Why We’re Wearing Masks (and need you to too)!
We're wearing masks here at View Optometry, and there are many reasons why:
Top doctor's Theresa Tam (Canada's Chief Public Health officer) and Bonnie Henry (BC's famed Provincial Health Officer) state that in certain situations, masks can add a layer of protection for you and those around you.
Masks reduce the spread of droplets, keeping you and our staff safer as we navigate Covid-19 together.
Let’s break down our reasons for wearing masks during your eye care appointment.
Wearing Masks is Recommended When Physical Distancing is not Possible
We've heard it a lot over the past three months; doctors recommend that people stay 6 feet apart to reduce the spread of Covid-19. Staying 6 feet apart is a concept known as physical distancing, and we won't go into it in detail because we know you've heard the same message.Physical distancing to reduce the spread of Covid-19 is why many of us stayed home for months and why our office was temporarily closed. Now that the Province is beginning to open up, including our practice, we want to ensure that we take the next steps as safely as possible.
One of the main reasons Covid-19 spreads is through the release of droplets. These droplets are released when you talk, sneeze, laugh or cough. Find out more about this on the BC Centre for Disease Control's website here. When a person's eyes, mouth, or nose comes in contact with respiratory droplets of an infected person, the virus spreads. Masks, especially cloth masks, won't stop droplets from coming in, but they may reduce your own droplets from getting out.
One of the mandates by Work Safe BC for healthcare professionals to return to work is to maintain 6 feet distance at all times. The College of Optometrists of British Columbia also recommends patients and doctors’ wear a mask, since physical distancing is not always possible during assessment and testing.
Let's be real. The chances of being able to physically distance as we adjust the strength of your lenses and conduct our many assessments are next to impossible.
We are so excited to see patients again. And we're taking all the precautions necessary to sanitize and limit the number of people in our office at one time. Arrival time is now 5 minutes before your appointment, and we leave 15 minutes extra between appointments to re-sanitize. You can read more about our policies on our website here.
We care about your eyes and need to get up close and personal at times to make sure that we are giving you the best care possible.
The Unknown Effects of Covid-19 and Asymptomatic Spread
The main reason doctors have recommended physical distancing to date is to reduce community spread. Public Health Officials maintain that physical distancing is proven to be one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of illness.
A recent article from Healthline suggests that up to 80% of people who carry Covid-19 don't even know they have it. Many cases are mild, but when severe, the disease can be life-threatening, and we want to do our part to protect you from that.
Why does asymptomatic spread matter to us? Well, Asymptomatic carriers don't show symptoms and can still pass on Covid-19 to others. Since there is no way of knowing who is asymptomatic and who is not, we are adding a layer of protection by making it mandatory that all doctors and patients wear masks during appointments.
Once carriers become pre-symptomatic, meaning they are already showing signs of Covid-19, such as a runny nose, they are much more likely to spread the virus. Medical professionals suggest that in the asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic cases are hard to tell apart until pre-symptomatic symptoms begin to show.
We see several people throughout the day and new people every day. We can’t possibly predict what or who others have come into contact with. Community spread is what doctors have been trying to reduce, and as we open our practice, we want to do our part.
Breaking that down to what it means is this; we see different people every day. Many people walk in and out of our office. All of them have been to work, to the grocery store, to their friends' homes, you name it. And we've been to a lot of those places too.
There is no way to tell which of us has come into contact with an asymptomatic carrier and so we're taking the extra precaution of wearing masks to ensure that we contain our droplets when talking to you and that you are too. We know that we won't be able to physically distance, so we are adding a layer of protection to you and us.
So, while the details and numbers behind asymptomatic spread remains unknown (as Dr. Van Kerkhove remarks in her clarification of asymptomatic spread on June 9th), we're playing it safe.
Simply put, we're taking all the precautions necessary to ensure that our office is operating under the safest protocols.
Masks Keep Others Safe
The CDC recently announced that masks are for protecting those around you. This one is significant to us because you are our valued patients. We want to protect you the best way we can.
We have your safety in mind and our own families' safety in mind with this policy. Dr. Hines has a newborn at home, so you'll also be keeping him safe by wearing a mask.
The spread of Covid-19 appears to be higher indoors where the air is denser, and droplets can linger for longer. When droplets linger, it allows people exposure to the virus for more extended periods. Non-medical masks, although not fully protective, can keep some of these droplets out.
Many articles suggest that when two people wear masks, they may be protecting each other, and the Centre for Disease Control has this messaging too. There is also information going around that says that when two people wear a mask, the spread of a virus lowers significantly. Check out this picture that is circulating on medical sites such as Bryan Health.
If you don't have a mask, then we have some disposable masks that you can use when you’re here. We'd love you to bring your own though, to reduce our carbon footprint and all.
Making a Mask is Easier Than it Sounds
Your mask doesn't have to be complicated. We found some pretty cool tutorials on making masks. You can use any fabric to make masks, including an old t-shirt. See this image below from the Centre for Disease Control.
As Masks become more standard in Canada, it'll feel less awkward to wear them at appointments. Don't worry about looking silly; we're here feeling a little awkward and silly too.
What it comes down to is we want to see you. We want to do it safely, and we're asking you to do your part too. Masks aren't an option in our office right now, and we hope you understand why. Thanks for doing your part to keep each other safe.