Thread by @littleann4ever

1/🧵 Warning!⚠️
This Sept/19/22 CTIF Research seminar:“The Eighth Wave-Challenges & Predictions for an Uncertain Future,” contains GBD terminology & questionable advice from 1 panelist which would just be outrageous if it wasn’t so dangerous. Guess who⬇️

2/ Yep, Mel Krajden.
And pls remember while reading that the CITF’s mandate is to “catalyze, support, fund & harmonize knowledge on SARS-COV-2 immunity for..decision-makers to inform their efforts to protect Cdns & minimize the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.”#bcpoli #canpoli

3/ Krajden’s presentation (50min mark)re:challenges of other seasonal viruses, starts w/:
“It’s time to return to normalcy for our traumatized population…”

“Focusing on Covid morbidity/mortality is bad b/c…to protect older Cdns has come at high cost to our youth” (sorry, olds)

4/ And continues with:
“As a result of Covid control measures, the normal seasonal activity of influenza, RSV & other viruses h/b perturbed.” (Interesting choice of words, eh?)

“Human existence in microbial free bubbles creates other unknown risks” (um, unknown?)

5/ And:
“We have had an extraordinary large SARS-COV-2 wave over the summer!” (But we did nothing to protect you!)

“This wave has created massive levels of hybrid immunity..”(AKA unprecedented/unmitigated infections…oh well, vaccines! sorry #LongCovid is Mr. Snuffleupagus)

6/ And:
“Use caution (i.e masks)…“tools combined w/broader health measures like lockdowns or curfews …work...” but come “at a price!” (Hey, who wants lockdowns!)

And in ambiguous conclusion: “Rational plans are needed…incl surveillance & other preventive measures” #bcpoli

7/ Now that concludes the presentation portion, but I daresay there’s more in the Q & A session.

The 1st of 2 questions posed to Krajden (w/eyebrow raising answers): “What can be expected of physicians in the HC system in the 8th wave?” (59min/30s mark)

8/ After long preamble re:immense challenges physicians will face due to fact their HC workforce w/b sick too, he segued:
“What’s clear is that many kids who get infected in school often aren’t infected in school they are infected in their communities…”
Yep, he said that! #bced

9/ 2nd q (1hr25min mark) “From what we’ve learned from Covid mgmt, do you think we’re doing enough for other respiratory viruses, influenza esp…to lower mortality?”

“The lessons learned…is health measures..to protect against Covid…eliminated influenza, so they work..BUT…”

10/ “challenge is to balance risks…so you want to balance out measures you use…we can be quite draconian but you affect many components of society…so we need to be very strategic..respiratory viruses are endemic so not easy to protect against (but influenza was eliminated!)

11/ con’t..”and part of the natural cycle of life is to be exposed to them and develop an immune response…when they are severe we develop vaccines to negate severity of disease, so eventually…” AND that’s when his phone rang (probably Bonnie saying watch out for Twitter!)

12/ Anyway, there’s good presentations too (i.e Sally Otto), but mask q answered by 2 panelists that are all in on “individual choices.”

Also, this is evidence-based seminar rooted in CITF research conclusions from 119 Cdn studies. What research evidence is Mel Krajden citing?

13/ I'm putting this on record b/c:
1) Krajden has & continues to have influence over national research initiatives & health policy in his CITF Leadership role, among others.
2) It's unconscionable.
My transcript w/his full answers to questions above: docs.google.com/document/d/1Vt…

14/ Here's more on Mel Krajden's various positions in the PHAC Covid-19 Immunity Task Force & the potential influence he has had & continues to have on BC's Covid19 research & public health policies over these last 3 years.