URGENT: Seeking someone from Prince George, BC open to being interviewed about the loss of masks in healthcare! We have a request from a journalist seeking a local angle to cover this story.

Contact us ASAP at DoNoHarmBC[at]gmail[dot]com if interested, and please spread the word!

Note: you don’t need to have any experience with media interviews, and you don't need to be an "expert". We have tip sheets ready to go, and are happy to provide support. Many interviews can be done remotely, by phone or email.

This is why respirators need to be mandatory in hospitals.

Babies, people with certain disabilities & some health conditions need others to mask to protect them.

This hospital shouldn’t be “scrambling”. Make masks mandatory & protect patients and staff.

Clean & ventilate the air too!

I wrote a guest article for Healthy Debate that looks at why we need mandatory masks in healthcare, why surgical masks aren’t enough, and how the mounting threats to public health are putting lives at risk.

If you’re a healthcare worker, mask up.

Show us you take your oath to “do no harm” seriously

https://healthydebate.ca/2025/03/topic/wear-mask-plea-health-care-workers/

Prior to Covid it was normal to mask in the NICU. People understood that premature babies are as vulnerable as they come and need to protected.

Now? Gowns & gloves but no masking.

The damage caused by anti mask rhetoric will be felt for years (possibly decades) to come.

Mask mandates belong in healthcare. We should be providing free respirators at the door & cleaning and ventilating the air.

If you’re a healthcare worker who doesn’t think you need to mask, please read my plea on behalf of vulnerable patients:

https://www.disabledginger.com/p/a-plea-to-maskless-healthcare-workers

We know masks in healthcare stop the spread of airborne disease. We know they reduce the risk of hospital acquired COVID (which has a 10% mortality rate).

We know respirators work even better.

So why aren’t we masking? Why are patients having to bear the brunt of infection control?

https://www.disabledginger.com/p/we-need-mandatory-masking-in-healthcare

Patients have been bearing the brunt of infection control in hospitals, having to go to great lengths to protect themselves and their loved ones.

They’re unfairly judged, psychologized and mistreated for masking and/or requesting staff mask.

Covid is still here. It’s still killing and disabling people. We’re also seeing outbreaks of tuberculosis, measles and the worst flu season in over a decade.

Public health is being systematically dismantled and gagged by the Trump administration, allowing misinformation and disinformation to flourish and putting even more lives at risk.

Why don’t we have mandatory masking in healthcare? Why are we killing and disabling patients who go there for help? Who can’t ‘just stay home’?

The second article in my Masks in Healthcare series looks at patient stories, retaliation, and what we can do to make hospitals safer for everyone.

https://www.disabledginger.com/p/we-need-mandatory-masking-in-healthcare

There are measles outbreaks in the U.S. and Canada. A disease we eradicated is making a comeback due to dangerous anti-vaxx rhetoric.

We need mandatory masking in healthcare, and we need it now.

A respirator protects against Covid, measles & more.

There’s no excuse to expose patients when we have the tools to prevent it:

https://www.disabledginger.com/p/a-plea-to-maskless-healthcare-workers

Had my first healthcare worker refuse to mask for me. I’ve had many scoff, make accusations of “anxiety” or wear their mask wrong… but this was my first outright “no”.

My chart is documented that I’m immune compromised & require staff to mask. The facility had a policy that if asked, staff will wear.

I was told “no I need to breathe to do my job”. I stood firm & said I’m high risk and masks are required.

They declined again and said they’re “claustrophobic”.

I said “I’m sorry to hear that but you work in healthcare. Being able to wear a mask is a requirement of your job. Please put one on before coming near me” A firm no. They refused to check my chart. Refused to show concern or empathy.

What I did next not all patients would be comfortable with, but I was there for a test that meant this HCW would be up close in my face for an extended time. I was also visibly sick and had already passed out once due to low blood pressure. Putting me at risk for their own comfort was NOT ok.

I said “no one comes near me without a mask. If you’re unwilling to accommodate my disability, go find me someone who is”

They were NOT happy. Stormed out and came back with another HCW who was wearing a mask.

When they returned they refused to leave the room. I asked repeatedly and said I was uncomfortable with them remaining and didn’t want extra people around for the exam. They said I was being “unreasonable”. They remained in the room, maskless, watching me undergo a sensitive exam.

at that point I just wanted the test over with so I could leave. I was exhausted, disappointed and felt utterly disrespected. Everyone who works in a hospital setting is required to be able to Don and doff a mask. If this person genuinely couldn’t, they shouldn’t be seeing patients

When I went to leave I told them, firmly but politely, that if they genuinely can’t do such a small thing to protect the most vulnerable patients they should reconsider working in healthcare. I’ve never seen someone sneer like that. I thought flames would shoot out of their ears

I asked for their full name to lodge an official complaint and they refused. It’s hard to believe this is where we’re at. Before Covid I never had a healthcare worker refuse to mask. I also noticed this HCW wasn’t wearing gloves when the others were.

