid-19 E Saúde Do Trabalhador

摘要

to analyze the working conditions of health professionals facing the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil based on online media reports published in prominent news portals. Methods: qualitative analysis of 22 news stories selected from two of the main Brazilian news portals, published between April 20 and 30, 2020. Based on thematic content analysis, we defined five categories: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and COVID-19; health workers with comorbidities working on the front line; illness and death due to work; access to treatment and work leave due to COVID-19; resigning from work and professional updating. Results: the news stories reported inadequate working conditions due to lack of and/or inadequate PPE; health care workers with comorbidities remaining at work; sickness and death from COVID-19; strain and fear of being infected, and having to deal with co-workers’ sickness and death; difficulties in getting tested for COVID-19 and obtaining sick leave for treatment; resigning from health care work; need for fast professional updating for COVID-19 health care. Conclusion: the pandemic clearly evidences the need for public investment in health care for workers in charge of caring for the population.