An attempt to ridicule an NHS doctor by calling her a “masked sheep” has amazingly backfired.
Posting on Twitter, Dr Julia Grace Patterson said she had found out she was on a Twitter list called “masked sheep”, referring to the fact she wears a face mask to protect those around her from coronavirus.
Just found out that I’ve ended up on a twitter list called ‘masked sheep’😂 😷 🐑 😷 🐑 😷 🐑 😷 🐑 😷 🐑 I’m going to own… https://t.co/f5jn9omCKa— Dr Julia Grace Patterson💙 (@Dr Julia Grace Patterson💙) 1622886657
But instead of being offended, she said she was going to “own it” and called on others to reclaim the label. As a result the hashtag “#maskedsheep” trended on Twitter throughout Saturday afternoon as people celebrated their compliance with rules/ basic human decency by wearing face coverings.
@JujuliaGrace Lots of sensible #maskedsheep living the dream, staying alive, respecting others and non-spreaders. Rejoice #maskedsheep— Don't watch Westerns #FBPE #FBNHS #FBPPR#PATH#GTTO (@Don't watch Westerns #FBPE #FBNHS #FBPPR#PATH#GTTO) 1622887408
@JujuliaGrace #MaskedSheep are people keeping us alive. #Covidiots are dangerous.— Andrew Godsell Paperback Writer #FBNHS #JohnsonOut (@Andrew Godsell Paperback Writer #FBNHS #JohnsonOut) 1622887096
@JujuliaGrace Me! ... am very happy to be! And will continue to be happy to be a #maskedsheep 🐑😷🐑😷🐑 for as long as it takes!— Rachel Pierce💙🏴☠️🥰🌈🌻🇪🇺 (@Rachel Pierce💙🏴☠️🥰🌈🌻🇪🇺) 1622887411
Patterson is involved in NHS campaign group EveryDoctor which took the government to court this year over PPE procurement. She co-founded the Junior Doctors Alliance. She is also, apparently, a masked sheep.
But so are the many people who came to support her against Twitter trolls:
Proud to be one! So many @nhsstaff have worked to keep us alive, putting their own lives on hold and at risk, how c… https://t.co/wjzeHmQizu— dragon (@dragon) 1622903753
@JujuliaGrace I had COVID this time last year before mask wearing , I was diagnosed with long covid too (still reco… https://t.co/tR4KWPIZqF— 😷JUST WEAR A FACE MASK😷for f’sake (@😷JUST WEAR A FACE MASK😷for f’sake) 1622891696
We think being a masked sheep doesn’t sound too bad at all if it will help bring an end to the pandemic.