8 things to think about as we head into a new week:
1) Reminder: "Hospitalization", "ICU" & "Deaths" are all subsets of the total number of "Cases" - & are subject to the same case definition.
- The case definition only requires...
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...a recent "positive" test result (NO symptoms required).
- This means that neither "Cases", "Hospitalizations", "ICU" nor "Deaths" require the person to actually have COVID-19 symptoms to be counted. #FactsNotFear
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2) #BREAKING: Viruses do NOT care about your feelings or how important your task is (or you feel that it is).
- If a virus so contagious and/or dangerous that the only way to protect yourself is to take precautions - then the level of risk does NOT...
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...change during the time you engage in a noble task.
- If a politician waives restrictions for certain classes of people (i.e. NHL), some protests & vigils that they agree with but NOT others - then they clearly do NOT believe that the virus is dangerous. #classsystem
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Variants are NORMAL & EXPECTED during error-prone RNA replication.
There have been 1000s of variants circulating in North America alone at any given time - for well over 1 year....
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One variant will very briefly have a competitive & novel advantage - but that quickly wanes - & it fades into the mix as other new ones emerge.
- You had MUCH more freedom in the "Red Zone" for indoor & outdoor gatherings, retail, small businesses, indoor dining, etc. - than you do in Step 1.
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- Even Step 3 of @fordnation's "Roadmap to ReLOCKDOWN" will still leave you WORSE off than LAST summer!
- AND...there is NO Step 4 - aka actually REOPENING! #OpenUpNow #WakeUp
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5) Testing is most beneficial when a novel strain FIRST hits your shores, & for a SHORT while afterwards.
- As more of the population has been exposed, a new strain VERY quickly becomes #endemic & part of the #seasonal mix - just like Novel H1N1 & every other virus.
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- Testing this far in has NEVER been advisable - as the PCR will also pick up PAST exposures or infections - especially at a higher Ct.
- PCR is only diagnostic WITH clinical collation (i.e. expected & specific symptoms).
- NONE of this is new knowledge!
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- With almost every other reportable infectious disease, a "case" was someone who was ill enough to seek out the medical attention that resulted in testing.
- We did NOT test asymptomatic (aka "healthy") people!
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- They completely moved the goal posts for COVID-19
- AND the now corrupted data includes mostly asymptomatic people that would NOT be considered "cases" for any other respiratory disease. #stoptesting #stopgettingtested
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6) COVID-19 did NOT "cure" or "get rid of" Influenza.
Example of a consistent trend:
As we entered the height of the COVID-19 "2nd wave"...
Influenza Surveillance Week 50:
1104 specimens tested for Influenza in the entire province - 113 of which were from Toronto.
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Compare that to the testing for COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) for the same week:
382,398 specimens tested for COVID-19 in the entire province - 66,824 of which were from Toronto.
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So...with COVID-19, they are sifting through large portions of the proverbial "haystack" looking for the "needle".
With Influenza, they are looking at a few small handfuls.
- AND...remember that many/most of those numbers are NOT sick because of CV-19 (or sick at all), - but ONLY have a "positive" test result that may JUST be a reflection of a PAST exposure OR the result of Ontario's far too high Ct. #FactsNotFear
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8) At least 32 states in the U.S. are now FULLY re-opened, and like Florida & Texas, saw ALL numbers drop AFTER re-opening - and PRIOR to a high % of their population being vaccinated.
- Most of the remainder are re-opening this week or by the end of June.
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- #Ontario is the MOST restrictive & locked-down jurisdiction in North America currently AND over time.
The #CollateralDamage to our children, education, health care, cancer care, mental health, small businesses, families, job loss, bankruptcy, etc. - is mind-numbing!
A few hours ago, the Ottawa Citizen posted an article "Front-line hospital workers say they feel betrayed by the province."
(ottawacitizen.com/news/local-new… )
However, this (clearly) union-fueled article completely missed the mark.
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Yes, we are feeling worn down and betrayed by the Governments of Ontario & Canada.
But we are feeling worn down and betrayed NOT by the pandemic (aka the disease itself) - but by the governments' response to it:
1) that has:
- riddled our children with fear,
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- riddled our patients with fear,
- riddle our employers with fear,
- paralyzed those outside our hallowed halls with fear...
2) that has lead to myopic, singular-focused government & public health policy - that has:
Most have invoked Orwell when raging against draconian lockdowns & mask mandates.
It is easy to see the parallels:
Militaristic enforcement to ensure compliance, censorship, Newspeek, etc.
However, I think that we also need to consider Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World".
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Brave New World was published 17 prior to "1984" - yet has many parallels to our current culture - and to our government's overzealous, oppressive & unscientific response to CV-19.
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Beyond Huxley's brilliant portrayal of a dystopian future obsessed with sexual gratification, mindless pop-culture entertainment, & technological advancement...
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"The Prime Minister and the Canadian delegation traveling to the UK and Belgium will follow strict public health protocols and procedures during their visit, while in-transit, and when they arrive home." pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-r… @JustinTrudeau : #DoAsISay
1000's of variants have been waxing & waning in North America for MANY, MANY months.
This is normal & EXPECTED in error-prone RNA replication.
...BUT, BUT BUT!!! It is MUCH more academically fascinating than clinically significant.
Too bad the #OST hasn't figured that out!
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