Thread by @jheighton3

1/ Thoughts on the emergency #bced COVID-19 briefing, called by #DrBonnieHenry & @JM_Whiteside on Oct. 1, 2021, after 3 major districts mandated masks for K-Gr. 3…

…A thread. 🧵

2/ First, K-12 masks were mandated for #bced.

So, *now* #DrHenry & @JM_Whiteside say “we need to keep younger children from getting infected until they are vaccinated”?!

You are only realizing this NOW? With #delta dominant?

Parents & teachers knew, even before this chart. ⬇️

3/ Ventilation still not addressed.
Despite:
- crowded classes (no distancing)
- lunch indoors (no masks)
- transmissible #delta
- K-Gr.6 unvaxxed
- 2-dose breakthroughs

Will it be another month or 2 of 📈 before action?

Reminder: Ont doing better; spent 2x BC & has HEPA!🧵⬇️

https://twitter.com/jheighton3/status/1433788286921699329

4/ Note: #DrBonnieHenry still refuses to admit that #COVIDisAirborne, a failing that has been called out by multiple experts, including @jljcolorado @DFisman @kprather88.

It hamstrings @CDCofBC’s approach
because proper masking & ventilation aren’t addressed. Leading to 📈.

https://twitter.com/jheighton3/status/1440887257066459137

5/ Continuing with #DropletDogma, long abandoned by many other jurisdictions as airborne proof piles up, affects contact tracing protocols as well.

Problematic as #bced is told that “you will be notified if you are a close contact of a case”. But what if few people qualify?

https://twitter.com/arichardson_phi/status/1442218620361183240

6/ When asked about “selective” posting of #bced notifications on health authority websites, DBH said, “PH will be posting when there is a risk in the school”. Therein lies the problem. PH is deciding if there’s *risk* or not. But based on pre-delta, #droplet criteria.👎

See ⬇️

https://twitter.com/InspiredAquaCA/status/1443624831006642179

7/ And that doesn’t even address the testing, data collecting & reporting issues lately. So many that I had to make a separate thread ⬇️.

How can anyone trust @CDCofBC now? And @CDCofBC, it’s YOUR FAULT that we can’t trust you due to 🧵⬇️.

BC’s numbers are a lie.

https://twitter.com/jheighton3/status/1444089272684859392

8/ On parents relying on @BCschoolCovid instead of @CDCofBC, DBH pleaded, “We need to work together on this. It’s not us vs them, it’s about making sure we all have the information we need.”

Considering the facts in 🧵⬆️, info is manipulated & chosen to suit her narrative. 👎

9/ What about rapid tests? DBH said that they are not widely available here, conveniently ignoring that over 2 million were given to BC by the Federal gov’t *for free* & are sitting in a warehouse, unused.

Why not use these in classes w/ a positive case? Every 2 days for 2 wks?

https://twitter.com/crystalmundypsy/status/1444113706409857029

10/ DBH makes it sound like rapid tests are “not widely available”, yet they have been here for a year.

Nova Scotia has been using them since last November. Read about their program & it’s successes in this article:

google.ca/amp/s/national…

11/ Rapid tests (or Lateral Flow tests) were provided to every province by the Feds. Some have used them, some not so much. Guess where BC is in comparison? Yes, among the worst (of the #Covid6 provinces).

“Not widely available”? Hah!

NS epidemiologist reports:

https://twitter.com/wilsonkm2/status/1442598122945859587

12/ Q: You call this the “pandemic of the unvaccinated”. Aren’t most elem kids in that category?

DBH response: The best way to keep them safe is for everyone 12 & up to GET VACCINATED.

#bced: When 20 unvaxxed 8-yr olds are in a rm together, indoors, how does that help? Logic?🙄

13/ And let’s not forget about @JM_Whiteside. All she had were platitudes, like “In-person learning is absolutely essential”. “Our top priority is the safety of students, teachers & staff.”

#bced: If so, why won’t you invest in ventilation, better masks & remote options??

14/ More @JM_Whiteside useless platitudes:
“We developed health & safety guidelines that reflect the current situation with the #COVID19 pandemic.”

#bced: Ummm, no, you forgot that #COVIDisAirborne, kids catch & transmit, kids are unvaxxed, buildings are old & delta is a beast!

15/ @JM_Whiteside: “We maintained many of the measures that were in place last year.”

#bced: ???

@JM_Whiteside “There will be regular updates on the HA websites.”

#bced: So far, @BCschoolCovid is WAY WAY more accurate, and that’s just from parents that know to send in!

16/ Conclusion:
Both #DrBonnieHenry and @JM_Whiteside still don’t get it.

While a K-12 mask mandate is very welcome in #bced, & we are happy it’s *finally* here, it’s not enough. And it should’ve been in place right away.

#Delta is rejoicing.

Will you need 📈to do more? Shame.

Add on:
Listen to U of Ottawa epidemiologist @deonandan as he explains how 🇨🇦 should use rapid tests as a “tool to keep society open”. 1st 10 min⬇️.

@JM_Whiteside Since you want #bced schools to stay open, you should be *demanding* these from #DrHenry. She has 2 million of them!

https://twitter.com/lidsville/status/1444352522320179207