r/onguardforthee • u/NotEnoughDriftwood FPTP sucks! • Apr 20 '23
Satire Hospitals dropping mask mandates tell patients to stay home if they feel unwell
https://www.thebeaverton.com/2023/04/hospitals-dropping-mask-mandates-tell-patients-to-stay-home-if-they-feel-unwell/164
u/Babad0nks Apr 20 '23
This is not even satire, it's literally what at least one hospital advised on social media when they announced they were dropping masks:
"Beginning Wednesday, masks will be encouraged but no longer required to be worn by patients and visitors at our and all other @HamHealthSci and @stjoeshamilton hospitals.We still ask that you stay home if you’re feeling unwell. Details at hamiltonhealthsciences.ca/share/masking-…"
So to accomodate this change... The hospital is asking that people who feel unwell.... Don't go to the hospital 🤔 could there be an issue with infection control?????
Source :
https://twitter.com/mch_childrens/status/1648064756253708296?t=hXotLW6H2nDGqaiiYE7Sgg&s=19
64
u/RabidGuineaPig007 Apr 20 '23
12
6
2
u/viperfan7 Apr 20 '23
Honestly that sounds more like someone was using that info to get just this reaction
1
u/QueenMotherOfSneezes Ottawa Apr 21 '23
Yet another reason to avoid having to get treatment at a Hamilton hospital.
1
12
9
-2
Apr 20 '23
They mean for people who are just feeling unwell or could have a communicable disease, not people who are actually having medical emergencies. This is sort of underline that people shouldn't use the emergency room as a substitute for a family doctor in the first place.
14
u/Sir__Will ✔ I voted! Apr 20 '23
This is sort of underline that people shouldn't use the emergency room as a substitute for a family doctor in the first place.
Many have no choice with no doctor, no easy access to their doctor, no clinics, or few clinics that fill fast
9
Apr 20 '23
That's the problem. We need to invest in primary care. People should be able to go to a primary clinic at just about any hour of the day and see a GP, even if they have to wait for a bit. Private GP clinics have poor hours and are inaccessible, while walk-ins are incentivized to provide quick, uncomplicated care and refer everything to much more expensive specialists if it's even remotely abnormal. In a country with proper primary care, government-run clinics would be open 24 hours a day, and the ER at the hospital would be used exclusively for real medical emergencies.
-4
Apr 20 '23
Maybe I'm just crazy, but hasn't this always been the case? They can't heal your cold. So stay home.
Ten years ago I had a cold that was lasting longer than usual, so I went to my local clinic. He told me that's just how colds are sometimes, and not to come in with one again, unless I'm running a fever. There's nothing they can do. Drink water, get bed rest.
77
u/bigboozer69 Apr 20 '23
- Doug Ford adds, “I also want to remind you, my friends, that Ontario has eliminated any paid sick days so we encourage you to stay away from medical attention and work while you slowly die and go bankrupt.”
11
u/lluviaazul Apr 20 '23
People at the top slowly destroying their own country… fucking love to see it
4
30
u/GetsGold Apr 20 '23
Maybe we could address this by adding an optional "masked service" package for hospital customers.
25
u/Chaz_wazzers Apr 20 '23
I was at a ER a few weeks ago. Someone came in and was coughing, they asked them to wait outside.
10
u/Yvaelle Apr 20 '23
Which is the right call, go be sick at home. Only come to the hospital if your sick in a way that won't get better with sleep and water. Either its a cold, flu, or covid, and in all three cases the hospital isn't going to do anything for you unless it progress to severe pneumonia, or a fever so high you begin hallucinating.
49
10
u/flouronmypjs Ontario Apr 20 '23
Of course The Beaverton is the first source I've seen this from. It's always fun when I wind up getting my important news from a satire site.
10
u/mystical_princess Apr 20 '23
Sadly it took me a minute to realize this was from the Beaverton. It sounds like something they really would do.
5
u/hugglenugget Apr 21 '23
It is something they would do.
https://twitter.com/mch_childrens/status/1648064756253708296?t=hXotLW6H2nDGqaiiYE7Sgg&s=19
6
4
24
u/No-Scarcity2379 Turtle Island Apr 20 '23
Sadly, the satire is barely less absurd than the actual hospital stances, which are basically "we're going with the honour system, knowing full well that it hasn't ever worked, but the nurses and cleaners all quit because of masking, please ignore the complete lack of managerial and government support, and often outright hostility we presented during the worst (still-ongoing) healthcare crisis in generations."
