Here’s a phrase we need to start familiarizing ourselves with (again, for those of us around long enough): community viral load. There are times when it matters how much asymptomatic virus is around even if not causing disease.
Community viral load refers to the overall level of virus in a community, regardless (and perhaps especially if it doesn’t cause) symptoms. It’s Impt when there are discrete groups of susceptible individuals ESPECIALLY with no symptom infections. Gets away from each case.
Why know the term? Because we have a cohorted group of unvaccinated individuals, there are vulnerable vaccinated, and this particular virus is aggressive clinically and transmission wise. That is to say….
There’s a group of susceptible people out there. When community viral load goes up (esp with few or no symptoms in those who are vaccinated) and virus starts transmitting in open society, eventually the susceptible will get infected. And a portion will get sick or very sick.
If enough are infected, the proportional # of vaccinated people getting infected AND sick (though a minority) will increase. This happened in other countries.
So: to keep community viral load low, at times of viral flux (like the beginning or early stage of wave 4), vaxx first, but also mask mandates inside, lg numbers of self-tests for asymptomatic people regardless of vax status, and continued innovative access to vaccine is required
Or…..other Canadian provinces currently doing ‘okay’ will look around in 4 weeks and wonder why we are in the same situation as some other provinces.
We need to stop dithering, stop pretending any province is near endemic, stop finding control based excuses not to make testing available and….
Policy can do it’s part on masks and tests and borders. Individually, we can stop complaining until kids are vaxxed and: Wear. The. Darn. Mask. Strongly consider getting vaccinated (great personal health choice) and…get testing out there NOW. #communityviralload - keep it low.
The rest of the world and parts of our country are still in the throes of a pandemic and wave 4. How can we not do easy things to keep this wave low? We can’t leave our vaccines to fight alone. Masks and testing broadly and early are imperative to stay open and be a success.
No excuses. Not for big places or little places. Just do it. We are not endemic stage yet, wave 4 is brutal (my heart to AB and SK), and things need to happen fast - which means let community take the lead for testing and mandate the masks.
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