Alberta Healthcare PPE Petition

April 24, 2020

To:
Honourable Tyler Shandro, Minister of Health of Alberta
Dr. Verna Yiu, President and CEO of Alberta Health Service

Grave concerns exist about the safety and efficacy of the current supply of Vanch
“Disposable Medical Face Masks”. These masks are of poor quality, substandard,
consistently malfunction, and do not provide adequate personal protection against a
very capable viral pathogen.

Our direct experience with these masks confirms: the fit is poor and the material over
the bridge of the nose does not hold its shape nor keep the mask solidly in place. This
causes the wearer to inevitably touch the mask to prevent displacement. This entirely
undermines the rationale for wearing a mask. The mask has caused skin irritation,
nausea, and profound headaches, which is amplified over many hours of work.

These concerns have been directed to Alberta Health Services (AHS) and their official
response on April 20, 2020 was to reiterate that the “masks meet certain industrial and
safety standards and as such are considered adequate and appropriate PPE.”

Investigation into the Vanch mask reveals “This standard is inapplicable to a medical
protective mask and surgical mask.”(1) An important distinction is made between a
“medical face mask” and a “medical protective mask” and a “surgical mask.” "Ordinary
medical masks implement the medical industry's recommended standard YY / T0969-
2013 "Disposable Medical Masks", which are generally used in ordinary medical
environments and have a low level of protection. This type of mask cannot effectively
prevent pathogens from invading through the respiratory tract, nor can it effectively
protect particles and bacterial viruses... [for use in] the public in non-intensive
places."(2) Neither the chosen Chinese standard (YYT0969-2013), nor the European
standard (EN14683 II/IIR) masks are rated to filter particles or to protect adequately
from splash contamination.
#abdocs4patients has filed a request to the Access to Information Act (R.S.C., 1985, c.
A-1.) to fully comprehend the quality of the PPE we are being provided with and to
gain insight into which PPE products the UCP government has distributed to other
provinces without first assuring Alberta’s physician’s needs were met.
#abdocs4patients is also investigating the effectiveness of the PPE with a toxicology
firm.

#abdocs4patients disagree with AHS’ assessment and government reassurance about

this substandard equipment further dismissing our concern as “preference”. Our
personal safety is not a preference. As your front-line essential staff, we are putting
our lives and the livelihood of our families at stake. The thought of a firefighter or
oilfield worker being asked to go into a blaze with unsafe and inadequate equipment is
unconscionable. Our sacrifice has limits.

#abdocs4patients

FOOTNOTES:
(1) https://www.chinesestandard.net/PDF/English.aspx/YYT0969-2013
(2) https://m.cucas.cn/mobile_news/detail?id=7057
Respectfully;

