What I understand having skimmed the petition is that VPTA wants to require that practitioners treat patients regardless of whether anyone wears a mask or has been vaccinated.   I strongly oppose this view based upon VPTA's assumption that I must treat individuals who pose a higher risk to me.  If I see 10-15 patients per day, and one of those patients refuses to care about the health of others or me in my facility by standing on their rights to not wear a mask, they endanger all of us.  If I get sick because of that person and have to be out of work for two weeks, that harms many people.  Furthermore, if I unknowingly transmit covid from that person to another patient or my elderly family members or friends, then I have just done what is required by VPTA.  Does this argument highlight the one-sidedness and lack of care for your own providers?   This sounds like honoring the individual rights of the patient while handcuffing the rights of PTs and PTAs you represent.    

My actual suggestion is that everyone wear a mask for the time being.  The messaging is inconsistent, but I think we can all bet on being safer than sorry.  The country is at 1 million deaths (at a minimum) and counting with many more disabled due to covid.  I am not looking to become one of those numbers nor am I looking to become a vector.  This is what is best for my profession and the country.