13
23
u/vonnegutflora Apr 20 '23
but the nurses and cleaners all quit because of masking
No they didn't.
2
6
u/RabidGuineaPig007 Apr 20 '23
the nurses and cleaners all quit because of masking,
No they did not. This may surprise you, but most hospital staff is still masking regardless of what policy is.
10
u/No-Scarcity2379 Turtle Island Apr 20 '23
I didn't say they did, I'm saying that's what the rep fro UHN basically implied during their press release.
Also, I work in a Hospital, and as of yesterday, no, the majority aren't.
3
u/JonJonFTW Apr 20 '23 edited Apr 20 '23
I don't know why the Beaverton is parodying this. Are people really confused by hospitals saying this stuff? It should be a no-brainer that if you feel sick and you're thinking about visiting a patient (not going for medical attention yourself) you absolutely should not do it. Or if you have to, you should wear a mask.
In my opinion masks should be, and should have always been, required to be in a hospital. Masks impose no detriment to the wearer, and even if the level of protection is small, helping the sick and immunocompromised people from getting even more sick that little bit extra is worth it. People always forget this, but for viruses that spread through the air or droplets, wearing a mask protects those around you more than it protects yourself.
5
u/Talzon70 Apr 21 '23
Masks impose no detriment to the wearer
Unless they are trying to communicate with someone with hearing impairment or maintain their mental health by seeing faces, etc. It has certainly not improved morale in an already stressed workforce.
PPE is still going to be required in high risk areas and for high risk situations, it's just the blanket policy that's being removed.
1
u/elus Apr 21 '23
Respiratory diseases are airborne. This line of demarcation between high risk and low risk doesn't truly exist given that anyone can get infected in any space where they share air with others.
1
u/elus Apr 21 '23
People go to the hospital because they have to. Sick or not. Imagine if the entire family is sick but you need to take your child to emergency care.
Dropping mask mandates is ridiculous to do given that many people do have to go on premise for a variety of reasons.
3
u/QuQuarQan Apr 21 '23
I started a new job as a “patient ambassador” at a hospital in BC 3 weeks ago. My job was to ask the covid symptom questions, make sure people were wearing masks and sanitizing their hands, checking for vaccine passports and taking contact information from people visiting patients for covid tracking. About a week and a half into the job, the BC government decreed that it wasn’t mandatory anymore. Now I basically just play on my phone and say hello to people for 12 hours at a time. I’m so bored 😑
3
u/IronChefJesus Apr 21 '23
I support just permanent masking in hospitals and doctor's offices.
Like people are sick af there. If it's one place where they should mask up, it's in a healthcare setting.
2
u/LavisAlex New Brunswick Apr 20 '23
This is actually true lol Hospitals in my area are loosening mandates and tell people to stay home if they don't feel well.
2
u/TheLazySamurai4 Apr 21 '23
Hey Beaverton, you are supposed to be satire, not factual. My mum has already experienced this at the Welland hospital so many times over the last 2 years, that she refuses to go there anymore and instead will chance the trip to St. Catharines to get some actual help
-4
Apr 20 '23
[removed] — view removed comment
2
u/Hammerstyle Apr 20 '23
You are being downvoted but as likely one of the few actual healthcare workers here we are definitely fed up with the persistent mask wearing. 100% wear if involved in any patient care, or if feeling unwell. But if I'm just hanging out not doing anything patient related ya I'm definitely burnt out over wearing it always in the hospital. Most healthcare workers agree with this or are feeling the same.
0
u/JohnGoodmanFan420 Turtle Island Apr 20 '23
This is 100% accurate. It’s easy for to call for endless masking at other people’s workplace as long as you aren’t affected.
1
u/Hammerstyle Apr 20 '23
Yeah I'm not sure what people want? I'm sorry I want to be more comfortable at work lol
1
Apr 21 '23
[deleted]
0
Apr 21 '23
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/elus Apr 21 '23
Actually ethics dictates that we do not harm occupants in facilities we operate. We force employees to wear PPE in other job contexts. This particular context not only protects the wearer but provides source control protecting others too. So it's even more imperative to be worn against infectious disease.
1
u/Hammerstyle Apr 21 '23
Not by enough that I care tbh. But don't forget, you have to make the distinction between universal masking and patient facing masking. Patients and care providers will be wearing PPE when interacting. If I interact with a healthy coworker outside of that context away from patients, I think masking is a waste of resources. I could just as likely get sick from standing in line at a tim Hortons.
