Covid questions

[Floyd]

In MB there has been some very valid criticism of the leadership through this pandemic.  In the first wave we had terrible spread in our seniors homes.  One company, much reported, had two facilities that were disaster zones yet a third home they operated did not have one case in staff or residents.  Management does seem to make a difference.

In the second wave the restrictions were put in place when it was too late and we were left reacting after the fact.  The province ignored the public letter advice of hundreds of doctors who had spoken out earlier for action.  (One of the critics was the MD daughter of our own Ray Bryski!)

When the vaccine arrived the province spent a lot of energy blaming the federal government for not delivering enough supply.  At the same time they bragged of being capable of delivering 20,000 doses per day all the while vaccinating about 3,000 to 4,000 per day with a stock of one half the delivered doses, ie 80,000 to 100,000 in stock.  As an aside, we had about six main 'super sites' while SK had over a hundred distribution centres.

When the third wave hit we were told we would not end up with the disaster that occurred in ON because we were prepared and would act in time.  We had learned from the second wave!  Once again we followed the procedures from the second wave.  We ignored the advice of the doctors when they published a second letter and have become a third world enclave in North America.  This week Winnipeg accounted for 10% of the cases in Canada; we represent less than 2% of the population.

Throughout the second and third wave the premier has continued to blame the citizens for not following guidelines.

Sending you this message from the heart of hot zone....

[Specs]

4 hours ago, Floyd said:

Throughout the second and third wave the premier has continued to blame the citizens for not following guidelines

Somebody in Ontario had a nice way of putting things: 

"We are not all in the same boat"  Some of us are in the 100 ft motor yacht and the rest of us are in the dory"

Edited June 5, 2021 by Specs

[Floyd]

Well put Specs!  The whole tone of the leadership would make a very interesting CRM lesson.  We listen often to Dr. Bonny Henry or to the Dr. in Nova Scotia and to their premiers and generally the tone is much more respectful of the citizens and therefore earns the trust from the people in the process and the message.

It reminds me of the child in front of the parent or authority blaming everyone around him when he is holding the bat and the baseball has gone through the window.

[UpperDeck]

Travelling NB on I-95 and am amazed at two things....the volume of traffic ( bumper to bumper) and hotel prices ( significantly higher).

Many hotels with no availability.

I departed Florida which is in all respects " business as usual"; Epidemic? What epidemic?

As a general comment, from the perspective of some, any and every sacrifice is justified if it saves one life.

Others argue that the vulnerable members of society can be protected without imposing restrictions on everyone.

And, there are many who believe they are entitled to voluntarily assume the risk of engaging in normal activities which is less objectionable if the cost of fruition of the risk is not shared by all.

Rhetorically....consider to what extent IF ANY we are enhancing the risk of the majority by protecting the few. A strong and effective immune system is a genetically desirable trait. Bats are widely regarded as phenomenal because of their resistance to viruses and other pathogens.

That is an acquired genetic defense which necessarily required losses.

Are we, humanity, hastening our day of reckoning by weakening rather than strengthening our gene pool?

Assuming I will be attacked for having the temerity to suggest even thinking about this let me acknowledge that I wouldn't be around but for medical science.

 

However, I repaid society; no progeny!!

 

 

[Guest1]

38 minutes ago, UpperDeck said:

Travelling NB on I-95 and am amazed at two things....the volume of traffic ( bumper to bumper) and hotel prices ( significantly higher).

Many hotels with no availability.

I departed Florida which is in all respects " business as usual"; Epidemic? What epidemic?

As a general comment, from the perspective of some, any and every sacrifice is justified if it saves one life.

Others argue that the vulnerable members of society can be protected without imposing restrictions on everyone.

And, there are many who believe they are entitled to voluntarily assume the risk of engaging in normal activities which is less objectionable if the cost of fruition of the risk is not shared by all.

Rhetorically....consider to what extent IF ANY we are enhancing the risk of the majority by protecting the few.

Are we, humanity, hastening our day of reckoning by weakening rather than strengthening our gene pool?

 

 

RE vulnerable member of society, massive rally in Montreal by the no mask crowd.  You talk about vulnerable members of society and perhaps weakening our gene pool.  Based on the following you might want to reconsider who you classify as vulnerable. If you mean only those who might die, then you case could be valid.  However the number of young people contracting the virus is quite large and of course they could well need medical treatment thus further overloading the hospitals.

