Occupy Vancouver: Medical coordinator and council candidate Chris Shaw busy till midnight

De-Growth Vancouver city council candidate Chris Shaw confirmed that he and his crew are still busy, even though the weather has improved.

“Mostly what we've dealt with so far is the kinds of things that happen in camping environments - scrapes and cuts and abrasions,” Shaw said today at the Occupy Vancouver medic tent. “And we're dealing with people out in the weather, so they have foot issues, and colds and hypothermia. It's cold and people are out in the rain and not everybody has a lot of shelter.”

Shaw said people are getting sicker as they stay out in the weather longer, and he said there are problems associated with people falling on things and injuring their feet.

“One thing the camp is drawing in are people who live on the streets,” Shaw noted. “For obvious reasons, they are safer here, because otherwise they couldn't camp. Plus, they have food here and they have medical. So it's a safer environment for a lot of people.”

Shaw noted his team has even treated one man who was beaten up in a bar.