by susan lazaruk
a patient at the b.c. cancer agency said she was “shocked” that many of those she saw during a recent appointment, including staff members, weren’t wearing masks.
one person entering without a mask walked straight past the check-in desk in the lobby of the clinic on west 10th avenue where visitors are asked routine covid-19 screening questions, said cheryl carter.
the woman, who appeared to be a patient and not an employee, entered the lobby at the same time as carter.
“there were people asking the covid questions and she walked right past those people,” she said, adding that nobody said anything to the woman.
“i’m surprised they didn’t say she needed to put a mask on,” said carter, who works in a medical clinic where she and all staff wear a mask at all times.
she said she and the unmasked woman rode the elevator together, along with an unmasked woman with an employee badge.
“they were both going to the sixth floor, where unfortunately i know from past experience that is where people go when they are really sick,” said carter, a cancer survivor.
carter was attending the clinic for a routine followup mammogram. the woman who checked her in at the waiting room was masked, but “i saw other employees walking down the hall, not wearing masks.”