I think that the content expertise of immunologists & epidemiologists is unique/beneficial in this discussion. My contention was that a lay editor is not able to challenge, refine & even improve upon the hypothesis the way experts can & should.

https://twitter.com/LeylaDAsadi/status/1604144614335975424

There have certainly been peer-reviewed articles predicting & discussing a resurgence of endemic viruses after removal of NPIs. NPIs were v. effective. And it wasn’t just the mandated ones. Even without mandates, many individuals substantially reduced their contacts.

I've been thinking of mistakes we could have avoided by saying #COVIDisAirborne earlier:

1. Masking. Hard to argue that an airborne pathogen doesn't require a mask & importantly, that it doesn't require an N95 for optimal protection.

https://twitter.com/erictopol/status/1511788356828467200

2. Portable air filters.
Schools would not have prohibited them. They would be in every restaurant, gym, place of worship, etc. No shortage of hand sanitizer. HEPA filters would have been sold out instead.

Children's respirators (N95, KN95, KF94, FFP2) are available, comfortable (MORE comfortable than cloth) & provide better protection than medical masks or cloths masks.

Here are some links to where they can be purchased:
-canadamasq.com/product-page/c…
-shop.vitacore.ca/products/child… -supplyandprotect.ca/collections/pp…
kollecteusa.com/collections/kf…영문-블랙
-goodmannermasks.com/collections/ki…

In Feb. 2020, I was talking to an acquaintance about how this new virus would result in a pandemic necessitating lockdowns.

My acquaintance asked: "why aren't you panicking?"

I responded, "Because the people in charge know what they're doing. I don't have to worry."
1/ As you can imagine, the past 2 years have dramatically eroded my trust.

Missteps included belated travel restrictions (when they may have still been useful), dismissal of the benefits of masking & rapid tests, to the outright denial of airborne transmission.
2/

I wish we had clear plans for how we intend to manage borders in response to new VOCs before we're faced with the new variant.

These are discussions on values and logistics and (the available) science that should be had during calmer times.

https://twitter.com/AdamJKucharski/status/1464173098446606387

It's hard to see how selective travels bans will be beneficial at this point. They may slow the spread somewhat--at the risk of disincentivizing data sharing & punishing countries when they should be rewarded for transparency. Not to mention our propensity to squander extra time!

My friend just tried to use her N95 when she had to go to the ER. She agreed to put a surgical mask on top & even had an unopened box of N95s she was willing to open in front of the nursing staff.
1/ She was given a hard time by staff who said it was unnecessary and that her insistence was disrespectful. They said surgical masks are perfectly adequate. This hospital, like all others in Edmonton, has units with COVID outbreaks.
2/

It didn't have to be this way. Our government & public health officials didn't need to gamble like this.
The choice isn't between going back to lockdowns or stopping all public health interventions for a novel pathogen against which only 64% of the pop. is immunized. We live in Canada. If we don't have enough resources (and man power) to manage a once in a century public health emergency, where do they have the resources?

This is certainly concerning but I think it's important not to draw conclusions on vaccine effectiveness against delta variant based on this!

First, we have no details on second dose timing or symptoms of the fully vaccinated.

https://twitter.com/globeandmail/status/1403293318419681280

Second, we know the virus is characterized by super spreading events and is highly overdispersed (so 80-90% caused by just 10-20% of people). So cases will be clustered & I suspect it follows that breakthrough infections will also be clustered.