‘Moral injury’ to health care workers a real concern, say experts, as anti-vaccine protest plans continue

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – As plans for another protest outside Vancouver General Hospital forge ahead, exhausted frontline workers continue to speak out about the emotional toll anti-vaccination sentiments are having on them.

This comes as we learn that all COVID-19 patients under the age of 50 in B.C.’s ICUs are unvaccinated.

According to the most recent numbers from the province, about 25 of those in intensive care are in their 40s and 30s, while five individuals in the ICU are in their 20s.

The unvaccinated have also been making up most of the COVID-19 hospitalizations, and the province says those who are not vaccinated are 34 times more likely to be hospitalized than those who are immunized.

Despite this, we continue to see resistance to the vaccine — both on social media and on the streets through protests.

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Jaime Gallaher, an ER nurse in Kamloops, where the hospital is dealing with severe staffing issues amid a major spike in cases, says she was still red-eyed from crying at work after last week’s protest when she went to a grocery store and was sworn at by a woman.

Gallaher was forced to leave her carton of milk and went home after breaking down in tears.

This is just one example of instances that are adding to what experts are calling “moral injury” against exhausted front-line workers.

“We had two young patients in our department who were waiting for ICU beds for two days but they couldn’t get them because our ICU was full of unvaccinated COVID patients who were requiring all of our resources,” Gallaher recalled of a recent experience.

“One of our patients actually passed away in the (emergency room) behind a curtain with his family, which was gut-wrenching, because that should never, ever happen, they have no privacy.”

Experts are raising concern moral injury among health care workers, who have in many cases faced even more stress after vaccine passports were announced in some provinces, including B.C. There are now calls for a national mental health strategy for those in this sector.

On Sept. 1, thousands of people took to the streets outside of hospitals across B.C. and Canada in protest of vaccine passports and other mandates. Many in the health care sector called the move disrespectful to those working the frontlines, who have been overworked and burning out for well over a year.

COVID-19 protesters gathered outside of Vancouver City Hall Wednesday. This was just one of many protests held across Canada at hospital sites to speak out against vaccines and vaccine passports. (Courtesy Twitter/imclaireallen)

With another series of protests — some outside of hospitals once again — planned for Monday afternoon, nurses, doctors, and others have begun speaking out once again, pleading with people to not let politics get in the way of people’s health and safety.

Dr. Rod Lim, who also chairs the wellness committee of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, says protest are taking a toll. He says there’s never been such a need for a national mental health strategy.

“The protests are demoralizing in the sense of common decency. To picket in front of a hospital, delay people who are trying to get care that they deserve that had nothing to do with the protest, had nothing to do with government policy being adversely affected is absolutely maddening and brings all kind of emotions up,” he said.

There’s been no indication from organizers of Monday’s protest outside VGH that they will change locations, despite many people calling for them to do so. Organizers have defended their decision to hold last week’s protests.

The mayor pleaded with protesters Thursday to rethink their actions.

Some would-be protesters have even questioned the planned locations of the upcoming demonstrations, writing in comments on social media, “Why are we doing hospitals again? There was so much backlash last time.”

The province has said it’s going to do what it can to make sure patient access is not impacted by protesters.

Starting Monday, people will be required to show proof of at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine to access a number of events, services, and businesses. The BC Vaccine Card will be introduced in stages, with two doses required to access these settings as of Oct. 24.

While protesters have continued to demand their right to make their own medical decisions, the COVID-19 vaccine is not mandated in Canada. However, many employers, including governments, have made vaccines required for their workers.