Health Minister Sarah Courtney slams keyboard warriors targeting health workers

Health Minister Sarah Courtney has a stern warning for keyboard warriors targeting health workers during the coronavirus crisis.

IGNORANT “keyboard warriors” have been told to back off their attacks on the state’s healthcare workers.

Premier Peter Gutwein and Health Minister Sarah Courtney said they were appalled at reports of health workers being vilified online during the coronavirus pandemic.

The nurses union says the problem is real, but the hate is being far outweighed by messages of support from the public.

Baseless rumours relating to the spread of the virus in the community were repeated on Wednesday by Commonwealth chief medical officer Professor Brendan Murphy.

He later retracted his claim that an “illegal dinner party” held by medical staff was associated with an outbreak of the disease at the north-west.

Ms Courtney said those working in the heath system were at the forefront of the fight against the virus and deserved respect for their dedication.

Health Minister Sarah Courtney speaks at the daily COVID-19 update. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

“It’s completely irresponsible and ignorant I think for anybody to be taking potshots at a health care worker,” she said.

“These people are putting themselves in the front line to care for our community and they should be supported,” she said.

“I think it’s very disappointing that anyone in the community thinks it’s okay to take a shot at a health care worker — these are the people that are working on the frontline in our response.

“They are working incredibly hard, they’re working long hours and we know that health care settings, because of the very nature during a pandemic, are risky settings and they have dedicated themselves to their patients and their communities.”

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Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Tasmanian Branch Secretary Emily Shepherd said nurses weren’t letting the comments get them down.

“However, while it has been disappointing to hear rumours circulating about the source of the outbreak at the North West Regional Hospital, which the ANMF have been quick to debunk, it has been heartening to see members from across the state immediately offering support and care for their colleagues following the closure of the North West Regional Hospital and the North West Private Hospital,” she said.

“The messages of support and thanks for the efforts of nurses, midwives and care workers during the COVID- 19 pandemic has been overwhelming and far outweighs any negative and ill-informed comments.”

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Mr Gutwein said he had spoken to a nurse from the north-west of the state who was concerned about the level of vilification health workers were being subjected to online.

“The conversation that we had last night was in relation to the challenges that all of our health care workers on the north-west coast now face as a result of some of the social media traffic, some of the keyboard warriors that are lining them up and taking aim at them,” he said.

“I want north-west coasters to just to pause for a moment and reflect on the fact that the people that have supported them in the health care centre, and the health centres now for decades, are people that should be acknowledged for the work that they’ve done, and this shouldn’t be an opportunity for those that want to get online and vilify and take aim. That’s not acceptable. Let us work through this, let us support each other, let us be kind to each other.”

Thursday’s government coronavirus briefing will take place at 9.30am. Be sure to tune in on The Mercury’s live stream, via our Facebook page.