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#keepmasksinhealthcare
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
“Take off your mask so I can see your pretty face”
“You won’t catch covid HERE! You can take off your mask”
“You seem anxious about Covid”
“Why are you masking? Are you sick?”
Lack of mask mandates in healthcare means patients are judged, mistreated & harmed when trying to access care.
Hospital acquired COVID has a 10% mortality rate. Patients are going in for necessary care and losing their lives or ending up disabled.
Healthcare workers are burned out, sick and exhausted.
The current situation is not sustainable.
We know how to reduce (if not eliminate) COVID and other hospital acquired infections.
So why aren’t we doing it?
My latest articles looks at masking in healthcare from the patient perspective. The challenges, the struggles, the avoidable infections and the trauma that comes from having healthcare workers abdicate their responsibility to “do no harm”
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
CDC Data Just In Shows A New Covid Variant Has Taken Over In The US
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
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
UK Covid Inquiry: Adam Wagner asks Eluned Morgan if she agrees air filtration should be investigated for use against COVID in hospitals.
She says "yes" but laments her air purifier was worst present she ever got, she barely uses it & has "no idea" if it made any difference.
Good grief - you have to use it for it to work!
This response was so privileged and callous. I wonder if she realizes how many people would LOVE to be gifted an air purifier or desperately wish healthcare facilities cared enough about their patients to clean the air?
A young friend brought to my attention "Epiphany".
Swift wrote the song on relating reality of medical workers in 2020 to her grandfather's silence re: World War II.
Those of us of certain generations are familiar with the figure of the WWII veteran who never speaks of the war. Never speaks of that #trauma.
That near a century later, trauma is openly spoken of… we're in a better place. Yet to say the word, and to seek healing, these are different steps.
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
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
Even if you don’t care about the health of others - you should be masking RIGHT NOW to protect yourself.
Disabled people have been telling you for years there is NO help when you become chronically ill.
This won’t improve in the next 4 years. Protecting your health is paramount.
Understand that those of us who’ve been advocating for Covid mitigations for years are exhausted. We’re frustrated. We’re fed up.
Many of us don’t have our health. We’re terribly sick and choosing to spend our limited energy trying to protect people who hate us.
We aren’t doing this for fun. We’re doing it because it’s necessary and no one else is bothering.
We know that there’s no exceptions - that once you lose your health your life changes forever.
We want to protect YOU despite the horrible way you’ve treated us for years.
Consider that the next time you’re tempted to yell at someone for masking or make fun of someone for trying to protect others.
We WANT to be wrong - but we know we’re not.
You NEED to be right because the alternative is too hard for you to face.
For anyone who’s struggling right now and needs a reminder - you are not expendable.
A person’s worth should never be determined by their health or their ability to be cogs in the machine of capitalism.
To everyone else - if upon hearing that someone was disabled or killed by Covid your first reaction is any of the following - you are part of the problem. You’re telling people their lives don’t count. That protecting them is too much of an inconvenience. That they are expendable.
- They were sick anyways
- They were old
- How many co-morbids did they have?
- Hospitals have always been unsafe places
- They were going to die anyways
Despite what you’ve been incorrectly led to believe - COVID is a threat to everyone. We are ALL vulnerable.
The people you are looking down on did nothing wrong. They don’t deserve the suffering they’re going through. Disability and chronic illness are NOT a moral failing.
Perhaps most importantly - you won’t be the “exception” when it happens to you. We are screaming about the lack of help for Long Covid for a reason - listen to us. Wear a mask. Clean the air. Test and isolate. Stop letting the virus win.
https://www.disabledginger.com/p/how-did-we-get-here-and-what-comes
Disabled people have warned for years that embracing eugenicist Covid policies and discarding vulnerable people (and children!) would lead to escalating fascism and destroy what's left of public health and common decency.
It's simply not possible to make a conscious choice every day to put other people's lives at risk and not have it impact you in a profoundly negative way.
Years of politicians and leaders telling us that the vulnerable don't matter, that they will fall by the wayside, that they died because they were 'sick anyways' has changed us. And not in a good way.
It's time to think about what comes next. How we can resist, unite and fight back. We can't keep going down this road.
The hatred may have started with disabled and marginalized people - but it won't stop with us.
https://www.disabledginger.com/p/how-did-we-get-here-and-what-comes
If you’re dealing with a COVID infection - remember it’s NOT your fault.
Those of us trying to avoid COVID & break chains of transmission have been failed by governments & public health. We’ve been left by the wayside.
