KOLKATA: With the number of Covid patients sliding drastically across Kolkata’s private hospitals, the latter have discontinued the compulsory use of full PPE and protective gear for their health workers in non-Covid wards that have seen a sharp rise in occupancy ever since the third wave ebbed in late-January. Several hospitals that had been levying a PPE charge has withdrawn it for non-Covid patients this week.
While use of gowns, masks, face-shields and gloves remain mandatory for doctors and nurses at Covid wards, they have been discarded everywhere else at most hospitals. Since the number of Covid patients has dropped and wards have been squeezed, the risk factor does not warrant PPE any longer, say hospitals.