Dr Adina McBain, MD Dr. Brianne Whittaker MD

Dr Saadia Qaiser, MD Dr. Caeley Lorincz MD
Dr. Aaron Mackie MD Dr. Candy Marcet MD
Dr. Aaron Pink MD Dr. Catherine Phillips MD
Dr. Abdul Kamran MD Dr. Chauntille Munchinsky MD
Dr. Adeboye Efunnuga MD Dr. Cherelyn Lakusta MD
Dr. Akinseinde Osakuade MD Dr. Christine Froelich MD
Dr. Akinyele Iyiola MD Dr. Christine Gibson MD
Dr. Aleksa Botros MD Dr. Christine O'Reilly MD
Dr. Alex Knebel MD Dr. Christy MacAulay MD
Dr. Alexander Fay MD Dr. Clarence Giang MD
Dr. Alexandra Di Ninno MD Dr. Cynthia Kwong MD
Dr. Alexandra Seal MD Dr. Deepak Mirok MD
Dr. Alicia Mason MD Dr. Dena Stockburger MD
Dr. Amol Bhargava MD Dr. Diana Grainger MD
Dr. Amy Tan MD Dr. Dinesh Witharana MD
Dr. Andrea Tamm, MD Dr. Dr. Owen Gagne MD
Dr. Anita Lai MD Dr. Edward Les MD
Dr. Anne Roggensack MD Dr. Edward Woo MD
Dr. Annelies Noordman MD Dr. Elizabeth McKoen MD
Dr. Aref Yeung MD Dr. Elizabeth Wallace MD
Dr. Arlie Fawcett MD Dr. Elizabeth Weninger MD
Dr. Ashesh Pabbies MD Dr. Erica Button MD
Dr. Ashley Gillson MD Dr. Estie Van der Merwe MD
Dr. Ayesha Saeed MD Dr. Evan Sampson MD
Dr. Bailey Adams MD Dr. Faisal Sheikh MD
Dr. Baldev Singh MD Dr. Faye Sirianni MD
Dr. Bash Amien MD Dr. Fiona Mattatall MD
Dr. Brian Klassen MD Dr. Gaylene Genge MD
Dr. Brian Pedersen MD Dr. Glenda Maclean MD
Dr. Gurpreet Rakhra MD Dr. Nicole Roper MD
Dr. Heather Taylor MD Dr. Noelle O’Riordan MD
Dr. Helen Yeung MD Dr. Noel Grisdale MD
Dr. Inoka Amarakone MD Dr. Noura Al Faraj MD
Dr. Ioana Solomon MD Dr. Novin Ihsan MD
Dr. Izu Nwachukwu MD Dr. Pamela Weatherbee MD
Dr. Jan Lombaard MD Dr. Pascaline De Caigny MD
Dr. Jennifer Benz MD Dr. Paul Ratti MD
Dr. Jennifer Guillemaud MD Dr. Paula Dubois MD
Dr. Jennifer Tupper MD Dr. Philip Pink MD
Dr. Jessica Sparling MD Dr. Rachel Grimminck MD
Dr. Jocelyn Donnelly, MD Dr. Rachelle Findley MD
Dr. Joe Raiche MD Dr. Rajeev Sharma MD
Dr. John Julyan-Gudgeon MD DR. Ranbir Gill MD
Dr. Karen Tanguay MD Dr. Roy Turner MD
Dr. Katherine Bisby MD Dr. Rozemin Kizuk MD
Dr. Katherine Kasha MD Dr. Ryan Roszko MD
Dr. Katherine Malczyk MD Dr. Saadia Qaiser MD
Dr. Kathleen Game MD Dr. Sandy Murray MD
Dr. Kathy Unger MD Dr. Sarah Smith MD
Dr. Katie Billinghurst MD Dr. Sarah Weeks MD
Dr. Katrina Kelly MD Dr. Scott Loree MD
Dr. Kay Jian MD Dr. Shafeena Premji MD
Dr. Kelly MacGregor MD Dr. Shannon Otsuka MD
Dr. Kelly Stevens MD Dr. Sharlene Hudson MD
Dr. Kerryn Roberge MD Dr. Sharon Rowan MD
Dr. Kimberly Chapman MD Dr. Shaza Abdalla MD
Dr. Krystyna Banas MD Dr. Sholeh Dezfuli MD
Dr. Larissa Seredycz MD Dr. Stephanie Frigon MD
Dr. Latisha Hewton-Backfat MD Dr. Sudhakar Sivapalan MD
Dr. Laura Coughlan MD Dr. Sylvia Basiriha MD
Dr. Laura Lassila MD Dr. Tannis Spencer MD
Dr. Lauren Redgate MD Dr. Tara Daley MD
Dr. Lindsay Jantzie MD Dr. Terri Kremenik MD
Dr. Lisa Walkey MD Dr. Tessa Penrod MD
Dr. Lydia Vezina MD Dr. Thomas Stark MD
Dr. Mai Tran MD Dr. Ulrich Lauf MD
Dr. Manisha Subedi MD Dr. Wendy Fortna MD
Dr. Manrit Kaur Takhar MD Dr. Wikus Venter MD
Dr. Marc André Filion MD Dr. Will White MD
Dr. Maria Papadopoulou MD Dr. William White MD
Dr. Mark Diaz MD Dr. Yin Lawson MD
Dr. Mark Langer MD Dr. Yogesh Thakker MD
Dr. Marsha Quartero MD Dr. Zahid Rafiq MD
Dr. Martin Vetter MD Dr. Zahinoor Ismail MD
Dr. Mary Cummins MD
Dr. Matthew Johnston MD
Dr. Meghan Elkink MD
Dr. Michelle Klassen MD
Dr. Mike Lee MD
Dr. Mukarram Zaidi MD
Dr. Nadeem Bhanji MD
Dr. Nanki Longowal MD
Dr. Nathan Finkbeiner MD
Dr. Nicoelle Wanner MD