Chilliwack came through on Labour Day to thank health-care professionals

Hearts and hand-written cards covered the front of the Chilliwack Health Unit on Menholm Road.

It was a grassroots community initiative on Sept. 6 supporting the health-care sector, in the wake of last week’s vaccine-passport protests at several health-care facilities including Chilliwack General Hospital (CGH).

The health unit was closed on Labour Day, but nurse Kelsea Brown was on-site to collect the cheery cards and notes, and see the entrance festooned with positive messages.

“We were able to decorate the front doors of the health unit, as well as the staff entrance doors into each area inside so, Mental Health, Community Care and Public Health were covered,” Brown said.

Health-care workers arriving back to work on Tuesday were touched by the heartfelt messages.

“Once we take them down eventually I’m going to take them and place them on poster boards to proudly display in our main area of our building.”

Zeeshan Khan, executive director of the Kindness Chain Chilliwack Association, said volunteers with the non-profit delivered about 100 cards to the drop-off site outside the health unit. It was their way of standing up for the nurses and doctors who’ve steadfastly been there for everyone since the pandemic hit.

“We had been so disheartened to hear about protesters who set up in front of the hospital last week,” he said. “We know health-care workers have gone through a lot throughout the pandemic and we wanted to thank them.”

More than 150 maskless protesters yelled at traffic from the sidewalks around the hospital in the quiet zone, waving anti-vaccination placards denouncing the vaccine card, and the jab.

B.C. Premier John Horgan also put out a statement on Sept. 1 about the hospital protests:

“Health-care workers have been true heroes throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, working long hours in difficult conditions to care for us, our loved ones and to keep our communities safe.

“While everyone has the right to peaceful protest, the targeting and harassment of health-care workers at health-care facilities today is completely unacceptable. We stand by our health-care workers and support them fully.”

The premier had this to say about health restrictions:

“The intent of every COVID-19 guideline and restriction that we’ve put in place since the beginning of the pandemic is to keep people healthy. That remains our number-one priority and we will take the steps we need to, to save lives and keep people safe as the vast majority of British Columbians expect.”

The provincial government will require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 later this month from residents participating in non-essential activities, like going to restaurants, gyms and movie theatres.

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