Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 (nCoV-2019)

[Palma]

The number of cases matters, because many people who are not hospitalized suffer long-term consequences. Edit: Also, there were 313 people in hospital with COVID yesterday in Ontario compared to 264 in Québec, which means Québec's rate is more than 40% higher considering its population.

I didn't make any specific claims regarding festivals because it is difficult to determine how many cases are caused by transient contacts. The same goes for public transit. The only certainty is that the COVID death rate in Québec since the beginning of the pandemic is nearly twice that of Ontario.

The number of death matters and the reason that is never communicated is becauses the % of population is so that it does not create panic. I wonder how many people die or % due to cancer every year? Oh never-mind, with cancer its always how many people survive or make it to the 5 year mark, you know positive news and they try to spin the positivity anyway they can with cancer

 

[Palma]

I just realized why I have been off these forums for a log time. Time for me after 20 minutes to log off and stay off.

 

[PinkLucy]

The number of death matters and the reason that is never communicated is becauses the % of population is so that it does not create panic. I wonder how many people die or % due to cancer every year? Oh never-mind, with cancer its always how many people survive or make it to the 5 year mark, you know positive news and they try to spin the positivity anyway they can with cancer

Cancer isn’t comparable as it isn’t communicable.

 

[Jonny5]

The number of death matters and the reason that is never communicated is becauses the % of population is so that it does not create panic. I wonder how many people die or % due to cancer every year? Oh never-mind, with cancer its always how many people survive or make it to the 5 year mark, you know positive news and they try to spin the positivity anyway they can with cancer

Are you serious? Communiction about how many people die is common in both awarness advertising and fudraising marketing.You have to deliberately avoid it to not come across it.

 

[Northern Light]

Cancer isn’t comparable as it isn’t communicable.

While this is true.

Its worth noting, depending on the types of cancer; based on existing science, between 30-60% is preventable/avoidable.

Source: https://www.who.int/health-topics/cancer#tab=tab_1

Some of that falls on individual choices; but a good deal is also governmental choice; exposure to a variety of chemicals, some in household use, many in industrial settings is a problem; as is general air quality, amongst other things.

Are you serious? Communiction about how many people die is common in both awarness advertising and fudraising marketing.You have to deliberately avoid it to not come across it.

To be fair, Cancer death tolls are not a feature of daily newscasts.

Approximately 83,000 Canadians died of cancer last year, which is certainly a much larger number than Covid.

When one takes the more conservative number from the World Health Organization, that 30% of those cancer deaths were avoidable; you then have a number of 27,000 preventable deaths each year in Canada of that type.

The official Covid death toll in Canada in 2020, was ~ 15,500. Even if one were to assume the real number was a bit higher, its unlikely to equal the number of preventable cancer deaths.

Source: https://cancer.ca/en/research/cancer-statistics/cancer-statistics-at-a-glance

****

For the record, I'm not arguing in anyway against serious measures taken to combat/curtail Covid.
I'm just open to discussing that in the context of other threats to society, and open to asking whether or not we could, or should take those threats as seriously.

 

[DSC]

Looking a bit more hopeful, though the increase in capacity at sports events etc will not help.

Ontario reported less than 500 new COVID-19 cases and 11 more deaths on Tuesday.

Provincial health officials logged 466 new infections today, a notable drop from 613 on Monday and 574 a week ago.

 

[Rufus8]

I just realized why I have been off these forums for a log time. Time for me after 20 minutes to log off and stay off.

I hear ya! I'm just starting to feel some sort of normal. Oddly it's the traffic and week-day crowds that are comforting now. Just wish TD would shut that foul rooftop logo light off, who are they trying to impress - aliens in the next galaxy?

 

[Jonny5]

While this is true.

Its worth noting, depending on the types of cancer; based on existing science, between 30-60% is preventable/avoidable.

Source: https://www.who.int/health-topics/cancer#tab=tab_1

Some of that falls on individual choices; but a good deal is also governmental choice; exposure to a variety of chemicals, some in household use, many in industrial settings is a problem; as is general air quality, amongst other things.



To be fair, Cancer death tolls are not a feature of daily newscasts.

Approximately 83,000 Canadians died of cancer last year, which is certainly a much larger number than Covid.

When one takes the more conservative number from the World Health Organization, that 30% of those cancer deaths were avoidable; you then have a number of 27,000 preventable deaths each year in Canada of that type.

The official Covid death toll in Canada in 2020, was ~ 15,500. Even if one were to assume the real number was a bit higher, its unlikely to equal the number of preventable cancer deaths.

Source: https://cancer.ca/en/research/cancer-statistics/cancer-statistics-at-a-glance

****

For the record, I'm not arguing in anyway against serious measures taken to combat/curtail Covid.
I'm just open to discussing that in the context of other threats to society, and open to asking whether or not we could, or should take those threats as seriously.

