During the #esophagram, a person sits nearby to feed you the various textures and thicknesses of food. This means that there is *definitely* someone close by for much of the procedure, which involves many different items to swallow.
No such thing as 'clean air' will be possible in that case without excellent #ventilation and also #UniversalMasking, the latter of which definitely is NOT happening here.
13/x
Some hospitals resume mask requirements as respiratory infections rise
The Boston Globe
December 22, 2023
By Adam Piore
“With COVID-19 cases and other respiratory illnesses rising across the region, some area hospitals have begun to bring back face mask requirements to halt the spread of infections.”
#BringBackMasks #COVID #COVID19 #CovidIsNotOver #N95sSaveLives #StillCOVIDing #UniversalMasking #Boston #Massachussetts
RVH implements universal masking amid rising respiratory illness rates
CTV News
December 20, 2023
By Kim Phillips
“On Wednesday, officials with Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) in Barrie announced that visitors would be required to wear a hospital-issued mask upon entry, effective immediately.”
#BringBackMasks #COVID #COVID19 #CovidIsNotOver #N95sSaveLives #UniversalMasking #Ontario #Barrie #StillCOVIDing
Opinion: This is a pandemic of attrition
Calgary Herald
December 7, 2023
By Joe Vipond, Julia M. Wright, Dan Furst
“It’s time for our society to admit that we’ve made a mistake and change course. The COVID-is-mild experiment, despite the wishing and the hoping, has been a tragic failure.”
https://calgaryherald.com/opinion/columnists/opinion-this-is-a-pandemic-of-attrition
#BringBackMasks #Canada #CdnPoli #COVID #COVID19 #CovidCautious #CovidIsNotOver #health #LongCovid #N95sSaveLives #pandemic #SARSCoV2 #StillCoviding #UniversalMasking #ZeroCovid
Of course, these conversations take time and energy - something not all of us have at our disposal all the time. They also aren't always successful or productive! It is important for us to listen to our needs and put up boundaries when needed.
However, I do think these conversations about #CovidSafety can help our loved ones change their practices over time. A lot of people have drank the #VaxAndRelax kool-aid, but that doesn't mean they're immovable.
When my mom was here, I think the most impactful conversation we had was when she mentioned how school uniforms help create equality in schools.
My opinions on school uniforms aside, I pointed out that #Ventilation and #UniversalMasking is an issue of creating health equality in schools (and other public spaces). So many families who are doing their best to avoid #COVID19 are forced to send their kids to schools with terrible ventilation, no #HEPA and no mask policies. Their kids are exposed every day. Teachers are exposed as well because they don't have any other choice.
Universal masking and proper ventilation creates a space that is accessible to all of us. Lack of these policies push people out of these spaces, or worse, actively put them at risk of #COVID and #PostCovidComplications because they can't NOT be in these spaces.
This comparison seemed to really help my mom understand the importance of #CovidSafety a bit better.
It gave me some hope.
Moving Forward: Why Universal Masking Is No Longer Needed
In a jointly written commentary featured in the Annals of Internal Medicine, experts from Mass General Brigham, Beth Israel Lahey Health, Tufts Medicine, VA Healthcare System Boston, and other healthcare systems across the nation explain the shifting scenario and circumstances of the pandemic and highlight the reasons why universal masking should no longer be mandatory in healthcare settings.
https://scitechdaily.com/moving-forward-why-universal-masking-is-no-longer-needed/ #masking #UniversalMasking #Healthcare
