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HALIFAX, N.S. —

Nova Scotia Health Authority president and CEO Dr. Brendan Carr has asked workers in the health system to stop pilfering supplies as the ongoing COVID-19 crisis evolves.

The NSHA distributed the video message via Vimeo in which Carr first thanks everyone involved in setting up assessment centres around the province for doing such a great job.

He then says colleagues in Western Canada have given the NSHA advice on what to expect and how best to limit the spread of the disease as well as the importance of personal protective equipment and practices.

“I have heard very clearly that other organizations have been struggling with the availability of appropriate equipment for personal protection,” Carr says in the video, adding that it is critical to conserve the equipment so that there isn’t a shortage of resources in coming weeks. He specifically referenced masks.

“We have instituted some conservation measures on these equipments within the health authority and it’s been brought to my attention that we are losing stock of equipments at a rate that is not consistent with our current clinical practice,” he says in the video. “And what that means is that people are taking masks and other protective equipment out of the organization, presumably because they’re concerned or they feel that there may be some other need for those tools.

“I really need to stop and say with absolute seriousness that there is no way that anybody should be taking any equipment out of any of our facilities or supply areas, that all of those equipments need to be here and accounted for because they will be needed a couple of weeks from now.”

Carr said there will be zero tolerance for anybody taking any of the equipment and asked anyone who has done so to return it.

“Everybody needs to be aware of this,” he says in the video. “Everybody needs to hold themselves and each other accountable for this. But we need to make sure that we have the right equipment at the right time to protect our staff.”

Lauren MacDougall, a spokeswoman for the NSHA, said on Sunday that there have been thefts but there was no one available to speak to it further because it is such a busy time.

“We do acknowledge that this has been a concern,” she said on Sunday. “We don’t really have any more to add than what has been stated in the video.”

The authority was not able to quantify what has gone missing as of Sunday afternoon, she said.

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