In those settings, masks seem like a no-brainer regardless of whether a virus just happens to be ripping across the healthcare system, no?
The biggest problem, I’ve found, is that elderly people who are hard of hearing to begin with struggle so much to understand you with a mask on. Through the whole pandemic, I was losing my voice from what I affectionately call “shouting at old people” all day. Especially with ventilation fans and monitor alarms and people talking in the hallway.
When my hospital finally lifted their mask mandate earlier this year, I initially thought I’d never go back. Then the creeping convenience, “well let me just pull the mask down because Meemaw doesn’t understand me, just this once.” It’s especially helpful with dementia patients who really need that nonverbal communication of facial expression.
I still mask vigilantly if I have any patient with respiratory symptoms, even if they’re negative for Covid/fly/RSV because I learned the hard way that viruses were don’t test for still exist. And of course, with the recent (completely manageable) influx of Covid patients, I’m religiously wearing my N95.
So that’s kind of the what we’re dealing with when considering to mask or not to mask.
Most definitely … my wife has a chronic lung condition and it has become standard in our day to day routine now … every public place we’re in, we’re wearing masks … grocery stores, any store, restaurant, mall, wherever there are more than two strangers around.
We’d rather be inconvenienced by wearing a mask than risk giving her a lung infection of any kind.
In our circle of family and friends … we’ve had three people die on us with lung infections of some kind and about half of everyone we know young or old has had some sort of flu / Covid / cold / infection of some kind over the past month.
There is something definitely in the air and people are getting sick and when it comes to old people … I’d rather put up with wearing a mask than in knowing that I may have potentially shortened the life of a senior by giving them an infection.
Thank gawd we now have a gov’t that believes and acts on facts, cause the last 8 years have been an absolute nightmare.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Starting Oct. 18, health-care staff in Manitoba’s hospitals, personal care homes and other health-care centres will have to wear medical masks when they’re around patients, the province said in a news release Monday.
“This approach will help reduce the risk of spreading a respiratory virus from a health-care worker to a vulnerable patient, resident or client, particularly those who are more at risk of severe illness,” the release said.
Staff working at regional health authorities, including those who provide home care and other services in the community, will also be required to wear a mask.
People visiting health-care facilities won’t have to wear one, though the province recommends it, the release said.
People working at community-based health-care spaces, like doctor’s officers and supportive housing, will continue to decide if masks are mandatory in their facilities.
Manitoba will continue to distribute COVID-19 and seasonal flu vaccines throughout the province.
The original article contains 246 words, the summary contains 147 words. Saved 40%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
