Threatening letters. Spitting. Racist and sexist comments.
Ontario doctors are urging action on what they say is a wave of harassment and vitriol.
Emphasizing that the behaviour is coming from a vocal minority during the pandemic and that most people are supportive of front-line health-care workers, the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) convened a panel, moderated by OMA President Dr. Adam Kassam, to say that when it comes to bad behaviour enough is enough.
"We believe strongly this kind of hate cannot be the legacy of this pandemic," said Dr. Katherine Smart, the president of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA).
The doctors assembled shared similar experiences, including frequent threats, online harassment, heated rhetoric marked by racism, misogyny or attacks on certain religions and more. Dr. Jennifer Kwan, who has maintained a high-profile presence on social media during the pandemic to share expert health information with the public, described comments that "women should not be listened to" or "threats about going to jail or being put on trial."
Kwan described these types of comments as "misdirected anger" but added it takes a toll on health-care workers at a time when the duration and intensity of the pandemic has people tired out.
And the passion behind those comments, largely from anti-vaccine and anti-public health measure backers who feel strongly about their positions, has only grown stronger as vaccines are now being rolled out to younger children, according to the doctors.
Smart would like to see the federal government follow through on its vow to do something about the problem. "We're asking for the federal government to make good on their promise to enact legislation to specifically protect health-care workers from violence and harassment, both in-person and online," she said, adding that the CMA will meet with social media platforms to see what can be done about some of the heated rhetoric.
While there are existing laws that could cover threats to anyone, the CMA feels that specifically mentioning health-care workers would strengthen the application of those laws, and make explicit that it's not tolerated. "We do feel that by actually singling out health-care professionals for targeted protection, much like it's done with police officers and other public figures, it increases the opportunities for us to actually be protected," Smart added.

Health experts call for more protections from threats

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