I took detailed notes the moment I exited the hospital so that I could lodge a complaint without the name, but the entire experience robbed me of spoons and energy. Not every chronically ill patient would be able to lodge a complaint or push for a masked HCW the way I was. Nor should we have to.

This interaction will feature prominently in my next article about masks in healthcare.

I need all HCWs to understand the tremendous privilege and responsibility they have to their patients. We are putting our lives in your hands. Your comfort or personal politics must be left outside the hospital.

If you missed the first article in the series, you can read it here:

https://www.disabledginger.com/p/a-plea-to-maskless-healthcare-workers

I had a heartbreaking masking experience at a hospital today… I haven’t even processed it enough to talk about it.

I previously wrote an article which was a personal plea to maskless healthcare workers from a vulnerable patient.

My goal with that piece was to encourage healthcare workers to put themselves in our shoes. To understand how it feels to be vulnerable, desperate, suffering and in pain… and then be put in danger in the place you go to get better.

The article was picked up by a Canadian healthcare publication, and I had planned two follow up pieces but have had horrible writers block.

The way I was treated today has unblocked me.

My next piece will (hopefully) be out shortly and will focus on patient stories. It will start as “a tale of two maskers” and show the difference between a patient like myself who goes in with a respirator, eye protection and a plan… and a patient who wears the hospital provided surgical and trusts the staff to protect them.

We are failing patients. What happened to me today should never happen to anyone - and I’m going to speak out to try and make sure it doesn’t happen to anyone else.

If you’re unwilling to mask for a patient - if you think your personal politics or comfort are more important than our literal lives - you do not belong in healthcare.

That’s a hill I’m willing to die on.

If you missed the first article, you can read it here: https://www.disabledginger.com/p/a-plea-to-maskless-healthcare-workers

In the hospital for cardiac testing & there’s a mask mandate in place.

My chart says I’m high risk.

Tech comes in with mask under her nose.

Me: “Can you please pull up your mask I’m immune compromised.”

Her: Big sigh, pulls it up “You’ve got some serious Covid anxiety eh?”

Me: “not anxiety, I’m being rational. Colds have put me in the hospital.”

Her: Another big sigh

As I’m leaving I say: “It seems really quiet here today.”

Her: “Yeah half the staff are out sick. You’re actually lucky they didn’t cancel your appointment.”

Me: Internal shrieking

The Canadian healthcare system seems to be getting heavily criticized today in the wake of news that a young man died of an aortic dissection after leaving a Montreal ER.

As someone with multiple conditions that increase my risk of these dissections - I have some thoughts and concerns around expectation setting for ER visits.

First - if you’re young and otherwise healthy and haven’t had many dealings with the ER system - the experience may come as a shock to you.

There’s a reason those of us with chronic illness say we won’t go unless literally dying.

Our system is on its knees. Too many patients are without a family doctor, wait times for specialists and punishingly long and many cities have shockingly few options for urgent care.

Some family doctors even prohibit using urgent care - leaving the ER as the ONLY option

As a result - ERs become a catch all for everything. They’re treating minor ailments that should be handled by GP. They’re treating chronic illness because patients can’t get in with specialists. They’re seeing a surge in respiratory viruses. Plus all the actual emergencies

This leads to punishingly long wait times. I don’t think I’ve ever been in & out of an ER in under 8 hours - and it’s often far longer than that.

A lot of that time is spent being bounced from one waiting area to another - and it’s easy to conclude this means you’re “fine”

Unfortunately that’s not necessarily the case. What it usually means is the staff need the bed you were in to assess another patient.

They’ve deemed you “relatively stable for the time being” and moved you to a waiting area.

Read that again. Stable for the time being.

I find people are quick to assume staff don’t care, aren’t concerned and/or believe their issue is minor - when in reality they’re incredibly busy and it’s going to take a long time to get to you if your vitals are stable.

That’s the goal of triage - treat the unstable first

As I said at the beginning of this thread - I have a number of conditions that make me high risk for a dissection.

I also have POTS which means I frequently present with chest pain, tachycardia and sweating.

Ruling out a dissection has never been a quick process

It always starts the same way. Standard vital check. Blood pressure, temperature, pulse and O2 plus EKG.

I assume this is what was done in Adam’s case. If his vitals were stable (which they could easily be in early stages of dissection) he would be triaged low priority

I wish it wasn’t like this. I wish patients could get the tests they need quicker. But the reality is that there are too many people and too few doctors so long waits become unavoidable.

I also understand the desire to leave. I hate being in the ER

1/2

https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/montreal-man-dies-er-hospital-wait

If you need the hospital - leverage as many mitigations as possible.

It’s dreadfully unfair that the responsibility to avoid infection is on the patient - but until hospitals take covid seriously - we must protect ourselves & each other.

