Health

Toronto woman refusing to wear mask in hospital sparks international online backlash | News – Daily Hive

Published

4 years ago

July 6, 2020

A Toronto woman was denied entry in a hospital after she refused to wear a face mask.

Letitia Montana filmed the scenario and posted it to Twitter, quickly drawing condemnation from local officials, celebrities, and others across the platform.

In the video, Montana says she went to St. Joseph’s Hospital with her son on July 4 for a “suspected broken finger.”

Due to her refusal to don a mask, hospital staff asked her to leave and “immediately called three security guards” to escort her out.

Went into the Emergency Dept. at St Joseph’s Hospital in #Toronto for a suspected broken finger. I was asked to wear a mask, which I refused to do. As a result, hospital staff asked me to leave and immediately called 3 security guards to escort me out. #filmyourhospital pic.twitter.com/7KlDa11udk

— Letitia Montana (@LetitiaMontana) July 5, 2020

“You’re making me wear a mask otherwise you are going to deny me service,” Montana is heard saying in the video, at the front desk of the emergency department.

“Yes, we’re asking you to wear a mask,” a nurse replies.

The video does not show Montana being escorted out of the emergency room.

It has since been viewed almost five million times.

A spokesperson for Unity Health told Daily Hive in an email that masks must be worn by everyone in St. Joseph’s hospital to keep patients, staff, and visitors safe.

The policy follows guidelines set out by Ontario’s Ministry of Health based on the “best scientific understanding of COVID-19 and how it spreads.”

“We encourage all community members to seek care when they need it. At St. Joseph’s and any of our Unity Health Toronto sites, you will be asked questions about any COVID-19 related symptoms, to wear a mask and remember to maintain physical distancing in all parts of the hospital,” the spokesperson said.

On Tuesday, face masks and coverings will be mandatory in Toronto across indoor spaces.

There is a growing body of scientific evidence that suggests the use of masks is an inexpensive and non-invasive measure to help control the spread of the virus.

The bylaw will be effective July 7 and would be in effect until the end of September, when it will be reevaluated by City Council.

There are some residents, like Montana, who believe the face masks can lead to other health problems and is a form of government control.

But many Toronto officials and some celebrities were not having the behaviour.

City of Toronto chief spokesperson Brad Ross warned Montana that she was going to become a verb.

“Put the camera away and don a mask inside public places, *especially* hospitals. Doing so protects others – you know, your fellow humans.”

You’re doing social media all wrong, Letitia. Don’t make your name a verb.

Put the camera away and don a mask inside public places, *especially* hospitals. Doing so protects others – you know, your fellow humans. https://t.co/CraeNc2GL4

— Brad Ross (@bradrossTO) July 5, 2020

Councillor Michael Ford, who had to be hospitalized after contracting COVID-19 last month, added that her refusal to wear a mask was selfish.

Translation- “I don’t care about you or anyone else but you better care about me” https://t.co/xzlySmwY64

— Michael Ford (@MichaelFordTO) July 5, 2020

The video even drew condemnation by some celebrities such as Ben Stiller, saying “hospital workers are not propaganda believers. They are trained medical professionals.”

Wear a mask in a hospital if they ask you. Just like those surgeons when they operate. Hospital workers are not propaganda believers. They are trained medical professionals. All the best.

— Ben Stiller (@RedHourBen) July 5, 2020

Even actor George Takei took note, saying it was “moronic and entitled.”

However, Montana defended her decision, adding that she was not going to endanger her own life or her son’s to comply with the demands of “some” politicians.

Daily Hive has reached out to St. Joseph’s Hospital and will update the story accordingly.

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Health

The US is mailing Americans COVID tests again. Here’s how to get them

Published

1 day ago

September 26, 2024

Anne Joseph

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans can once again order COVID-19 tests, without being charged, sent straight to their homes.

The U.S. government reopened the program on Thursday, allowing any household to order up to four at-home COVID nasal swab kits through the website, covidtests.gov. The tests will begin shipping, via the United States Postal Service, as soon as next week.

The website has been reopened on the heels of a summer COVID-19 virus wave and heading into the fall and winter respiratory virus season, with health officials urging Americans to get an updated COVID-19 booster and their yearly flu shot.

“Before you visit with your family and friends this holiday season, take a quick test and help keep them safe from COVID-19,” U.S. Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O’Connell said in a statement.

U.S. regulators approved an updated COVID-19 vaccine that is designed to combat the recent virus strains and, they hope, forthcoming winter ones, too. Vaccine uptake is waning, however. Most Americans have some immunity from prior infections or vaccinations, but under a quarter of U.S. adults took last fall’s COVID-19 shot.

Using the swab, people can detect current virus strains ahead of the fall and winter respiratory virus season and the holidays. Over-the-counter COVID-19 at-home tests typically cost around $11, as of last year. Insurers are no longer required to cover the cost of the tests.

Before using any existing at-home COVID-19 tests, you should check the expiration date. Many of the tests have been given an extended expiration from the date listed on the box. You can check on the Food and Drug Administration’s website to see if that’s the case for any of your remaining tests at home.

Since COVID-19 first began its spread in 2020, U.S. taxpayers have poured billions of dollars into developing and purchasing COVID-19 tests as well as vaccines. The Biden administration has given out 1.8 billion COVID-19 tests, including half distributed to households by mail. It’s unclear how many tests the government still has on hand.

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Health

Free COVID tests are back. Here’s how to order a test to your home

Published

1 day ago

September 26, 2024

Anne Joseph

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans can once again order free COVID-19 tests sent straight to their homes.

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Health

Disability rights groups launching Charter challenge against MAID law

Published

1 day ago

September 26, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – A coalition of disability rights groups says it is launching a Charter challenge against a part of Canada’s law on medical assistance in dying.

The group, which also includes two individual plaintiffs, argues that what’s known as track two of the MAID law has resulted in premature deaths.

Under the law, patients whose natural deaths are not reasonably foreseeable but whose condition leads to intolerable suffering can apply for a track-two assisted death.

The coalition says track two of the MAID law has had a direct effect on the lives of people with disabilities and argues medically assisted death should only be available to those whose natural death is reasonably foreseeable.

The executive vice-president of Inclusion Canada – which is part of the coalition – says there has been an alarming trend where people with disabilities are seeking assisted death due to social deprivation, poverty and a lack of essential supports.

Krista Carr says those individuals should instead be supported in order to live better lives.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 26, 2024.

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