Pandemic Commentary & Questions Edition #6 - Wsimg.com
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March 27, 2021
Pandemic Commentary & Questions
Edition #6
Crystal Mundy | PhD Student Isolation Day #379
Case & Test Update
Variants of Question: Since the last weekly
update, British Columbia has only
Friday, March 26th
6,245 active cases
Concern used 16,587 tests of their 2.6
million rapid test supply. Why are 908 new cases
294 in hospital
these tests not being used in
Friday, March 26th long-term care, acute care, and 81 in ICU (separate from
1,666 cases B.1.1.7 (U.K.) childcare/school settings, where above)
47 cases B.1.351 (South Africa) they have been proven to be 3 deaths (total: 1,449 losses)
199 cases of the P.1 (Brazil) useful in minimizing exposures 9,996 under monitoring
1,912 total variant cases and reducing what could be
potentially chronic health issues Of the 908 new cases in BC, it
On Wednesday, another 140 in adults and children? is unknown how many were
new variant cases were children, as BCCDC did not
detected. Out of the total Rapid Tests provide this information as
variant cases, 258 cases Deployed in BC: 338,032 they usually do on the
remain active. Shipped to BC: 2,654,426 dashboard. This is concerning.
Despite Public Health reporting
199 P.1 (Brazil) cases, a CTV
News article revealed that a
single team of researchers at
St. Paul’s hospital has identified
The 2021 BC Parent Survey was 2021 BC
developed by parents for parents
at least 215 of the P.1 variant
through their screening; this is a
from British Columbia. Our goal is
to gather current data regarding
PARENT
vast discrepancy from what
Public Health has reported.
your experience as a parent and
create a transparent open data
SURVEY
set. Aggregated data and the The multilingual survey is
On March 25th, 2021, Dr. descriptive information from the available in in Arabic,
Bonnie Henry stated, “The P.1 data, will be openly provided on
Traditional Chinese
we've been seeing primarily in the website
(Mandarin), English, French,
Vancouver Coastal, but we've www.bcparentinfo.com. Other
German, Korean, Punjabi,
also had a couple of clusters in clinicians, researchers, and
experts in British Columbia, and Spanish, and Tagalog.
Fraser Health and (a couple) in
beyond, will be able to access
the Interior.” This means we are Click here to see the survey.
and utilize the data to help us
seeing community transmission
further understand the impacts of
of this variant. COVID-19.Breaking
On March 26th, 2021, a CTV On March 26th, 2021, on the radio
News article identified that show BC Today, a B.C. doctor
deaths from Covid-19 among reported that his last three severe
Down the people under 40 in B.C. have
doubled since early February.
patients with Covid-19 in the ICU
were between the ages of 30-45.
Cases
Despite this, Public Health has When asked where these individuals
not widely acknowledged the thought they had contracted the
link between the variants and disease, the doctor noted that all
increasing cases about younger three people stated they were sure
people. This has been warned they contracted the virus through
about for months by other their children, who were attending
countries. Further, Ontario and school.
Quebec are now experiencing
healthcare system overloads Concern: Spring Break ends on
(without mass introduction of Monday. There is no plan to reduce
the P.1 variant of concern). community transmission.
Fraser Health: + 438 new cases ARISING VARIANTS
Interior Health: + 43 new cases
Northern Health: + 78 new cases A new variant within India has a
Vancouver Coastal Health: + 294 new cases double mutation.
Vancouver Island Health: + 55 new cases
Outside Canada: 0 new case On March 25th, 2021, researchers
found evidence of the so-called
1st dose (partial immunity): 463,390 people “California variants,” B.1.427 and
2nd dose (full immunity): 87,233 people B.1.429, in virus samples of
Population: ~5 million Western New Yorkers who tested
positive in January.
British Columbia has fully vaccinated 1.7% of their population.
Effective vaccine-based herd immunity with the variants of concern will The California variants are 20%
likely require 80 – 90% for community protection. more transmissible than the SARS-
CoV-2 strain. The treatments
developed for COVID-19 are
reported to have a reduced
REMAINING QUESTIONS effectiveness against this branch
of variants.
Concern: A study by UBC and SFU Question: Issues scheduling
showed that a single dose of the vaccines are still being A new coronavirus variant that may
vaccine produces a weaker antibody reported in places such as partially evade vaccine-triggered
response in long-term care residents Northern Health. How do BC immunity and was first spotted in
than it does in younger healthy citizens know that vaccine New York (B.1.526) is already in
adults. It seems incredibly risky and distribution will be effective Britain, health chiefs confirmed
irresponsible of public health to when there have already today. Scientists tracking the
open long-term care to unvaccinated been several issues and this constantly-evolving virus say three
visitors given this data has appeared is with the small segment of cases of the mutant strain have
in several jurisdictions prior to this the population? been picked up in the UK.
study.Media & Misinformation Important
Voices
Despite clear evidence from scientists, researchers, and The concerning rise of P.1
epidemiologists across the globe, some media within British Columbia variants within BC and the
have continued to follow the narrative of the Public Health Officer refusal of the Public Health
without critically engaging with most of the material. Despite many Office to react was
attempts by BC citizens to tell such media what the data are saying, highlighted by Dr. Eric Feigl-
using the BCCDC’s own data, they have continued to support the Ding on a recent CNN
notion that BC is somehow exceptional in its ability to manipulate broadcast. Dr. Feigl Ding
Covid-19 to its will. stated “I want to even point
out in British Columbia,
Canada. British Columbia,
It is time to begin to hold the media accountable for the spreading of Canada, you’d think furthest
misinformation. If they are supporting statements made by the Public place there is from Brazil. It
Health Office without evidence, tell them that and provide the has one of the outbreaks and
evidence. However, we are now in a critical time. If there are media pockets of P.1. There is more
members that are actively engaging in misinformation spread, they P.1 per day in BC Canada
need to be reported to the CRTC. than all of the US combined
cumulatively. And that’s just
really scary. This P.1 variant
Clause 5 (News), Subsection (1), of the Canadian Association of that’s highly contagious is
Broadcasters’ Code of Ethics (2002) states that, “(1) It shall be the already in parts of the world.
