The coronavirus epidemic, which affected the whole world and which Turkey met with its first case in March 2020, deeply affected us not only in terms of health but also in social and working life.

In particular, healthcare workers who closely cared for and treated many patients diagnosed with Covid-19 themselves began to constantly encounter the same disease.

Expert Dr. Kinyas Düşünmez talks about how the Covid-19 epidemic turned into an occupational disease:

"The so-called occupational disease is an illness that emerges over time in a working person because of the job. For that reason, the Covid-19 virus is now an occupational disease. The number of cases beginning to exceed capacity affected Turkish physicians and healthcare workers negatively, and there was an increase in coronavirus diagnoses among healthcare workers. For that reason, the Covid-19 virus that physicians and other healthcare workers caught in their working environment has been accepted as an occupational disease for them."

Düşünmez, who said that Covid-19 being considered an occupational disease has many benefits, lists his thoughts on the matter as follows:

"I would like to say that I am very happy about this decision because it protects both me and all my other healthcare worker colleagues. Because I must say that since the first day this epidemic entered our lives, we have worked wholeheartedly and with great effort. The only important point here is that those who come as patients and we who treat them are well and are affected as little as possible by the situation. The greatest aim of the medical world is also to treat and protect the patient. Of course, while accomplishing these, we also face some situations in which we are negatively affected. I must say the Covid-19 epidemic is exactly one of them. For that reason it is reassuring to know that healthcare workers, who are at risk every day, and their families are also protected. I should also state that attention must be paid to this subject in the profession. At the same time, the fact that this virus is accepted as an occupational disease also protects our colleagues who have passed away and their relatives, which soothes our hearts a little."
By providing certain allowances to employees who contract occupational diseases and to their families, the later lives of these people are prevented from being affected more negatively. Emphasizing that the acceptance of this situation is very important and good for both employees and their families, Dr. Kinyas Düşünmez added in his remarks that he is pleased that this grievance has been resolved for healthcare workers and wished that this period would be overcome in easier ways from now on.