Thankfully, my brief foray into politics is over but someone needs to wade through the political gaslighting of today’s press conference.
I will try to focus on actual science and medicine.
Excuse the length of this 🧵but it could have been longer… 1/9
news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024H…
The severity of COVID infection was discussed only with respect to inpatient hospitalizations.
This is misleading and dangerous.
Outpatient testing has been eliminated.
No mention of the many serious systemic manifestations of COVID. The disease has changed since 2020. 2/9
Jan 11 • 11 tweets • 2 min read
Here's a summary of today’s BC respiratory season press conference.
Note: The first couple of sentences of each part of this thread are points summarized by health officials. I will then translate what that means.
Note: NTSH = nothing to see here. 1/11
news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024H…
“Hybrid immunity” confers protection to most of the citizens of BC, but hospitalizations are at record levels, largely as a result of respiratory illnesses. NTSH. 2/11
Oct 4, 2023 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
I completely support the mask requirement in healthcare settings BUT… I have some comments.
We need a different mindset.
“Masks are not required for patients, clients, and residents, unless ‘directed by a health care worker or based on personal choice.’”
This won't work unless it is universal. We know that already. HCWs should not be the mask police.
2/5
Sep 12, 2023 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
The job of Public Health is to properly inform the public.
I'll elaborate in this 🧵.
@adriandix and @shirleybond - Let's please put politics aside and meet. We can figure out a way to educate the public more effectively to keep everyone healthy. 1/9
cbc.ca/player/play/22…
COVID surges
These are “not unexpected” - People need to understand: (1) surges ARE preventable (2) how to prevent them
2/9
Aug 9, 2023 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
This is getting exhausting but the facts are important. B.C. is NOT “preparing” and has no "plans".
Another🧵: 1/5
vancouver.citynews.ca/2023/08/08/bc-…
“We’re not seeing a dramatic rise in cases…”: This would require actual testing for cases. We don’t test in BC. 2/5
Jul 13, 2023 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
This is indeed an excellent review of long COVID. I have read it, in its entirely, which I hope everyone you’ve tagged will also do but, in case not, the salient take home messages (“Coles notes”, for all those of my generation): 🧵1/7
The term “long COVID” can be applied to a myriad of post-COVID conditions in those with a history of probable SARS-CoV-2 infection, usually 3 months from the onset of COVID-19, with symptoms that last for at least 2 months and cannot be explained by an alternative diagnosis. 2/7
May 17, 2023 • 17 tweets • 2 min read
The misinformation from Public Health & the Health Authorities continues. The purpose of this 🧵 (again) is to provide some public education. Excuse the length – so much to debunk. 1/17
PODCAST: Dr. Reka Gustafson talks COVID in a one-on-one interview nanaimobulletin.com/news/podcast-d…
RSV & FLU season was “unusual” because children were deprived of being ill over the past few years. WRONG. Immunity debt (one must get sick to avoid illness) is a flawed theory. The viral season was awful & likely magnified by widespread COVID mediated immune dysregulation. 2/17
May 17, 2023 • 7 tweets • 1 min read
I did some easy math:
The BC MoH claims sending 4800 people to Bellingham WA for radiation therapy will cost $35M over 2 years. That’s about $7300/patient. 🧵 1/7
vancouverisawesome.com/economy-law-po…
Using Medicare reimbursement data, the cost of radiation therapy for breast and prostate cancer ranges between $8-17K (US) per person.
Let’s use the lowest number of $8K. 2/7
May 6, 2023 • 10 tweets • 2 min read
We must hold public health officials accountable. The level of misinformation in this interview is astounding. 🧵1/10
BC Today with Michelle Eliot - May 5, 2023: WHO downgrades COVID-19; Will you be watching the Royal Coronation? cbc.ca/listen/live-ra…
“High population immunity” – There is NO evidence that is true. Repeat COVID infections lead to MORE potential health issues, NOT less. 2/10
Apr 1, 2023 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
We have to educate people. These interviews fail in so many ways. I welcome a conversation with @cbcnewsbc@cbcradio, but failing that, here are a few points of clarification 🧵: 1/9
cbc.ca/listen/live-ra…
"Less severe illness." Severe illness from COVID can't be defined based on the initial acute respiratory presentation of COVID. SARS-CoV-2 is a systemic pathogen. 2/9
Mar 10, 2023 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
Today's PH and MoH briefing regarding the spring COVID vaccination campaign continued to fail to properly educate British Columbians about the science of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, how the virus spreads, and how best to protect ourselves.
A 🧵... 1/7 globalnews.ca/news/9542901/b…
The concept of “hybrid immunity” forms the basis of this current strategy. Hybrid immunity has largely been debunked. Promoting illness to promote wellness is a flawed way of thinking and demonstrates an ignorance regarding the ramifications of COVID infections. 2/7
Feb 5, 2023 • 6 tweets • 1 min read
At the risk of sounding repetitive, 5 points to follow: 🧵
cheknews.ca/b-c-doctor-sho…
The dismissal of testing de facto categorizes COVID as just another respiratory virus. We know that’s not true.
Jan 20, 2023 • 7 tweets • 3 min read
“Whistleblower protection” - really? No help if you can't speak. Over the past 12 years, I was regularly asked by the media to comment on healthcare issues. Administration consistently “instructed” me to stay quiet. The current public health crisis was a tipping point. A 🧵…
Emails redacted for privacy of third parties…
1st warning email: Clearly what bothered administration the most was my named affiliation with the hospital in which I worked.
Jan 14, 2023 • 12 tweets • 2 min read
If gov’t/PH will not institute the directives necessary to protect the population, and it is all on individuals to conduct their own “risk assessment”, then let’s at LEAST provide honest, accurate information needed to do this. Education.
A 🧵... 1/12
news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023H…
COVID is NOT a respiratory disease. It’s a vascular disease. Blood vessels feed every organ of the body. We need to focus on MUCH MORE than the acute presentation of COVID. 2/12
Jan 3, 2023 • 8 tweets • 2 min read
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.
Dec 15, 2022 • 15 tweets • 3 min read
The pandemic is novel. Placing blame for the many mistakes we’ve made isn’t helpful, but it's important for the health, safety, and well-being of our children to transparently acknowledge missteps and make proactive, not reactive, corrections. A 🧵... globalnews.ca/news/9349552/k…
What mistakes do we need to acknowledge?
First, there has been a refusal to admit the indisputable fact that COVID is airborne.
