British Columbians raise alarms over reported healthcare safety violations, and BC’s suggestion to eliminate mask protections entirely
March 25, 2025 (British Columbia) – BC patients, healthcare workers and health advocates are sounding the alarm over inconsistent mask protections in medical settings, and pushing back against the province’s suggestion to eliminate them entirely this spring. Public health groups DoNoHarm BC, Protect Our Province BC, and the Canadian Covid Society warn that gaps in infection control are putting patients and workers at risk, while contributing to healthcare costs and staff shortages due to healthcare-acquired infections.
While BC partially restored healthcare mask requirements in January, repeated flip-flops have led to widespread confusion and reports of safety violations at some medical facilities. Victoria surgery patient Grae Salisbury (they/them) recalls, “I was relieved to hear my surgery was scheduled during the current mask mandate, but when I arrived, there were more masks on patients’ faces than staff.” Rose* (she/her) in Vancouver concurs: “When we attended the transplant clinic at VGH, staff were universally unmasked, but EVERY SINGLE patient and family member who came into the clinic was [masked].”
Bri,** a local healthcare worker, shared the consequences of these lax practices: “I’ve seen doctors going around all day, unknowingly COVID positive or knowingly sick with something, unmasked.” They blame their increased workplace hazards on the intermittent removal of BC’s mask rules: “Not having mask mandates caused a marked decline in the health of my coworkers, myself, and our clients.”
The province currently reports multiple illness outbreaks in healthcare, and health advocates say stories like these ones underscore the need for consistent mask requirements. “Patients and healthcare workers need a reliable baseline of safety year-round, not policies that change with the weather,” says Dr. Karina Zeidler (she/her), co-founder of the independent public health group Protect Our Province BC. “Right now we’re facing a huge surge in measles, one of the most contagious airborne pathogens in the world, and we’re anticipating another big COVID wave in summer since that’s what happened for the last three years straight. When staff wear masks, it cuts down hospital-acquired respiratory infections by a third, while using N95 masks reduces exhaled viruses by 98%. Keep in mind too that both COVID and measles are contagious before symptoms show up: all the more reason for BC to show strong leadership by ensuring robust, consistent mask-wearing policies.”
British Columbians can join the province-wide campaign at DoNoHarmBC.ca to demand:
- Year-round mask requirements in healthcare settings;
- Clear direction to all health authorities on concrete steps to consistently implement mask requirements;
- Increased use of N95-equivalent masks (respirators) or better, as the only masks rated to properly protect against airborne illnesses like measles, H5N1, and COVID-19; and
- Closing gaps in existing rules by requiring masks in hallways, for patients (with reasonable exceptions), and in privately-run medical settings.
*pseudonym to protect patient identity
**legal name withheld due to concerns of employer reprisal. Private verification available for journalists
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DoNoHarm BC is a non-partisan action group based in British Columbia, Canada. Their mission is to demand evidence-based safety measures in high-risk settings; to advocate for effective and equitable public health policies; and to help lead grassroots collective action promoting safety, equity, accessibility, and resilience in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. DoNoHarmBC.ca
Protect Our Province BC is a grassroots group of physicians, nurses, health scientists, health policy specialists and community advocates.They work together to help people in BC stay safe by sharing accurate information about the COVID-19 pandemic in BC, and advocating for science-based policies. ProtectBC.ca
The Canadian Covid Society is a national organization whose mission is to inform the public about the health consequences of Covid infections, to advocate for science-based measures to reduce the transmission of the virus, and to empower and support people with Long Covid. CovidSociety.ca
Learn more:
Media inquiries: DoNoHarmBC@gmail.com
