COVID19 - FREE PARKING FOR ROYAL INFIRMARY OF EDINBURGH STAFF

Healthcare professionals (HCP) are at higher risk of catching Coronavirus compared to the rest of the community. During the SARS outbreak in 2002, one-fifth of all cases were healthcare workers[i]. The stress COVID19 is causing on public is further exacerbated on healthcare workers, not just due to the higher risk of infection, but also because of work pressure caused by the spread of the infection.

Coming to work every day thinking you may take the virus back to your loved ones at home is another stress that we all, as HCP, ought to deal with. Taking public transport to-and-fro work is a risk as well, not just of catching the infection but a risk healthcare workers put on community by taking the infection from the healthcare facility to the public.

To protect the public and to reduce stress on healthcare workers at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, we think Hospital Staff Parking should be free or at significantly reduced fare during the outbreak.

[i] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15018127