Thread by @rant_rn

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.

1/...

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,

2/...

- 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:

- undermined democracy,

3/...

- undermined ALL health care by stubbornly refusing to change gears once we learned (QUITE early on!) who was most at risk - and essentially shutting down our entire system - instead of instituting focused protection in LTC-type settings,

4/...

- undermined cancer diagnosis, treatment & prognosis - by halting surgeries, diagnostic imaging, clinics, cancer screenings, & moving both primary care & specialty care to a virtual model,

5/...

- undermined the social development of children - by shutdowns, closed schools, stay-at-home orders, & social isolation that has caused them to miss VITAL social-development milestones - that are NOT just made up - but will lead to LONG-TERM mental-health issues,...

6/...

lack of social confidence, lower education, higher drop-out rates, abuse, criminal behaviour, suicides, etc.

- undermined family stability due to job loss, family stress as MANY children are not learning nor coping with virtual learning, family bankruptcy, abuse, etc.,

7/...

- disadvantaged lower income individuals/families whose finances & living situations might not be conducive to working/learning at home & on-line purchasing - due to lack of internet, poor internet/bandwidth, insufficient devices, no private space, & no credit cards,

8/...

- undermined our economy by shutting down 100s of 1000s of small businesses (MANY permanently) through shutdowns, lockdowns, supply chain disruption, bankruptcy, & the governments' (seemingly random) determination of what in our society AND OUR LIVES is "non-essential".

9/...

3) The governments' abysmal failure to recognize that the majority of resources AND restrictions should be placed where the highest risk individuals are, is utterly mind-blowing.

10/...

We had evidence-based, well-researched, well-tested, & well refined pandemic & emergency preparedness plans federally & provincially throughout this country - that ALL recommended:

- focused protection on highest risk segment of society (once determined),

11/...

- continuing to focus on the TOTAL health of society...NOT just a singular focus on one disease,

- a STONG emphasis on mitigating the impact on the rest of society, health care, the economy, & all individuals not directly impacted by (or high risk from) the disease,

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- the long-standing practice (as with most other reportable infectious diseases) that a "Case" is someone who is "SICK" (aka symptomatic). In diagnostic medicine - without clinical correlation...a "positive" test result is only as good as the paper it is written on.

13/...

All of this time-tested, collaborative, multi-disciplinary planning was thrown out the window when SARS-CoV-2 reared its ugly head.

Fear is blinding, and fear is contagious - and there was a clear bandwagon-effect & incredible pressure among governments and leaders...

14/...

...and no one wanted to be the one standing on their own if the doomsday, apocalyptic predictions came true - despite early & clear evidence that they would not.

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The fear created by our governments & perpetuated by the media - that focused on daily "case counts" - as well as "Hospitalizations", "ICU Admissions" & "Deaths" that ALSO only required a "positive" test result....

...THAT is why we are feeling worn down & betrayed!!!

16/...

4) The utter arrogance of @fordnation & @JustinTrudeau as they legislated exemptions to restrictions for the #NHL - & not only allowed exemptions, but attended protests, marches & vigils that they support (while condemning those they don't)...tells us that they either:

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- think that they are endowed with magical abilities that can lower both transmission & risk at events they deem to be noble, OR...

- they realize that relative risk to the general public is low - especially this far in when the virus is clearly both #endemic & #seasonal

18/...

To add insult to injury...despite assurance on the PMO website that the Prime Minister would strictly adhere to COVID-19 precautions, they fact that he:

- attends INDOOR meetings with no mask,

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- attends crowed cocktail parties on a patio with elderly members of the Royal Family sans mask, AND...

- prances around & poses shoulder-to-shoulder with super models...sans mask...

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...THIS...tells us that he in NO way considers there to be any relative risk. Meanwhile, he and Doug Ford continue to flog us with fear & guilt about "doing your part" - while they continue to strip us our hope & anything we have left to enjoy in life.

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5) The charade is up!

The number of "cases" (aka people who happen to have a "positive" test result) is falling rapidly.

Clearly, @JustinTrudeau, @fordnation, or @cafreeland can NOT argue that limits on our freedoms are "justifiable and reasonable",...

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...NOR applied in "good faith" - if they do NOT adhere to those same limitations themselves.

This virus is #endemic & has become part of the #seasonal mix.

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The raw data on "Cases", "Hospitalizations", "ICU" & "Deaths" has been completely corrupted by an unprecedented faulty inclusion criteria (aka case definition) - yet is being used to continue to apply unwarranted limits on our freedoms, our rights, & our joy of living.

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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.

25/...

#Canada generally, and #Ontario specifically, are the MOST restrictive & locked-down jurisdictions in North America currently AND over time.

We are very quickly going to be left behind in the dust due to @JustinTrudeau's & @fordnation's incompetence, arrogance & pride.

26/...

Living is more than just existing - yet that is all they are allowing us to do.

It is time that we take back our lives and start existing again!

#OpenUp - FULLY & COMPLETELY.

#NoRestrictions

#NoMasks.

#NoNewNormal

#NewNormalisAbnormal

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[***Please consider sharing this with your elected officials (federal, provincial, & municipal), your local public health unit, & your local media. We need to end this madness NOW!]

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END.

@OnCall4ON @BKarahalios @Roman_Baber @randyhillier @NewBlueON @JCCFCanada @LDBildy @LitigationGuy @CDNConstFound @rpoconnor @DavidAnber @ryan_p_alford @cvangeyn @jobearon @anthonyfurey @joe_warmington @TrueNorthCentre @TPostMillennial @NatTelegraph @BLNewsMedia @alexbrown17 FYI.

@threadreaderapp please unroll

Also posted on The RN Rant FB page: facebook.com/TheRNRant/

...and:

...and #NoVaccinePassports !