“You don’t have to wear a mask here”

[broadwaybabyto@zeroes.ca]

“You don’t have to wear a mask here”

Ever since hospitals dropped mandates, healthcare workers have been pressuring patients to remove their mask.

They say it’s not needed, it’s safe, “you won’t get covid here”

I watched this happen in a high risk cardiac clinic recently

I was wearing my N99 like I always do, and wasn’t willing to take it off.

I’m used to the questions, eye rolls and stares. I’m confident enough to tell them that my mask won’t be removed for any reason.

But what about those who aren’t as informed?

An elderly woman entered the clinic just after me.

She was wearing the hospital provided surgical mask.

She was trying to protect herself.

They told her “you don’t need that”. She looked confused. Why would the hospital provide them if they weren’t needed?

She said “I don’t mind wearing it” and the healthcare worker refused to drop it.

Told her that it wasn’t necessary and she should remove it.

So she did.

It broke my heart to watch.

This person clearly didn’t want to get sick. She was clearly in a vulnerable group. She was trying to do the right thing.

But she trusted the healthcare worker because they’re supposed to be the experts.

They’re supposed to care about our health.

They’re supposed to protect us

I think of her whenever I see a healthcare worker mocking maskers on social media.

Their anger and vitriol towards patients who mask left me wondering how many times they’ve convinced someone to go without protection.

How many times have they been the reason someone got sick?

A doctor willing to post something like that has given up on even the appearance of caring for their patients.

A good doctor would be encouraging respirator use, not mocking those taking precautions.

This is why we still see so much death and disability from COVID.

Because even those who 100% should know better have decided that the lives of their patients mean less than their own personal comfort.

They’ve decided some death & disability is “acceptable”

It’s not. We can’t accept this as the norm. We shouldn’t be infected in the place we’re forced to go to access care.

Healthcare workers should be leaders. They should be demonstrating how to avoid infection.

They should strive to keep their patients safe.

Clean air and respirators are not a big ask in healthcare settings.

Let’s save lives.

#COVIDisAirborne #covidisnotover #wearamask #keepmasksinhealthcare #disability #ableism #eugenics

[elaterite@mastoart.social]

@broadwaybabyto COVID aside, I wear a N95 mask in a doctor's office or hospital because...wait for it...there's sick people there! I don't shake hands with healthcare professionals either. (They should know better than to offer a hand.)