Thread by @CPita3

Resist the fatalism.

An Omicron infection is NOT inevitable.

It has a weakness: it needs to travel on an air bridge.

We have the technology to break that air bridge, through filtering, cleaning and changing the air.

🧵 on some Omicron avoidance SUCCESS stories!

1/

1️⃣ Last Monday, my family was briefly exposed to a symptomatic person who had tested negative on a RAT. When I realized they were symptomatic, I asked them to leave as a precaution, and immediately refreshed the air via doors and windows open. They tested + the next day.

2/

For the next week, we wore respirators in the house to protect our 2 year old son, just in case we had become infected.

9 days later, nobody has tested positive.

Lesson: Isolate symptomatic people, regardless of RAT result. If exposed, purge the air as soon as possible.

3/

2️⃣ Two Fridays ago, my good friend met his family at his in laws for dinner. 10 minutes in, he received a call from work that there was a positive case at his job site. He immediately left.

4/

Despite not being anywhere near the index case, he donned a CAN99 respirator as a precaution and slept in the basement. He had been unmasked in his closed door office within the same work trailer, and thus could have been sharing air with the index case. Ventilation unknown.

5/

On Saturday evening, he developed symptoms, and tested + on Sunday. He upgraded his furnace filter to Filtrete 1900 (MERV13), isolated in the basement with windows cracked, bathroom exhaust fan on, and a HEPA filter. He wore a respirator when possible.

6/

His wife wore a respirator to protect their 15 month old, and ran a 2nd, borrowed HEPA filter upstairs with them. She regularly refreshed the air on the mainfloor by opening windows and doors.

10 days later, his wife and baby are still symptom free and negative.

7/

3️⃣ Unfortunately, there was one transmission event at the brief Friday night dinner, before the friend found out he was exposed. The friend's MIL developed a cough about 5 days later. This was especially concerning, because the friend's FIL is immunocompromised.

8/

The MIL tested negative on nasal RAT, but then tested positive on PCR shortly after. They didn't isolate on the first night of mild symptoms - but the next day instituted Airborne precautions (MERV13 filter, HEPA filter, respirators, isolated).

No transmission as of Day 6.

9/

Lessons: If you develop ANY symptoms, don a respirator and start isolating in the house, regardless of RAT test result.
Even if you didn't isolate in the first day of symptoms, it's not too late!

/10

Summary of what I've learned to prevent Omicron transmission:

☣ Isolate if ANY symptoms (scratchy throat, sore throat, light cough, etc)
☣ Don't trust a negative RAT in the first couple days of symptoms.
☣ Swab your THROAT as well as your nose

/11

If you are + or exposed to a + case (shared same air)

☣ Don a respirator to prevent onward transmission
☣ Buy/borrow a HEPA filter, or build a Corsi-Rosenthal Box
☣ Crack your windows and purge the house air regularly
☣ Upgrade furnace filter to MERV13

/12

At the beginning of this Christmas week, I was feeling pretty fatalistic and stressed.

At the end, I'm feeling hopeful. We successfully prevented any onward transmission as soon as we implemented Airborne precautions.

13/

Vaccinated people with Omicron tend to get symptoms early - and it doesn't necessarily transmit in those early days. Trust yourself and isolate - take the precautionary approach.

RATs are a vital tool, just don't trust a negative in the first couple days of symptoms.

14/

Some of these tools are not affordable for people.

The government needs to provide more supports to help people contain this virus.
@JustinTrudeau @cafreeland

➡️ Free RATs
➡️ Free Respirators
➡️ Discounts/tax credits for home Air Quality (MERV13, HEPA filters)

/end

Amending with a good summary guide on all of this, from the Canadian Aerosol Transmission Coalition.

I forgot to mention a key step:

☣ Turn your furnace fan from AUTO to ON, to keep air cycling through your MERV13 furnace filter at all times (not just when the heat comes on)