The disgruntled patient walked into the University of Utah urgent care facility without a mask, and when staff gave him one to wear, he left it dangling against his chest.A security member told the patient that the face covering was important for protecting him, staff and other patients. The man pulled the mask up but left his nose jutting out over the top of it.A report on the standoff over face coverings describes the ensuing escalation, as the man continued to argue with nurses and other staff members. He lunged toward a medical assistant with his arms raised as if he “was going to hit” the health care worker, the report states. The patient hurled misogynistic profanities at the assistant, threatened to sue and spat in the security officer’s direction as he was leaving the building.The clash appears among more than 200 pages of incident reports from the University of Utah Health, documenting the harassment and abuse suffered by workers at one of the state’s largest health systems during the pandemic.The documents echo many of the stories Utah medical providers have been sharing — about patients and families pushing back against masking and or lashing out at them in conspiracy-fueled rants about COVID-19.“I had several health care workers contact me that said they were the victims of this type of aggression,” said Utah Rep. Robert …
COVID-19 threats increased as the pandemic raged – Salt Lake Tribune
