Top doc says stigmatization does more harm than good

With the message of "avoid stigmatization" often being shared, Dr. Brent Roussin is explaining what that looks like for Manitobans.

Whether it is on purpose or not, Roussin says stigmatization can be displayed in many different ways. Attempting to identify a patient or shaming them for having the virus are ways a Manitoban could create COVID-19 stigmatization.

"There's a risk of identifying that person. And remember that person acquired it somewhere unbeknownst to them, and so we can't call them out. We can't treat them negatively. We can't try to identify who it is," Roussin says. 

Roussin says that people do not want to have the virus, but if people are being stigmatized for having it, it may deter others from getting tested.

"The next time someone has some symptoms, they're going to think twice about getting tested because they don't want that attention drawn to them."

Dr. Roussin says by avoiding getting tested, someone could potentially carry the virus and not know.