Since the outbreak of the epidemic (疫情), frontline medical workers are among those who have sacrificed (牺牲) the most to fight the virus. A total of 1,716 medical workers were confirmed to have been infected with the novel coronavirus as of Feb 11, while six had died, according to the National Health Commission.
On Feb 22, the government released a document listing measures (措施) to protect and care for medical workers.
"Medical workers are the backbone force (中坚力量) in fighting against the epidemic, and we need to make sure that they get full support," President Xi Jinping said.
According to the document, frontline medical workers will have better incomes. For example, their salaries will be tripled (三倍的) and their subsidies (补贴) will be doubled. Improved services for frontline medical workers, such as providing them with clean and healthy meals, comfortable living environments and better commuter (通勤) services are also included in the document.
In addition, medical workers will have mandatory (强制的) rest periods after long days of work and have their paid vacations increased after the epidemic ends.
The document also pays attention to medical workers' mental health. Besides treating patients, medical workers also need to deal with mental stress caused by long hours, the spread of the epidemic and public criticism (批评), according to the Wuhan Mental Health Center. The government has set up 11 24—hour hotlines and seven platforms (平台) for medical workers experiencing mental stress, People's Daily reported.
Family members of medical workers will also receive greater support, the document said. For example, elderly people will have better medical care. Many places, including Hubei, Shandong and Nanjing, plan to give extra (额外的) points on the high school entrance exam to students whose parents are frontline medical workers.