responsibility of broadcasters to ensure that news shall be And we have to wake up to
represented with accuracy and without bias. Broadcasters shall satisfy this and stop it. And send aid
themselves that the arrangements made for obtaining news ensure to Brazil now.”
this result. They shall also ensure that news broadcasts are not
editorial.” Dr. David Fisman, a noted
Canadian epidemiologist from
Toronto, has stated: “I think
As a reminder to all BC citizens, complaints regarding biases of media probably the most important
members can be sent to the following organization. According to the thing I could say from Toronto
website, if you have been unable to resolve a complaint directly with is… masks in little kids in
your broadcaster, contact The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council: schools have not been a big
http://cbsc.ca. If you see something unscientific, say something. We deal at all. They were very
are all part of the battle of misinformation in this pandemic. This does contentious, and a lot of
not have to be anything other than asking someone to cite their public health units did not
sources if they have a large audience; as a community we must act want to do them. In the end,
we have all wound up
together and keep our population informed with data-driven and
masked. It has undoubtedly
research-based information. helped keep schools safer
and it has been a non-issue.
CRTC Contact Info The kids do not even notice
Fax: 613-233-4826 them, and I think the little
Telephone: 613-233-4607 boys love wearing masks with
Toll-free: 1-866-696-4718 fangs.”Return to School! Mask Mandate
in Schools
As we all know, the return to school from Spring Break is Monday,
March 29th, 2021. As of the time of writing this newsletter, there has Please read the online article
been no mask mandate created within British Columbia. This is the on www.MedicineMatters.ca
minimal level of protection that teachers, educators, staff should be that I published with regard to
afforded. We are seeing record levels of cases once again across the mask mandates within
province, and many individuals expressed travelling and visiting with schools.
other families during the period of Spring Break.
As noted in the article, given
the research support for the
This may set British Columbia up for a potential disaster. We have seen use of masks to reduce
in many other countries, that school-children and parents are COVID-19 transmission in
increasingly becoming infected with the new variants of concern. This schools, it remains unclear
is also occurring within British Columbia, despite Dr. Bonnie Henry’s why those tasked to protect
clear goal to refuse outwardly acknowledging this. children and ensure equity
among districts would not
engage in obvious steps to
Dr. Bonnie Henry revealed at the press conference on Thursday, March
mitigate risks to children and
25th, 2021, that the P.1 variant has spread in at least three areas: their families in our school
Vancouver Coastal Health, Interior Health, and Fraser Health. There is communities.
still limited to no information provided on where these cases are, or
who is primarily being infected and exposed. Multiple statements have
been made regarding mask
I will share one story from a teacher I spoke to over Spring Break. This wearing potentially impairing
teacher reached out to me and told me that they have tested positive students’ mental health and
wellness. These statements
for Covid-19; they also are certain they were infected at school given
are incorrect, and without
their lifestyle. Despite this, they were repeatedly told by the contact substance, in my opinion.
tracers that they must not have been infected at school, and it must Where is the proof that
have taken place elsewhere. The exposure was dated to the weekend, masks compromise mental
and the school was not informed. health and wellness? In
countries around the world,
I share this because we truly do not understand the situation regarding children wear masks for long
the variants in BC right now, nor how impacted schools currently are. periods during influenza
season.
Given this, we will likely not receive more information if the variants
begin to impact the school. Please stay safe, keep your kids home on
Monday if you can wait and see how high the cases are in your area
while we discover where the variant clusters are.Final
Thoughts
Graph by David Walsh.
We Need Change Now!
Citizens in British Columbia have been left in an untenable position.
With Spring Break ending, record-breaking case numbers, rising
community transmission of the P.1 (Brazil) variant, and the re-opening
of several activities, it is unclear how safe it is in British Columbia right
now, as the data are incomplete. Public Health did not call a press
conference despite the horrendous position we find our province in CALL TO ACTION
within the Covid-19 pandemic. Please stay home if you can in the next
two weeks while the pandemic shifts into the third wave. We know not 1. BC COVID Tracker Facebook is
everyone can. We see you. We care. Be safe. now tracking data related to
Covid-19 transmission within
school settings. Please contact
and report if you have had
such an experience. Accurate
data is so important for future
pandemic decision making!
2. Complete the parent survey
and send along to 5 other
parents or teachers. This will
greatly help our exposure and
we want to hear as many
voices as possible before the
survey concludes at the end of
April.
3. Teachers are starting to be
vaccinated. Despite this good
news, it is well-known that the
vaccinations take 2 – 3 weeks
for peak effectiveness. This
means that teachers and other
educators will not be
The above graph by Jens von Bergmann (Mountain Math), shows the maximally protected upon
trajectory British Columbia is on. This is updated to Thursday, as return. Please have your child
BCCDC did not provide an update on Friday, March 26th, 2021. always wear a mask in the
classroom upon return.You can also read
