Everyone is burned out. ‘But work can’t stop, can it?’

Anger, exhaustion and helplessness. Maria Teronpi (name changed on request) felt all this and more working nonstop for hours, days and months at a reputed hospital in Noida during the second wave that unleashed unprecedented devastation across the country.

The 29-year-old nurse says she was already overworked since the outbreak of the pandemic in March last year, but the second wave was "way too much to deal with". "I was completely burned out."

She finally decided to seek help from a therapist recently. “I badly needed a break and some expert help.”

Various studies have reported an increase in “burnout” during the pandemic with more and more healthcare workers feeling worn out and unable to cope with the uncertainties.