Abstract
Objectives The prolonged effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to have a serious impact on healthcare workers. We described and compared the experiences of healthcare workers in Japan during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic from March to May 2020, and during the lull from June to July 2020.

Design In this qualitative study, we used a web-based survey to obtain comments from healthcare workers about their experiences during the pandemic, and explored these using inductive content analysis.

Setting A tertiary emergency hospital in Tokyo, in April and July 2020.

Participants Participants were staff in the hospital, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, radiological technicians and laboratory medical technicians. Many, but not all, had directly cared for patients with COVID-19.

Results In total, 102 participants in the first survey and 154 in the second survey provided open-ended comments. Three themes were extracted: concerns, requests and gratitude. There were four subthemes under concerns: the hospital infection control system, fear of spreading infection to others, uncertainty about when the pandemic would end and being treated as a source of infection. There were 53 requests in the first survey and 106 in the second survey. These requests were divided into seven subthemes: compensation, staffing, information, facilities, leave time, PCR tests and equitable treatment. The theme on gratitude had two subthemes: information and emotional support, and material support. The fears and desires of healthcare workers included two types of uncertainty-related concerns, and requests were very different across the two surveys.

Conclusions It is important to apply a balance of information to help staff adjust to their new work environment, as well as support to minimise the burden of infection and impact on their families.