It’s hard to avoid when NO ONE else is even trying.
I’m always sad when I see people blaming others for getting covid (or worse - blaming themselves).
There’s only so much a single person can do when covid is everywhere and most people refuse to acknowledge it (let alone mask or stay home)
This is extra applicable if you have young children or work in a public facing role where you’re exposed to large numbers of people every day.
When the collective whole gives up & decides to accept constant infection & reinfection - it becomes harder for those of us still trying.
Remember that every infection avoided or delayed is a win. The less times you get COVID - and the lower your viral load - the better.
Don’t give up - and never forget that if you’re masking - you ensured you didn’t pass your Covid infection to someone else.
You did the selfless thing. You protected other people. You made sure to NOT be responsible for someone else’s death or worsening disability.
That alone should make you feel proud - and negate any potential feelings of guilt or blame.
We need to do more to lift each other up and support our allies in this fight - because we don’t have many left.
Share advice, provide encouragement and don’t shame people when they get sick.
Also - can we stop shaming people for their choice of mask?
I see a lot of judgement towards people wearing surgical masks and/or earloops.
I consider anyone in a mask to be a win. These are people who are reachable - who would likely welcome information on how to better protect themselves.
They’re TRYING to do the right thing. We’ve been fed a steady diet of misinformation or no information for years.
If you’re involved with the Covid cautious community here - of course you know a surgical mask provides little protection.
But not everyone has this information - and many don’t have the time or the inclination to go hunting for it.
There’s also the matter of cost. Respirators are more expensive. Head strap and elastometrics cost even more.
Many people can’t afford a high quality mask - especially if they have to be out of the home 8+ hours every day
I’m incredibly grateful for my N99 respirator but will readily admit the only reason I can afford it is because of how little I leave my home.
I couldn’t afford to wear one every day. Covid IS a social justice issue.
So what can we do about it? Lots of things! If you have the means to carry extra N95s - offer them to people you see in a surgical mask. Tell them why a respirator offers better protection.
Find and support your local mask bloc. Donate masks if you can.
You can also donate tests to people who can’t afford them. Share or donate to people trying to raise funds for at home NAAT testing so they can keep themselves and their communities safe.
Keep pushing for mandatory masks in healthcare, free respirators and tests and clean air in all public spaces.
Educate people who want more information on how to keep themselves covid free.
Lastly - support your allies in this fight. Lift them up and be cognizant of their energy levels.
Don’t tear people down unnecessarily.
We’re almost five years into this and people are rightfully exhausted. We need to stick together in order to face another year
If you’re struggling and need advice on how to up your mask game, how to find a mask bloc or charity or just need support to stay covid safe - feel free to leave a comment 
.
Lots of informed people here who can help you find the best protection for your individual circumstances!
Once more for those in the back … Covid is NOT a respiratory virus. It’s NOT seasonal. It’s a multi system vascular virus and masks in healthcare are needed year round. They will save lives.
Enough of the half baked mandates that are only brought in during certain times of year - mask mandates belong in healthcare year round.
The patients who are infected and disabled (or killed) in the off season aren’t comforted by your “respiratory season” mandates.
Let’s #KeepMasksinHealthcare - all year long!
When I was first diagnosed with MCAS I thought “a condition I can control!”
I genuinely believed that since there were clear & obvious triggers - I could put in the work, overhaul my life and be free of attacks.
When a patient plans - mast cells laugh.
I threw myself into research trying to learn how to adopt a low histamine diet, clean my air and change my body care and cleaning products.
I (falsely) assumed that if I made enough changes - sacrificed HARD enough - I wouldn’t have to deal with flare ups.
It was exhausting. Many of the changes DID help. A low histamine diet, cleaner air, a proper med and supplement schedule and non toxic cleaning products all helped to reduce my overall “bucket” so that my symptoms were less severe.
The problem was - I continued having attacks. From minor attacks to full blown anaphylaxis - no matter how much work I put in the attacks didn’t stop.
It was incredibly frustrating - and I began tracking everything I ate, used or did in an effort to find patterns.
In the end I realized that sometimes - there are no answers. “Putting in the work” doesn’t guarantee you won’t have attacks.
It’s a help - and we should do whatever we can to minimize our symptoms - but chronic illness (and especially MCAS) doesn’t care about your plans.
I had to learn to let go. Constantly blaming myself, over analyzing every situation and trying to nail down exact triggers was exhausting me.
It wasn’t helping my physical health and was destroying my mental health
At a certain point - we have to accept that chronic illness can be wildly unpredictable - and flares are NOT our fault.
