So here's why I'm concerned. We are seeing VOCs absolutely explode in ON, and at the same time the test positivity is going back up, so the cases are probably outpacing our testing strategies.
So much of what was said in the ON press conference earlier this week made it clear the focus is on vaccines. That's awesome, I am very pro-vaccine. But here we are on Friday and folks in hot spots still don't know how or *if* they can get a vaccine. toronto.citynews.ca/2021/04/08/ont…
So this means that we can't be relying 100% on vaccines right now to solve this exploding VOC problem. To me this means:
-We need to seriously consider closing schools throughout ON
-We need to make it VERY EASY for folks to not come to work sick (#paidsickleave)
I don't like this idea that 3rd or 4th waves are inevitable, because *we* are in the driver's seat. Supportive policies that can fill this vaccination gap are desperately needed.
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Got a few minutes into a radio interview today before I went on a tangent and then we had to cut it short—so a quick explainer for those listening to CBC Toronto just now and wondering why I was going on and on about shoes.
Shoe-leather epidemiology is the idea that when you’re investigating and solving an outbreak, you walk to so many people’s houses to interview them that you get holes in your shoes.
The term is now shorthand for epi work that’s important, tiresome, tedious, deeply useful, and doesn’t have a lot of shortcuts. And that’s where we’re at right now in the pandemic.
*Deep breath* Tweeting about vaccine safety can be scary because sometimes the conversations aren't cordial, and people can be meaner on the internet than IRL. But I'm going to try it anyway... 🤞
"What's going on with this allergy thing in the UK?"
-2 people who received the vaccine in the UK had an allergic reaction of the kind you might expect if you have a nut allergy and eat nuts and then your tongue swells up or you have some trouble breathing.
"Are they OK?"
-Yes! They are both recovering. They both carry Epi-Pen type devices because they have had severe allergic reactions before, to other stuff.
How to talk with vaccine-hesitant people: a thread for epidemiologists & humans in general, on what the research suggests, and what has worked for me in the past.
1. Start by acknowledging the person's individual fears & concerns about vaccines. Ultimately, many of these are things we share--otherwise we wouldn't do clinical trials to assess safety and effectiveness.
2. Acknowledge a common goal too. If the reason they don't want a vaccine is that they're worried about their health outcomes or their child's health outcomes--ding ding ding, that's common ground. You also want good health outcomes for them! pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32281992/