No, poinsettias: Sign at Canadian hospital causes some confusion

The holiday season is officially behind us, and while many across Ontario are throwing out wilting poinsettias, one hospital in the province is warning people to keep the distinctive red-leaved plants away.

Or, maybe they aren’t — as a misplaced comma really bungles the message.

Physician John Neary shared a photo on X showing a rather confusing sign posted at the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), warning staff and patients with a grammatically painful “no, poinsettias.”

does this mean that they are actually allowed??? pic.twitter.com/490b8Q8goI

— John Neary (@jddneary) January 17, 2024

One commenter noted that the out-of-place comma (which hilariously changes the meaning of the sign) isn’t the only error in the sign, noting a missing comma from the ‘thank you’ message at the bottom of the page.

This is a whole narrative. Like the Hemingway Baby Shoes thing.

— Menaka Pai, MSc MD FRCPC (@MPaiMD) January 18, 2024

Another commenter wonders why the hospital is clamping down on a decorative plant.

🤔What’s wrong with Poinsettias? I know they’re mildly toxic if eaten but ?🤷‍♂️

— Peter Llewellyn (@CHHSenior) January 17, 2024

The misplaced comma aside, there’s actually a very good reason this makeshift sign was posted.

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An LHSC representative tells blogTO, that “While there is no hospital-wide policy regarding poinsettias, there are people with allergies to the plants.”

“It is a latex-producing plant that can affect those with latex allergies or sensitivities. So much like you may see a sign on an office door that says, ‘no scents,’ this sign most likely indicates that someone who works in the area has an allergy or sensitivity to latex.”

They can trigger latex allergies.

— CanGal 🥄😣 (@CanGal_39) January 17, 2024

Latex allergies only affect about 1% to 6% of the general population, but the condition is much more common among healthcare workers.

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that 8% to 12% of healthcare workers in that country are latex-sensitive, making latex-producing plants especially problematic in hospital settings.