As COVID infections and hospitalisations rise across Canada, in the fifth year of an ongoing pandemic of a highly transmissible airborne virus that continues to kill and harm - wearing a well fitted mask (preferably an N95) is one way that Yukoners can protect themselves and each other.

While this especially applies to vulnerable populations, and healthcare workers who are currently in short supply and daily risk reinfections (and Long COVID), everyone is at risk of harm from this virus.

Because COVID is not a cold, or just like "any other respiratory illness" (Yukon CMOH). 

COVID is more correctly understood as a neurotropic vasculitis, capable of immune dysregulation, long term organ harm, and Long COVID (one in ten infections).

There's no such thing as "vax and relax". While in most cases, vaccination prevents severe disease and death, it does not prevent infection or transmission. 

Vaccinated and unvaccinated people alike, can still spread COVID with few or even no symptoms.

Also, immunity wanes too soon to make herd immunity an achievable goal. Some people have been reinfected within a four week window.

There's no evidence that COVID gets milder with each reinfection - rather, it is the virus that gets stronger with each infection, not our immune systems. 

Reinfections should therefore be avoided as they increase the likelihood of:

• Long COVID
• Hospitalisation
• All-cause mortality
• Diabetes
• Blood clotting disorders

We Yukoners - as patients, potential patients, caregivers, and healthcare workers:

• Assert our right to safety in hospitals and other healthcare settings 
• Demand that masks be reinstated in hospitals and healthcare settings
• Expect that institutions follow through on their duty of care and protect patients, caregivers, and healthcare workers
• We also ask the Yukon Government to provide free N95 masks to all who want them: N95 masks, also known as "respirators", provide better protection against SARS-CoV-2, which is a predominantly airborne virus.

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Thank you so much.