I think the lack of commentary on cancer rates on daily newscasts is due to the rates not significantly changing over days or weeks, so it's not news. If in the next three weeks 10,000 people in Toronto were suddenly diagnosed with lung cancer, it would certainly be on there. However, working from home has re-introduced me to daytime TV, and while cancer and cancer prevention and other things like heart disease and stroke may not regularly come up on newscasts, discussion certainly does on all these shows that air between about 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.. While I can't vouch for the quality of the content on these shows like Dr. Oz, Dr. Phil, various daytime panel talk shows, etc., they appear to have this as a topic very frequently. Health seems to be one of their bread and butter topics. They must be popular shows to be on in these slots now for 15, 20, or even 25 years straight. I think the people who work for awareness organisations know this and steer to reach an audience that way instead of on the news where they rarely spend more than one minute on any topic. These shows are also a bit more "friendly" than a news broadcast for outreach as people often watch them because they like the hosts and trust them (again, I'm not vouching for those hosts, but that appears to be how it works). Most of these shows are also filmed in advance, at least 24 hours, so capturing daily COVID death rates and such is not a big part of their coverage as any daily information would be out of date by the time it was on TV.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

We are *still* having this debate about this? Cancer doesn't suddenly overflow the ICU, nor is it an infectious disease with a penchant for exponential growth - COVID does. Fundamentally different diseases requiring different policy responses.

AoD

 

[Admiral Beez]

Looking at Conservative-run Alberta and Ontario demonstrates that party affiliation is less relevant than ones population of inept politicians and people too smart to help themselves. Folks, just get your vax, wear your mask and maintain social distance and you’re golden.

 

[AlbertC]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1442182878029402116

Interesting if true. I wonder how many of these prominent anti-vaxxers and their minions are actually just pretending they aren't.

A prominent anti-vaxxer gave out his phone number at a rally because 'he has nothing to hide.' Two days later, he's begging people to stop calling him.

Chris Saccoccia, known by the pseudonym Chris Sky, said he's received thousands of calls since giving his phone number out at the rally.

www.insider.com

https://twitter.com/x/status/1442668550456549380

 

[W. K. Lis]

TransLink and TTC expand use of copper surfaces to kill pathogens on transit​

From link.

Metro Vancouver public transit authority TransLink will expand its use of copper as the material for high-touch surfaces on transit vehicles, while the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) will introduce the usage of antimicrobial copper coating for its system.

In partnership with Vancouver-based mining giant Teck Resources, as a measure to develop innovative ways to improve health safety on public transit, TransLink first began testing the use of copper surfaces in late 2020, with researchers later determining that copper can naturally kill up to 99.9% of bacteria and viruses on surfaces within one hour.

Further study allows researchers to examine the potential impact of reducing the spread of infections from surfaces.

“The pandemic has taught us to be bold and innovative to continue meeting the needs of our customers. Through this copper pilot, we have partnered with healthcare professionals to find creative ways to make transit cleaner and safer for our customers,” said TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn in a statement.

“We’re so excited to have our industry-leading pilot expand nationally to learn more about copper’s potential health benefits on transit.”

Following the early successes in Metro Vancouver, the pilot project is being further expanded to the buses, subway cars, and streetcars on the TTC, and additional buses and SkyTrain cars on TransLink.

This expanded test tests three types of products, including functional copper surface layers, copper alloys, and copper decals.

Samples will be analyzed from copper surfaces and non-copper surfaces on both public transit systems by Vancouver Coastal Health’s microbiology team, with support by Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital/University Health Network and the University of British Columbia. Tests of the samples will occur every two months over a year.

There are no financial costs to TransLink and the TTC for this pilot project, which is being fully funded by Teck to demonstrate the advantages of their copper products in both healthcare and public space settings.

“Safety has always been the top priority for the TTC – and it’s important that both our employees and customers feel safe every time they’re on one of our vehicles,” said Richard Leary, CEO of the TTC.

“Participating in a pilot like this with our hospital partners is a real opportunity to look at new ways to curb the spread of infection. The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us of the importance of innovating and planning for the future. I’m proud that the TTC is working with Teck to do just that.”

Angela Chapman, the president and CEO of the Vancouver General Hospital and UBC Hospital Foundation, added: “Vancouver Coastal Health’s Infection Prevention & Control leaders are among the best in the world and we are thrilled to see their important research project expand across the country. Donor support is vital to accelerate and expand projects like this copper trial and we’re grateful to Teck for continuing to fund this vital research.”

How Do I Recycle Copper Wire?​

See link.

From link.

 

[vic]

As far as COVID is concerned, copper surfaces are probably more of a feel-good measure than anything that would actually make a difference in the spread of the virus. Mostly airborne spread, eh? I guess it's good overall, and would probably help fight the transmission of some germs, but for combatting COVID I'd rather have the TTC actually do something about all of the unmasked people (riders and staff).

In the meantime, I'll continue to avoid sticking my fingers up my nose while on the TTC or prior to washing my hands.

 

[W. K. Lis]

As far as COVID is concerned, copper surfaces are probably more of a feel-good measure than anything that would actually make a difference in the spread of the virus. Mostly airborne spread, eh? I guess it's good overall, and would probably help fight the transmission of some germs, but for combatting COVID I'd rather have the TTC actually do something about all of the unmasked people (riders and staff).

In the meantime, I'll continue to avoid sticking my fingers up my nose while on the TTC or prior to washing my hands.

Airborne? There's the HEPA filters on the public transit vehicles at attacks that aspect. Just make sure they are changed as recommended.

 

[Rufus8]

There was a fire at the Novotel (Esplanade) yesterday, God only knows it will cost to give it back in good shape. Millions and millions spent to keep them safe but they can't look after themselves. Wonder how many shelter users are vaccinated.