Thread by @jheighton3

BC media, please understand why #bced feels abandoned by DBH’s “Be Kind, Be Calm, Be Safe” slogan.

If DBH was KIND to school communities by listening to concerns & working to make schools SAFER, we would be CALM. But she has ignored evidence and gaslit us instead.

A thread:

First: DBH claims that “in-school transmission is low” and that school cases “reflect the community”.

Yet several studies have proven otherwise.
Study 1) Montreal study, explained by 🇨🇦 epidemiologist:

https://twitter.com/dgbassani/status/1349112489636749312

Study 2) Belgian study shows much higher prevalence in young children, once they started testing schools more (catching previously-missed asymptomatic cases).
New Z epidemiologist reports:

https://twitter.com/drzoehyde/status/1354348536368746501

Study 3) Incidence of child cases in Ontario, compared to other age groups. Notice the trends after schools opened.
🇨🇦 epidemiologist reports:

https://twitter.com/dfisman/status/1352351686514384896

Study 4) UK study shows that children were more likely to be the index cases in households, after schools opened (UK has similar school measures as B.C.)

🇬🇧 epidemiologist reports (excellent thread):

https://twitter.com/dr2nisreenalwan/status/1345661874302578689

Study 5) Here’s a more recent UK study on children and school transmissions, explained by another UK epidemiologist:

https://twitter.com/dgurdasani1/status/1362390053029306368

So, even with just these studies (there are more out there), it’s obvious that in-school transmission can and does happen. Why would BC be any different?

Clearly #bced staff & parents are being gaslit by DBH and @CDCofBC. Not “Kind” or “Safe”.

Second, @CDCofBC has issues with data collection and reporting. So “proof” of their claims is lacking.
- extremely low test rates per capita (no test, no cases)
- policy of testing symptomatic cases only
- refusal to use rapid tests
- no #CovidAlertApp
- no student/staff numbers

Data discrepancies 1) See a deep dive into how the province is reporting test numbers and odd moving of cases to and from the “unknown” categories:

https://twitter.com/sherwhizt/status/1346093801274654720

Data discrepancies 2) More #COVID19 @CDCofBC data issues, highlighted in this @TheTyee article:
@vb_jens

thetyee.ca/Analysis/2020/…

Data discrepancies 3) #bced has to rely on 2 parents @BCschoolCovid, tracking the number of school exposure letters (only when people send to them) each day. Increase in letters & schools affected is alarming, especially in schools w/ multiple letters.

Note @CDCofBC silence.

https://twitter.com/bcschoolcovid/status/1368093938318372867

Data discrepancies 4) The definition of an “outbreak” in #bced schools is so stringent that hardly any schools qualify.

Even 50 cases at Earl Marriott Secondary in Surrey don’t count as an outbreak, according to @CDCofBC.

Other provinces have better outbreak def’n than B.C.

https://twitter.com/cdnskydiva/status/1363873925961158658

So, studies and data issues point to claims of “low school transmissions” and “school cases reflect the community” being false. Every time DBH says this, she is NOT being kind or safe.

Now, what about the #bced safety measures, or “layers of protection”?

Read on...

Third: The “layers of protection” in #bced is where DBH’s “Be Safe” slogan really crumbles.
BC’s plan has:
- full class sizes, up to 30
- handwashing (if sink available)
- cohorts of 60/120 allowed
- worst mask rules in 🇨🇦
- limited $ for ventilation solutions

And #VoC cases ⬆️!

Layers 1) DBH & @CDCofBC continues to say that masks aren’t necessary in classrooms.

Here’s her @macleans interview, on Feb. 25, 2021:
“There's no evidence that a child, a young child, having to wear a mask all day long is going to make a difference."

https://twitter.com/frozen/status/1365128546260197376

Layers 2) Dr. Reka Gustafson, BC’s Provincial Deputy Health Officer, also does not believe in masks for #bced children.

Below remarks said on February 27, 2021, after still more school variant notices announced! 🤯🤬

https://twitter.com/jheighton3/status/1365823996093108224

Layers 3) DBH ignores @ubcVSE study that proves mask-wearing in schools prevent spread. These are UBC researchers! @MDrelichman

Here are 2 🇨🇦 epidemiologists who highlight and explain in detail: @DFisman @DGBassani

https://twitter.com/dfisman/status/1365821676341051392

Layers 4) Distancing: none in a #bced classroom, w/ occupancy 20-30 students/class. And kids do not have the self-control to naturally distance for hours on end.

Exception: Van high schools, hybrid (1/2 class) since Sept.
Probably helped their 🦠numbers. Under attack though?😳

https://twitter.com/jheighton3/status/1350483441670733824

Layers 5) Ventilation is mentioned in @CDCofBC guidance but lack of adequate funding means opening windows (if not screwed shut) is the main strategy. Winter temperatures not addressed; old buildings have no HVAC.

Meanwhile, see what should be happening:

https://twitter.com/j_g_allen/status/1358022655622938625?s=21

https://twitter.com/j_g_allen/status/1358022655622938625

So #MaskDistanceVentilate guidelines from DBH & @CDCofBC are still deplorable in #bced schools. Despite variant exposure letters in schools increasing every day.

Quote from article: “The contagiousness of the new variant means half measures won’t work.”

https://twitter.com/apoorva_nyc/status/1349827285839392772?s=21

https://twitter.com/apoorva_nyc/status/1349827285839392772

And DBH is completely ignoring #LongCovid risks while pretending that #bced school protocols are safe “as-is”. It puts the whole community at risk, as school spread leads to community spread.

20% of ALL +ve cases have Long C after 5 wks, 10% at 12 wks!

https://twitter.com/dr2nisreenalwan/status/1356935161972207619?s=21

https://twitter.com/dr2nisreenalwan/status/1356935161972207619

There’s also #LongCovidKids. The UK (where they actually collect data on #LongCovid) has discovered that 13% of 2-11 year olds and 15% of 12-16 yr olds still have symptoms 5 weeks after +ve test, sometimes debilitating and long lasting.

How is ignoring these risks Kind? #bced

https://twitter.com/dgurdasani1/status/1367046743930658816

And Canada has done its own investigation into #LongCovid. Here is the @CBC @cbcmarketplace report on it, where they interview 100 Canadians, including children, who are suffering from it.

DBH should be putting safer measures in #bced schools, pronto.

https://twitter.com/jheighton3/status/1353025788199673856

Conclusion: The #bced community members who are criticizing DBH have good reason to do so.

We are not trolls.

We have a genuine concern, backed by evidence from around the world, that @CDCofBC policies for schools are NOT *kind or *safe. And therefore we cannot be *calm.

END