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We've been compiling info on school reopening plans across the country. No clear winner yet, but Nova Scotia seems the best, Quebec the worst

We're going to keep updating this as more info comes in, and you can check here

masks4canada.org/safeseptember/…

#masks4canada #SafeSeptember
School reopening depends on all of these important factors being optimized
1) Masks for children of all ages can be difficult to accept, but evidence is increasing on their effectiveness. @ChildLifeMorgan goes over some basics on how to prepare your kids for school
Here are some additional tips that can help you prepare
2) Ventilation is critical to get right, and a poorly ventilated room will nullify any protection masks, distancing or hand washing can provide. @DavidElfstrom presents some basics here:
@trishgreenhalgh at Oxford presents additional insights here on the importance of ventilation and masks:

3) Small class sizes are crucial, and are not being addressed by most provincial plans. @OntarioSafe is a grassroots group that grew from a massive petition by @msiggerslibrary hoping to change that

change.org/p/ontario-dema…
4) Rapid testing is unfortunately stalled, even though these tests are being approved quickly in the US. This needs to change ASAP as @ASPphysician explains here:

nationalpost.com/health/home-co…
The US FDA has given emergency approval for this rapid test, and several more are expected. State and federal agencies have bought millions of them to use in schools and nursing homes, while in Canada they are not even being discussed.

5) Outbreak management plans are slowly starting to be released across the country. These should be compared to best practices in Denmark and elsewhere. There will need to be a huge expansion in Covid testing centre capacity by the fall.

theglobeandmail.com/canada/article…
We are aware of some errors on the chart, which we will be fixing on subsequent updates. Thanks everyone for your feedback!
A live version of our chart can be found on our website, where we will be quickly updating in between posts on Twitter.
masks4canada.org/safeseptember/…
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Kashif Pirzada, MD
@KashPrime
It’s clear not enough is being done to ensure a safe return to schools. Covid-19 numbers are low but rising, and what progress we’ve made will be lost if we mishandle this crucial transition. We at #Masks4Canada we are recommending an approach with the following points
1) Masks K-12: There is increasing evidence that kids spread Covid with gusto. This is a big but necessary cultural change, but it has to be done. Start preparing your kids to wear them, make it fun, make it a game.

Some resources:
masks4canada.org/resources/for-…
2) HVAC - a crucial and overlooked step. modern hospitals can exchange air rapidly, many older schools don't. Schools need to be tested. Windows must be opened, HEPA filters installed in rooms or added to central HVAC systems. Avoid any enclosed spaces with stagnant air
Read 10 tweets
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Kashif Pirzada, MD
@KashPrime
We need to implement cheap, rapid, paper-based Covid testing before schools start.

The technology is there, but approvals and implementation needs to be moved into high gear so it can be ready in time.

This would essentially solve the return to school problem
Current testing uses RT-PCR, which will pick up the tiniest levels of virus, are expensive, slow and may be too sensitive - they will pick up cases where you are not transmitting virus yet, or long after you’ve recovered and aren’t infectious.
Rapid tests are quick and dirty, they will accurately pick up if you are infectious, and have high viral loads in your body, they take 10 minutes instead of 2-9 days for PCR, and are cheap, $1-$5 vs $150 for PCR. You could screen every student at every school every day.
Read 6 tweets
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Kashif Pirzada, MD
@KashPrime
Given tragic events in Minneapolis, let’s examine some of the underlying systems that have allowed police in the US to become so reviled and feared, and important differences that have been protective in Canada...
#riots2020 #GeorgeFloydProtests
1/
I have a bit of a (minor) personal history... some years ago, I was late paying a fine for a minor traffic violation in suburban Chicago... I got slapped with an arrest warrant, had to spend $1000 and six months of wrangling (as a student) to beat it.
2/
My real crime, I found out later, was driving in a white county with dark skin, and the system was designed, as a Justice department commission found in Ferguson, to victimize minorities, limit their movement, and serve as a revenue extraction machine
nytimes.com/2019/01/08/mag…
3/
Read 15 tweets

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