We have detailed case report data from 1,385,439 cases. We know the age of patients in 100.00% of cases, and both age and gender in 99.64% of cases. Of the cases reported in Canada so far, 50.3% were female and 35.6% were between 20 and 39 years old 

 

 Epidemiological-summary-of-COVID-19-cases-in-Canada-Canada.ca.pdf

REGIONAL BREAKDOWN

Montreal once again saw the highest daily increase in new COVID-19 cases, with 89 new infections recorded. Other regions with the most cases include Montérégie (37 new), Chaudière-Appalaches (34 new) and Saguenay – Lac-Saint-Jean (21 new). All other regions recorded 20 or fewer new cases.

Montreal added three new deaths, while Montérégie added one new death.

Demographics We

 

[Tango Foxtrot]

I have become so tired of the "Flu Clucks Clan " that I have  been saying to them,  " I hope someone you know gets it and dies "

 Harsh,  but really. 

[deicer]

[Kip Powick]

Got my second shot moved up from 22 July to June 14.......Received a TEXT confirming 14 June 

Tow hours later got a TEXT saying my appointment was cancelled

Called the 800 number to ask why

Two hours of "Thank you for your call and we appreciate your patience etc.etc,"

Finally got an agent...asked what was going on...Unfortunately her command of the English language was on par with my fluency in Hebrew.

Finally got it sorted out..."They" had cancelled my 22 July Appointment after I got 14 June....sure would have been nice if that info was in the TEXT about the cancellation. Just "your next appointment has been cancelled. Do not reply to this TEXT"..... Lady said it was a mistake and I am confirmed for  14 June.......Yay

[Specs]

I just walked into my local Shoppers at 6 pm to ask about 2nd AZ shots.  (1st shot was mar 13). They set me up for This Wednesday at 7:00 pm.

 

[GDR]

OK things have reversed now in comparing Texas which has been wide open since Mar 2 and BC which has been very restricted during this time.
When I first posted on May 26 Texas was at 60.1 cases per 100,000 and BC was at 71.6. They have both continued to go down but BC is coming down more quickly. At the time of posting BC is now at 34.7 and Texas at 47.8 It is interesting to note though that even though Texas has been fully open for over 3 months they are still experiencing a steady improvement.

[deicer]

https://www.680news.com/2021/06/08/poll-support-growing-for-canadas-covid-19-vaccine-rollout/

Canada is among the world leaders for first dose vaccinations and a new poll is showing more support for the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

Nearly half of respondents to the Nanos Research Poll for the Globe and Mail say Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government was doing a very good job in the vaccine rollout, up significantly from January when just 31 per cent said the same.

At the provincial level, the Ford government is not faring so well in public opinion.

The Globe and Mail reports Ontario got the lowest score for its vaccine rollout, with an average rating from respondents at 4.7 out of 10.

The poll also showed just 36 per cent of respondents would be comfortable or somewhat comfortable with people returning to large sporting events and concerts this if many people are not fully vaccinated.

[AIP]

14 hours ago, Specs said:

I just walked into my local Shoppers at 6 pm to ask about 2nd AZ shots.  (1st shot was mar 13). They set me up for This Wednesday at 7:00 pm.

 

Where are you located ??

[Specs]

1 hour ago, AIP said:

Where are you located ??

Toronto - Rouge Park area

I knew the 12 week waiting period was about to end last Saturday but Shoppers never phoned as they said they would.  I even checked with them in person last week and they were still spouting the same line.  Figuring I needed to do something I wasn't looking forward to chasing all over the city for a clinic or waiting on the hold or for some website to work so I just walked into the Shoppers I had the first shot at.  They said no problem What's your name? Does 7:00 pm work? Do you prefer Coffee or Tea with your biscuit while you wait?

 

(I might have imagined that last part?)

 

Edited June 8, 2021 by Specs

[AIP]

9 hours ago, Specs said:

Toronto - Rouge Park area

I knew the 12 week waiting period was about to end last Saturday but Shoppers never phoned as they said they would.  I even checked with them in person last week and they were still spouting the same line.  Figuring I needed to do something I wasn't looking forward to chasing all over the city for a clinic or waiting on the hold or for some website to work so I just walked into the Shoppers I had the first shot at.  They said no problem What's your name? Does 7:00 pm work? Do you prefer Coffee or Tea with your biscuit while you wait?

 

(I might have imagined that last part?)

 

Thanks   no news about 2nd AZ shots as of yet here in Alberta.

[J.O.]

BC started administering 2nd doses of AZ for my age range yesterday. The MRNA vaccines will be available in a couple of weeks.

[thinair]

According to my well read neighbor, everyone who got the vaccine will be dead within 2 years. 

In true Canadian fashion, I was too polite to tell her she just read me a death sentence! lol

So you heard it here first. 1 year 10 months to go.

