WESTLOCK - Ahead of school re-entry Sept. 2, doctors in Westlock want to make sure the community hears their message loud and clear: Wear a mask.
“We know masks protect other people, but you protect yourself too, because you touch your face, you touch your nose. So we thought, you know, if we don’t set an example as doctors and as staff, nobody else will,” said Dr. Vicci Fourie.
“I don’t walk around without a mask. It’s a pain in the butt, but I ensure I always take a mask.”
All 12 doctors were at Georges Whissell Park Aug. 25, wearing masks for a photo op to kick start a mask-wearing campaign.
“I’m thinking about how I can challenge the business community to do something similar. Maybe we’ll have a competition or something like that. I’m still thinking,” added Fourie.
It’s concerning to him that he doesn’t see folks wearing masks in Westlock.
“The other day, I was at the store, cleaning my hands and a guy went past me. He didn’t have a mask so I said, ‘Can you please clean your hands.’ And he gave me a dirty look, but he did.”
With this campaign, doctors admit part of the educational onus is on them, so they’re encouraging others to think a little less selfishly.
“This is not the time to be selfish or sit on a throne thinking ‘I don’t agree with this’ or ‘I don’t need this,’ you know. We have to work together and protect ourselves and protect the public, so it works both ways.”
There is another major disruption to the new pandemic normal happening this week: schools are starting up again, with in-person attendance. There’s no protesting that decision; Fourie did the say government likely came to the conclusion that schools can reopen under the advice of Alberta Health Services.
But this will, most likely, put a strain on the community’s COVID preparedness.
“This is spread by exposure between somebody that’s infected and somebody that’s not. Kids are known to have it and not even know that. That’s how it started in one of the nursing homes in Edmonton. Kids came back from Mexico, they decide to say ‘Hi’ to grandma and they gave it to her.
“So yeah, if there’s more exposure, there’s going to be more cases. And if there’s more cases, it’s exponentially going to get worse.”
There are things students can do to prevent a spread though.
“Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands,” Fourie emphasized.
“Wear a mask, don’t share food, try to social distance, and listen to (Alberta chief medical officer of health) Dr. (Deena) Hinshaw.”
Otherwise, keep to the cohorts but, Fourie says, people have to be smart about their choices to interact with others.
“Just remember you might visit your family group somewhere, but they (might) visit other people. And other people visit other people. Some people think ‘Well, we just visit with that group.’ But that other group visits with other people.”
With more avenues for exposure to COVID-19 in the inevitable school environment, it’s wise to limit them outside of that.
Fourie says he understands the decision Town of Westlock councillors made Aug. 11 not to pass a face covering bylaw since it’s not easily enforceable. But, he says, “I think it would send a stronger message” to make masks mandatory.
The fact that town council left its options open and will revisit the bylaw should cases increase is “wise,” however, said Fourie. In a Westlock & District Chamber of Commerce meeting Aug. 20, mayor Ralph Leriger — who was there to talk about masks — said AHS confirmed the threshold for the Westlock area to be placed under watch is 10 active cases.
Still, Fourie thinks it would be a great idea for businesses to start asking patrons to wear masks inside. “No mask, no service,” he said.
Andreea Resmerita, TownandCountryToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @andreea_res
