Many protests were held across the country at hospitals against vaccines and vaccine passports on Wednesday, September 1st.
Many frontline workers took to social media to share their thoughts and feelings about the protesters blocking and disrupting hospital sites. Some health care workers and family members of patients were brought to tears due to the protesters’ crass decision to disrupt hospitals.
Most people don’t wish to infringe on freedom of speech, but are upset and don’t understand why it had to be done on hospital properties, leading to a lot of disruption and delays for those who are critically ill.
Kari Way, a BC frontline worker shared a post with a photo her her in full PPE:
“You feel strongly, and want to express your frustration, you can. Personally, I would have picked a spot with more visibility and presence than our usually quiet hospital street, especially since most of us at the hospital are vaccinated. And those that aren’t are admitted fighting for their lives. I doubt you will accomplish your goal of having a tide of change.” (via News1130)
Some protesters were blocking ambulances and access to the ER, while also taking up parking spots from patients and their loved ones. The protesters were very loud which disrupted resting patients, confused delirious elderly, and interfered with some people’s last goodbyes.
“ICUs are being filled with unvaccinated. Should we delay care for that patient with cancer or that person waiting for their surgery because someone took that away from them by choosing not to get vaccinated? Right now unvaccinated are bumping other patients. Fair?” tweeted Kevin Mcleod, an Internal Medicine Specialist for the North Shore and Whitehorse. (via News1130)
Many shared the frontline workers’ frustrations and felt empathetic towards them for having to deal with disrespectful protesters while trying to do their jobs amid a global pandemic and feeling burnt out for the past 18 months.