Setbacks happen - and the best thing you can do is give yourself grace and remember that the pain WILL pass.
This applies to Covid as well. I see far too many people who are covid cautious being blamed for their infections. Being grilled as to what their exact precautions were as people try and exploit a perceived weakness somewhere.
This isn’t helping.
If you’re masking and doing everything you can do to avoid covid - you’re doing a great job. If you got infected anyways - that’s the fault of our institutions and governments who’ve allowed the virus to run rampant and encouraged people NOT to take precautions
Just like we have to let go of trying to find every possible trigger for our chronic illness - we have to let go of the blame when people get infected with Covid.
Blame, shame and guilt aren’t helping anyone - and they aren’t good for your health.
To be clear - “letting go” doesn’t have to mean giving up. It doesn’t mean you stop trying to improve your health or stop mitigating for COVID.
It simply means you stop fighting the reality that you’re sick. You lean IN to the conditions and try and find ways to accommodate
It’s a difficult thing to do. I’m still having to work at it every single day. But it’s worth making the effort.
Society, HCWs and even friends & family can be cruel to those with chronic illness - we don’t need to be cruel to ourselves.
Which brings me to my third and final article in my series on living with MCAS - Learning to Let Go.
This post explains how I learned to be kinder & gentler with myself and accept that setbacks WILL happen and they’re not my fault:
https://www.disabledginger.com/p/learning-to-let-go-how-to-accept
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Great video from Matt McGorry about the devastating impacts of Long COVID and how even a “mild” infection can leave you chronically ill.
He also says he was hesitant to speak out - because there IS a stigma associated with Long COVID.
We must change that.
He goes on to explain that while his initial infections would be considered “mild”… they’ve still left him with debilitating Long Covid.
It’s critical that people understand this. Too many think that hospitalization and/or death in the acute phase are the only negative outcomes.
Note that in its moderate and severe stages - Long Covid and other comorbids can have a quality of life equivalent of stage four cancer.
I had clipped short portions of the video to share on here - but my internet is currently giving upload speeds less than 1mbps and it keeps throwing errors. That said it’s an excellent video and you can watch the full thing on his IG here:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBra_TSRhpz/?igsh=MWMwMzZwY25qMDl6aA==
On a personal note I want to thank Matt for his honesty and transparency. We need more of it.
We have too many celebrities and people with platforms saying "mystery illness". Too many people unwilling or unable to say the word covid.
With transparency comes greater awareness.
I wrote an article during the Olympics about the phenomenon that is people proclaiming they "don't know anyone with Long Covid."
There's 400 million people suffering from the condition. I assure you - you DO know someone. People are simply hiding it or unaware they have it:
https://www.disabledginger.com/p/covid-and-the-2024-olympic-games
It’s been a month since Tinu’s passing and we still don’t have mandatory masks in healthcare. Something Tinu both NEEDED & fought for.
Someone with Long Covid going through chemo deserved to be SAFE while getting her care.
She deserved NOT to be given COVID again
There are many others like Tinu. We can’t know how many we’ve lost - but what we DO know is we will lose more if we don’t start mitigating Covid - especially in hospitals.
We know how Covid is spread. We know how to stop it. Yet we still have doctors saying they don’t want to mask because they’re not worried about THEIR risk. They’re forgetting the fact that the patients feel differently.
Patients care. Patients are putting their full trust in you to make them better. They’re trusting you NOT to make them worse.
Hospital acquired Covid has a fatality rate around 10% - and still we do nothing. In many instances we act like it’s just “the cost of doing business”. It’s not and it should never be acceptable to contract covid in the hospital.
I’ve said it once and I will say it again - if you’re sick enough to need the hospital the last thing you need is Covid.
If you’re a healthcare worker - please wear a mask. You don’t have to wait for a mandate to do the right thing. You can choose - right now - to stop chains of transmission. You can show patients that you’re on their side and committed to ensuring they get through their hospital visit without contracting COVID. You can tell us that our lives and long term health matters.
Hospitals, healthcare workers and society all failed Tinu. She fought so hard - for herself and for others. She knew that it would likely be hospital acquired Covid that killed her - and she did everything she could to raise awareness so it wouldn’t happen to anyone else.
Let’s keep fighting in her honour. Clean the air, ventilate, make masks mandatory, provide free respirators and isolate when sick. It’s not hard. We can do it.
https://www.disabledginger.com/p/a-plea-to-maskless-healthcare-workers