How to stay covid safe in hospital:

https://www.disabledginger.com/p/how-to-stay-covid-safe-when-in-hospital

Working on Part Two of my Masks in Healthcare Series - and I’m soliciting feedback from patients and/or caregivers who’ve had difficulty getting healthcare workers to mask.

If you had pushback, reduction in care, were infected with Covid, experienced retaliation or accusations of “anxiety”… I want to hear from you!

You can DM me as well - and everything will be anonymous in the article unless explicitly stated otherwise.

I’m thrilled that Healthy Debate picked up my Disabled Ginger article on masks in healthcare.

“A Plea to Maskless Healthcare Workers from Vulnerable Patients” is a personal appeal to each and every HCW.

Until we mandate masks in healthcare - do the right thing & put one on.

This publication is read by many HCWs - so fingers crossed some of them start masking again!

I will be publishing the next 2 parts (patient stories and HCW stories) with Healthy Debate & on Disabled Ginger.

Never forget that you don’t need a mandate to do the right thing. Wear a mask and show you care about keeping patients safe from COVID.

https://healthydebate.ca/2024/11/topic/plea-maskless-health-care-workers-vulnerable-patients/

If you missed the original article in Disabled Ginger - it was dedicated to @Tinu who passed away a little over a month ago. You can read here: https://www.disabledginger.com/p/a-plea-to-maskless-healthcare-workers

This is mind boggling. Infection control literally becomes “infections welcome” if you refuse to follow the science.

They should be emphatically supporting N95s in healthcare settings.

Patients are being killed by hospital acquired COVID.

It has a 10% fatality rate - and most healthcare facilities are refusing to even TRY to minimize it.

No one should have to choose between care and Covid. While I will never agree it should be the patient’s responsibility to mitigate their own covid risk - until our institutions step up and do the right thing - here’s my guide to avoiding covid in hospital:

https://www.disabledginger.com/p/how-to-stay-covid-safe-when-in-hospital

There’s a teenager in the ICU in BC with bird flu.

As news spreads- I’m seeing increasing number of people ask:

“what health conditions did he have? Was he overweight?”

Can we PLEASE not do this again? A 16 year old is fighting for his life. Stop looking for fault and blame.

Just like with Covid - people are trying to tell themselves there must be “something wrong” with that individual to make them more vulnerable.

They must be in the “other” category. They’re “expendable.”

It needs to stop.

First off - no one is expendable. We’ve been dealing with this horrible “othering” for five years. Disabled and chronically ill people are exhausted.

Second - bird flu is no joke. It can be quite serious.

Instead of looking for fault with the victim so YOU can feel better about your own personal risk - we should be taking steps right now to minimize spread.

We should be demanding transparency from the government on the severity of the threat.

We should have mandatory masking in healthcare. We should be cleaning the air and educating the public on the benefits of respirators and how to use them properly.

We should agree to stop asking ableist questions. Stop blaming the victim. Health is a temporary state. Death and disability can and do befall everyone.

When the first question someone asks when they hear of a person dying or being disabled is “what comorbids did they have?” all they’re doing is trying to cling on to the comfortable lie.

They’re trying to make sure they can keep telling themselves everything is fine, they’re the exception, the threat doesn’t apply to them.

As long as we continue to take that selfish and faulty approach - viruses keep winning.

Everyone can’t be the exception. Once people realize that and start protecting their health and the health of others - we will ALL be much better off.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/first-presumptive-avian-flu-case-in-humans-1.7381342

»Are you looking for ways to make yourself and those around you safer? Wear a mask.

Are you thinking about wearing a safety pin or a blue bracelet to “look safe”? Instead, be safe.

Actions speak louder than words.

Healthcare is only going to become less accessible, so it’s a great time to revisit your own personal risk calculations — and to take action to keep your community safe.

If you’re involved in community organizing or mutual aid, please make sure those meetings, events, and resources are masked, so they are accessible to everyone, including disabled and chronically ill folks.«

Source: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14Ski4PJkx/

“If you’ve been fighting for Covid mitigations for the last five years - you more than likely saw this coming. It was painfully obvious when the great unmasking occurred that many people on BOTH sides of the aisle didn’t care about the “vulnerable”. Didn’t care about community or protecting their neighbours. Didn’t care about anything other than their own ability to go to brunch, travel, socialize and get ‘back to normal.’

I’m not saying people should have shuttered inside their homes forever. None of us are. But they should have kept masking. There was no reason to stop. Respirators are highly effective at stopping the spread of Covid. The vast majority of people CAN wear them. We have mask blocs all over the world to provide masks to people who can’t afford them. It’s a simple thing you can do to protect yourself and - perhaps more importantly - protect others.”

If you missed my latest - it’s about the U.S. election, disability rights, eugenics, fascism and how we got to where we are. Perhaps more importantly - it’s about what comes next.

https://www.disabledginger.com/p/how-did-we-get-here-and-what-comes