Thread by @jvipondmd

It's time for a little walk down the path called "what wave is this?". About naming the 3rd, 4th, and now 5th waves. And why it's important. 1/

it began with the 3rd wave. Our leaders oblivious despite having evidence from previous waves of how exponential growth worked, making it predictable, and how to stop it through mitigation policies, making it preventable. #predictableandpreventablewave. 2/

Then the fourth wave. The attempt to cause herd immunity by allowing it to run rampant through our population, especially the kids. And h/t to @sarahkendzior and @AndreaChalupa for pointing out that cruelty is the purpose. The #intentionallycruelwave 3/

Giving the waves pet names allowed them to be described, and explained in a different way than "3rd" or "4th" wave couldn't do. It also was an attempt (probably unsuccessful) to shame the leaders into acting better. 4/

But the 5th wave?A Tsunami of infection descending upon us.And so transmissible that even paragons of pandemic policy like Nova Scotia are failing. I have no faith in our leaders protecting us, they have proven unworthy of the task thusfar, and will continue to fail, methinks. 5/

I have always (and will continue to) say that gov't responsibility >>>> personal responsibility. but with systems and leaders failing, I hope people will protect themselves and their loved ones. Vaccines, smart behaviours, and respirator masks. The #weararespiratorwave. 6/

COVID has been an airborne transmitted disease since the beginning. But the Western world has been loathe to acknowledge it, for reasons I hope someone eventually figures out. But Omicron has made that transmission hard to ignore. 7/ thelancet.com/article/S0140-…

For the first 20 months, we coasted on contact/droplet precautions. Kinda like driving a car in a back alley at low speed, seatbelts (airborne precautions) were not obviously important (to some). Then the speeds increased with each variant. It started to rain. Seatbelts needed.8/

But now we're driving at hellish speeds in a raging icestorm and goddamn it the driver is drunk. We need seatbelts and good car design and airbags to survive. Airborne precautions: respirator masks, ventilation and filtration. 9/

Respirators aren't foolproof. But neither are vaccines, 75% effective for infection after 3 shots for Omicron. And respirators are a far cry better than gaping cloth or surgical masks. We need all the safety layers to get us through this. (H/T @MackayIM) 10/

We're hearing acknowledgement of this from @CPHO_Canada @GovCanHealth and even belately from @CMOH_Alberta. But now the next problem. How to deal with the supply issues of 36M Canadians rushing to supply themselves. 11/

And the equity issue. Not everyone can afford a $1-$2 disposable mask (surgical masks are around $0.20 each, fabric masks last forever). So, I call on the federal government to incentivize production by @CAPPEM2, and distribute free of charge to those in need. 12/

Despite the disposable nature of the masks, you can reuse them, for up to a 40 hour use (they don't get "gummed up" with COVID or anything else). Throw them out if they get visibly soiled or obviously smelly. Longer life= cheaper and less supply problems. 13/

So, welcome to #weararespiratorwave. May the odds be ever in your favour. fin/