Hey #Ontario
8 things to think about as we head into a new week:
1) Reminder: "Hospitalization", "ICU" & "Deaths" are all subsets of the total number of "Cases" - & are subject to the same case definition.
- The case definition only requires...
1/...
...a recent "positive" test result (NO symptoms required).
- This means that neither "Cases", "Hospitalizations", "ICU" nor "Deaths" require the person to actually have COVID-19 symptoms to be counted.
#FactsNotFear
2/...
2) #BREAKING: Viruses do NOT care about your feelings or how important your task is (or you feel that it is).
- If a virus so contagious and/or dangerous that the only way to protect yourself is to take precautions - then the level of risk does NOT...
3/...
...change during the time you engage in a noble task.
- If a politician waives restrictions for certain classes of people (i.e. NHL), some protests & vigils that they agree with but NOT others - then they clearly do NOT believe that the virus is dangerous.
#classsystem
4/...
Variants are NORMAL & EXPECTED during error-prone RNA replication.
There have been 1000s of variants circulating in North America alone at any given time - for well over 1 year....
5/...
One variant will very briefly have a competitive & novel advantage - but that quickly wanes - & it fades into the mix as other new ones emerge.
...and so on....
The more contagious - the less deadly.
NONE of this is new knowledge!
#scariants
6/...
4) #ontariolockdowns have NOT been lifted.
- You had MUCH more freedom in the "Red Zone" for indoor & outdoor gatherings, retail, small businesses, indoor dining, etc. - than you do in Step 1.
7/...
- Even Step 3 of @fordnation's "Roadmap to ReLOCKDOWN" will still leave you WORSE off than LAST summer!
- AND...there is NO Step 4 - aka actually REOPENING!
#OpenUpNow
#WakeUp
8/...
5) Testing is most beneficial when a novel strain FIRST hits your shores, & for a SHORT while afterwards.
- As more of the population has been exposed, a new strain VERY quickly becomes #endemic & part of the #seasonal mix - just like Novel H1N1 & every other virus.
9/...
- Testing this far in has NEVER been advisable - as the PCR will also pick up PAST exposures or infections - especially at a higher Ct.
- PCR is only diagnostic WITH clinical collation (i.e. expected & specific symptoms).
- NONE of this is new knowledge!
10/...
- With almost every other reportable infectious disease, a "case" was someone who was ill enough to seek out the medical attention that resulted in testing.
- We did NOT test asymptomatic (aka "healthy") people!
11/...
- They completely moved the goal posts for COVID-19
- AND the now corrupted data includes mostly asymptomatic people that would NOT be considered "cases" for any other respiratory disease.
#stoptesting
#stopgettingtested
12/...
6) COVID-19 did NOT "cure" or "get rid of" Influenza.
Example of a consistent trend:
As we entered the height of the COVID-19 "2nd wave"...
Influenza Surveillance Week 50:
1104 specimens tested for Influenza in the entire province - 113 of which were from Toronto.
13/...
Compare that to the testing for COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) for the same week:
382,398 specimens tested for COVID-19 in the entire province - 66,824 of which were from Toronto.
14/...
So...with COVID-19, they are sifting through large portions of the proverbial "haystack" looking for the "needle".
With Influenza, they are looking at a few small handfuls.
#perspective
15/...
7) VERY shortly, we will have LESS new "Cases" & LESS "Hospitalizations" than we have acute care hospitals in Ontario.
- How will @fordnation & @celliottability continue to sell their draconian 3-step re-lockdown plan then?
16/...
- AND...remember that many/most of those numbers are NOT sick because of CV-19 (or sick at all), - but ONLY have a "positive" test result that may JUST be a reflection of a PAST exposure OR the result of Ontario's far too high Ct.
#FactsNotFear
17/...
8) At least 32 states in the U.S. are now FULLY re-opened, and like Florida & Texas, saw ALL numbers drop AFTER re-opening - and PRIOR to a high % of their population being vaccinated.
- Most of the remainder are re-opening this week or by the end of June.
18/...
- #Ontario is the MOST restrictive & locked-down jurisdiction in North America currently AND over time.
- Hey @fordnation & @christineelliot - this means that #Ontario is about to be left behind in the dust!
#OpenUpNow
#StartLivingAgain!
19/...
Links:
health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/program…
nextstrain.org/ncov/north-ame…
covid-19.ontario.ca/data
publichealthontario.ca/-/media/docume…
publichealthontario.ca/en/data-and-an…
Living is more than just existing!
Time to start living again!
Go visit lots of friend & family.
#SupportSmallBusinesses
AND have a great week!!!
@OnCall4ON @BKarahalios @Roman_Baber @randyhillier @NewBlueON @Milhouse_Van_Ho @Golden_Pup @anthonyfurey @joe_warmington @sunlorrie @TrueNorthCentre @TPostMillennial @NatTelegraph @alexbrown17 @AlexBerenson @rubiconcapital_ @Balacla27914533 @BLNewsMedia @Bret_Sears @CFIB FYI.
Oops...this is point #3.🤦🤦🤦
@LiftLockdown @NML_Canada @NoLockdowns1 @LibertyCCanada @DerekSloanCPC @JCCFCanada @robfoot @RobAdam74497148 @WAlfster @Metabo_PhD @ABetterOntario1 @OntarioReopen @DonaldWelsh16 @Dustinpenner25 @SheilaGunnReid @AndrewLawton @CandiceMalcolm @Robertopedia @NicoJohnson00 @rpoconnor
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