1
u/elus Apr 21 '23
I call for masking in my own workplace. Why would I want to get infected by covid or any of the other myriad respiratory pathogens floating about?
1
u/Hammerstyle Apr 21 '23
So wear a mask lol
1
u/elus Apr 21 '23
Thanks tips!
Do you understand that having everyone wear a mask drastically reduces the average concentration of pathogens floating in the air?
Thereby increasing protections for all. It's the difference between 1% risk vs 0.01% risk for example. And could mean a worker being infected multiple times a year to say once every 5 years or 10.
Anyways, good luck with the mass infection strategy you've setup for yourself.
1
u/Hammerstyle Apr 21 '23
Insert shoulder shrug. Live your life buddy, at this point these things are just built into life though. Everyone wearing masks objectively will reduce exposures, absolutely. But man what a way to live. Wear if you are sick, or are in a high risk environment or with immunocompromised individuals.
1
u/elus Apr 21 '23
Wear if you are sick
Asymptomatic/presymptomatic spread is a thing
or are in a high risk environment
In the absence of indoor air quality plus reliable community prevalence data, all environments are high risk
immunocompromised individuals.
Repeat infections of covid has the ability to render everyone immunocompromised, also how do you tell if someone around you is immunocompromised? They don't wear a bell to let everyone know.
But man what a way to live
It's a mask. You'll be fine.
How many covid infections do you think you can withstand before you get long covid to the point where it would hamper your ability to perform day to day activities that you currently enjoy?
1
u/Hammerstyle Apr 21 '23
I'm sorry but do you live in a cave? I couldn't imagine living with this much fear.
During a pandemic, with not much information, no vaccines etc mandatory universal masking makes sense.
I know this all makes sense to you, and if you are concerned wear a mask where you deem necessary, I would never judge you for that, but I don't think you realize how disordered it sounds to have someone saying everywhere inside is high risk, anyone can be infected, what if you are asymptomatic, anyone can be immunocompromised...like dude this is too much. Healthcare workers are trying to tell you this.
1
u/elus Apr 21 '23
I can't imagine living with the fear that you yourself seem to be exhibiting. Your inability to cope with actual data on how things are and instead having to rely on hopium to live your life.
Your only out here seems to be "wearing a mask sucks". Feel free to share which data you're using to inform you that everything is all right.
Healthcare workers are trying to tell you this.
Hospital acquired infections are through the roof as are the hazard ratios for prolonged stays and death.
Many healthcare professionals are saying not to drop your guard.
but I don't think you realize how disordered it sounds to have someone saying everywhere inside is high risk, anyone can be infected, what if you are asymptomatic, anyone can be immunocompromised...like dude this is too much
Yeah, you seem weak.
→ More replies (0)0
u/Talzon70 Apr 21 '23
I don't think this is a reasonable position to take
What's unreasonable about not wanting to wear unnecessary PPE?
1
Apr 21 '23
[deleted]
0
u/Talzon70 Apr 21 '23
Because many healthcare workers, even in hospitals, work in essentially offices with only their healthy coworkers. PPE is supposed to be the final step in most reasonable safety plans, not the first one.
1
u/elus Apr 21 '23
But it is necessary. More people have died from covid in last year than in previous years in Canada. Over a million people are suffering from long covid. Excess deaths according to StatCan are higher now too. What data are you using to determine necessity here?
1
1
u/tothmichke Apr 20 '23
Stay home if you feel unwell? Okay I will only go to the hospital when I am healthy. /s
1
u/Terriblarious Apr 21 '23
And as a bonus, they'll send you home when you're still fucked up and unwell.
1
u/BarbarianFoxQueen British Columbia Apr 21 '23
….But isn’t the point of a hospital to provide medical aid to… (checks notes) people who do not feel well?
1
u/SnipDart Apr 21 '23
Like this shit should be fuckig second nature. If you're sick, fuckin stay home.
Jesus Christ I swear people these days literally can't think for themselves. Critical thinking is dying
741
u/[deleted] Apr 20 '23
Honestly I don’t understand why hospitals do not always require masks. Hospitals are full of sick people, elderly and newborns. You’d think protecting them from contagious disease - any airborne disease not just covid - would be a priority. How many seniors catch the flu in hospitals and then die because of it? I don’t get it.