SARS taught us lessons. Then we forgot them | The Star
The precautionary principle was a “key lesson” from SARS that Ontario failed to heed, says Mario Possamai, who advised Campbell on the SARS Commission. thestar.com/news/canada/20…
In his October 2020 report “A Time of Fear,” he details how Canada’s failure to employ the precautionary principle endangered health workers, who made up nearly 20 per cent of Canada’s cases in late July — twice the global average.
Back when little was known about COVID-19, Possamai says we should have been protecting against airborne transmission by mandating health workers wear N95s and ramping up air purification and ventilation systems in facilities like hospitals, schools and long-term-care homes.
“They’ve been given surgical masks, and surgical masks are not sufficient for an airborne disease,” he said. “They should have been wearing N95s right from the word go.”
One year ago today, my kids received CoVID care packages from Dad. N99 masks, contactless thermometers, nitrile gloves, ABHR, & $$$ for grocery stockup. They added this to the Air Disinfectors & Ultrasonic Humidifiers (w silver & UV water protection) they received at Christmas.
As an “armchair epi” who had lived thru SARS, it was easy to see this was SARS2, it was airborne, & it was coming soon to a place near you. Why couldn’t “real Epis” & PH & ID & IPC & WHO & western governments see this? Where is the Precautionary Principle?
Why are we not following the SARS Commission Report recommendations?
Why are we not following CSA National Standard for respirators? (Min N95s)