Mixed messaging from the province adding to frustration taken out on B.C. health-care workers?

Mixed messaging from the province may be adding to frustrations being taken out on B.C. health-care workers.

Workers at testing sites, many of whom are working overtime shifts, are now dealing with threats and intimidation as well from those waiting for tests.

The long lineups for COVID-19 tests are causing frustration, and increasingly health-care workers are facing intimidation, threats and verbal abuse. 

"We've seen a dramatic increase in demand for testing … people waiting a long time and not getting the test they want, and in some cases they took out their frustration," Health Minister Adrian Dix said in an interview Thursday.

He said some cases were so bad that police had to be called in. Health-care centres have "bubble zones" around them to prevent harassment, and additional security is being considered. 

The message from officials is that the behaviour is unacceptable, though the root cause is understood.

Everyone is frustrated, including those working in health-care, said interim vice-president of the B.C. Nurses' Union Danette Thomsen. 

"We're all done with the pandemic," she said.

"We just need to realize that everybody in health care is doing everything they can right now, everywhere across this province, to try to support their patients."

Provincial health officials say that those with mild symptoms, who are vaccinated, should assume they have COVID-19 and self-isolate, but skip the test.

Some health authorities are directing people to an app called Thrive, which will tell a user with enough symptoms that they should get a test. But the app makes no mention that the user may not even be able to get one, as PCR tests are now prioritized for health-care workers, young kids, older adults and people with conditions that make them high risk.

When that was pointed out, Dix said it was a good point, and that ministry staff will "take a look" at the app.

After missing the mark and having people wait way longer than they thought they'd have to, one health authority – Vancouver Coastal – gave up on posting test wait times.

For now, the best thing for the public to do to stay safe is get vaccinated and get their booster shots, Thomsen said.

"I think we all need to try to stay out of the lineups and keep ourselves safe."

But with hours-long waits for booster shots at some clinics in Vancouver, even with an appointment, avoiding lineups may not be an option.