Jordan Kealy speaks in favor of appropriate PPE in healthcare settings: “We’ve all got to do our part”

UPDATE 4:30 p.m. January 10th: This article has been updated to include additional information from Jordan Kealy.

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Medical masks are again required in British Columbia healthcare facilities, and Peace River North MLA Jordan Kealy is urging residents to follow that rule.

Masking was made mandatory again earlier this week for workers, volunteers, and visitors in facilities operated by provincial health authorities, in areas where patients are receiving care.

The requirement spans hospitals, long-term care and assisted living facilities, outpatient clinics, and ambulatory care settings, and it’s expected to remain in effect until the risk of illness decreases, likely in the spring. 

Kealy says he sees using N-95 masks as a smart way to reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses like the flu and COVID-19.

“There are plenty of bugs going around right now that affect our respiratory system, and I recommend that if you are a person where you’re at risk, or prone, to being sick, that you protect yourself,” Kealy says.

However, Kealy was critical of the implementation of the mask mandate, saying standard medical masks don’t do enough to limit the spread of illness.

Instead, Kealy advocated for the use of N-95 masks specifically.

“Myself personally, for my father that had no immune system, I made sure that he had the N-95 mask, because they actually have a degree of viral protection.”

The latest update from the BC Centre for Disease Control says influenza and RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, activity had increased in the last week of 2024.

The update says COVID-19 activity was stable, but showing “early signs of an increase” heading into the new year.

Kealy says viruses and bacteria evolve “faster than almost anything else on the planet” and that personal protective equipment like masks are important for residents to limit the spread of illness.

“I, myself, am just getting over a bug where I was congested and had a cough, and there were several meetings that I ended up cancelling, because I didn’t want to get other people sick,” he said.

Kealy also urges residents to be broadly respectful to others in healthcare settings.

“You’ve got to be respectful of others. If there’s certain ways that you can try not to spread [respiratory illnesses], then you can go ahead and do that,” he says. 

“Otherwise, if you’re going into a hospital, there are people that are [immunocompromised] at the hospital, so we’ve all got to do our part to try and help in different ways.”

With files from the Canadian Press