[AIP]

2 hours ago, thinair said:

According to my well read neighbor, everyone who got the vaccine will be dead within 2 years. 

In true Canadian fashion, I was too polite to tell her she just read me a death sentence! lol

So you heard it here first. 1 year 10 months to go.

Did you mention you now walk around with a tin-foil hat on, to preclude "them" tracking you ???

 

LOL

[GDR]

Florida had no covid restrictions since May 3 and is now at zero cases.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/florida-governor-lifts-all-covid-19-restrictions-1.5412886

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/covid-19-in-the-u-s-how-do-canada-s-provinces-rank-against-american-states-1.5051033

[47north]

46 minutes ago, GDR said:

Florida had no covid restrictions since May 3 and is now at zero cases.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/florida-governor-lifts-all-covid-19-restrictions-1.5412886

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/covid-19-in-the-u-s-how-do-canada-s-provinces-rank-against-american-states-1.5051033

Yeah not quite a zero yet:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-covid-19/map/florida

I guess the current strategy is to ignore it and hope it goes away:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/04/world/florida-covid-19-cases-vaccine.html

 

 

 

[Guest1]

[Turbofan]

On 6/3/2021 at 9:02 PM, Rich Pulman said:

Or perhaps that so many people living in Texas have already had the virus that there’s a degree of “herd immunity” that’s only amplified by the number of people vaccinated.

I think in general you nailed it for every jurisdiction.  How much spread has any particular area had?  We have no idea.  There are so many variables.  Location is a big one. Where you near a hot spot.  Population density.  Lockdown response and severity.  A year into this Manitoba is not anything like New York or Texas.

Lockdown is to slow or stop the spread.  It’s a delay tactic.  Performed well, with a successful vaccine roll out, it will hopefully minimized severe outcomes.  The problem is you are kind of like dry kindling waiting for a match, while waiting for that vaccine immunity.  It’s a slower approach.  There may be more waves of the virus until herd immunity takes hold. On an Island like New Zealand or Australia it has work well.

Less lockdown means faster spread.  Sooner heard immunity as a result of natural vaccination.  The problem is this approach is kind of like taking the match to dry kindling yourself.  A rapid large spike in sever outcomes. But is faster.  

Sweden for instance only had two waves and reached immunity fast but had over 14,000 deaths for a population of 10million. Finland, Norway and Denmark using lockdowns, has had a much slower time reaching immunity but had deaths at 967, 790, 2500 respectfully with populations in the mid 5million range.

I think the post Mortem will be pretty clear.  Lockdown waiting for vaccine immunity saved lives. It’s slower, the US is open and we are not, but it saves lives

[GDR]

3 hours ago, 47north said:

Yeah not quite a zero yet:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-covid-19/map/florida

I guess the current strategy is to ignore it and hope it goes away:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/04/world/florida-covid-19-cases-vaccine.html

 

 

 

When I looked at Florida on the CTV site it had Florida at zero. Now it's well above that so it beats me. It does seem though that the states that are wide open aren't fairing that much worse than other locations. Other than the Yukon Manitoba shows as the highest. I have to assume that the Yukon with its small population has had an outbreak at some specific site but that's just speculation.

[Turbofan]

At a certain point we all have to transition from lockdown to living with Covid. Transition to dealing with it like every other risk in our lives. Ethically you want everyone to have had an opportunity to have both doses first.

 

But at a certain point people who choose not to vaccinate, can not have the world in lockdown forever.

Like smoking.  Warn them.  Give them free programs to quit.  But if they don't want to?  They have to live with it.

The US thinks along these lines more strongly than Canada.

In the fall there will be a small forth wave of those unvaccinated.  Nothing will shut down.  You can't.  If you shut down for a wave of unvaccinated you will never reopen.  There will be stories of Joe down the street who didn't vaccinate.  The reality of transitioning to risk management will push more to vaccinate when they ask themselves" am I managing this risk appropriately"?

In the mean time the Joe's of this world will be a shame.

I hope people are taking seriously the choice not to vaccinate and have weighed the risk.

 

 

[Don Hudson]

17 hours ago, Turbofan said:

I hope people are taking seriously the choice not to vaccinate and have weighed the risk.

Information regarding the spread of the Delta Variant:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/14/delta-variant-of-covid-spreading-rapidly-and-detected-in-74-countries

[A330PilotCanada]

Good Morning All:

A new model is out......

Models predict U.S. coronavirus infections could surge this fall if vaccination rates lag, former FDA chief says
Scott Gottlieb also expressed concern about U.K. study showing brain-tissue shrinkage after covid-19.

https://apple.news/AllQ2jDL3R7KIquXO57mHdg