Thread by @SKGandhiMD

Why haven’t we learned?
1. It’s not just about an acute illness anymore. COVID is a systemic disease.
2. It’s not “mild”.
3. COVID DOES hurt children.
4. Selective testing of a single nation accomplishes nothing.
5. Be proactive NOT reactive.
🧵..

globalnews.ca/video/9383276/…

1. Viral ACE2 receptors are everywhere. XBB.1.5 is more contagious, binds cells with more proficiency, and is more vaccine evasive. Even if the acute phase of illness is mild, the numbers infected, like Omicron, may be huge. Long term consequences could be dire.

2. No, it’s not about case numbers, which are a black box without testing. But, even if you define “severe disease” as death, there were more deaths in BC and in Canada in 2022 from COVID than in the 2 preceding years, despite gross undercounting.

3A. COVID hurts kids. Sure, maybe the acute illness is less severe but immune damage results in other severe infections AND the potential long-term damage from repeated COVID infections will harm children.

3B. PICUs across the nation, including in BC, are overrun. Many kids are on life support. We cannot ignore these children, even if the BCCDC reports are silent.

4. Travel testing or restrictions make NO sense. XBB.1.5 is everywhere. It’s the dominant variant in the US. If the issue re: China is lack of transparency, BC should NOT be preaching. If the purpose is to mitigate against disease spread, no science proves that approach works.

5A. Why not “let 'er rip”? Allowing people to become ill to prevent subsequent sickness is not a concept that makes any sense, especially with a virus that weakens the immune response.

5B. Instead:
1. Learn from the past 3 years.
2. Monitor air quality and clean the air, esp. in schools.
3. Kill the “nothing to see here” narrative.
4. Protect the public with accurate & honest info, knowledge, and public health directives, including an indoor mask mandate.