Thread by @IrfanDhalla, Thread: I know and admire many authors (e.g., @drbobbell, @OnyeActiveMD, @vg

Thread: I know and admire many authors (e.g., @drbobbell, @OnyeActiveMD, @vg_to, @UofTMedDean, @trclosson, etc.) of the "balanced response" letter re: Covid-19.

But I worry about the overall tone of the letter, and I also have three specific concerns...

1. The letter says that "with ready access to health services, severe outcomes can be averted in those who do not have pre-existing risk factors."

This is misleading. Covid-19 does occasionally kill healthy people who are in the prime of their lives. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/06/health/coronavirus-nick-cordero-underlying-conditions.html

In Nick Cordero’s Death, a Reminder of Covid-19’s Unknowns

The Broadway star died from the coronavirus, despite being just 41 and in apparent good health. Cases like his, experts said, are growing.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/06/health/coronavirus-nick-cordero-underlying-conditions.html

2. The letter says that the "consequences of the public health measures" are being borne disproportionately by "those in lower income groups, Black and other racialized groups, recent immigrants and Indigenous people."

I agree. But...

...the consequences of the virus itself are also being borne disproportionately by these same groups, and the letter is quiet about that.

I would suggest we listen to people from these groups, support them, and then help champion their interests. https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/family-of-psw-who-died-after-contracting-covid-19-says-he-wasn-t-properly-protected-at-work-1.4931727

Family of PSW who died after contracting COVID-19 says he wasn’t properly protected at work

A personal support worker (PSW) who died Wednesday after contracting COVID-19 was not provided proper personal protective equipment at his workplace, his family alleges.

https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/family-of-psw-who-died-after-contracting-covid-19-says-he-wasn-t-properly-protected-at-work-1.4931727

Here's a statement from Black Health Leaders on COVID-19’s impact on Black Communities in Ontario written in early April. Not surprisingly, these leaders foresaw much of what has transpired over the last 3 months https://www.allianceon.org/news/Statement-Black-Health-Leaders-COVID-19s-impact-Black-Communities-Ontario

3. The letter is silent about what countries we should look to as exemplars. Several of the authors have commented favourably on the Swedish approach, saying "it is a question of paying now or paying later."

This is now obviously wrong. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/07/business/sweden-economy-coronavirus.html

Sweden Has Become the World’s Cautionary Tale

Its decision to carry on in the face of the pandemic has yielded a surge of deaths without sparing its economy from damage — a red flag as the United States and Britain move to lift lockdowns.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/07/business/sweden-economy-coronavirus.html

What countries would the authors have us emulate? I know at least one of the authors is a fan of the South Korean approach. If the authors had said we should emulate their approach, it would be getting very different coverage in the media. https://ourworldindata.org/covid-exemplar-south-korea

Emerging COVID-19 success story: South Korea learned the lessons of MERS

South Korea is one country which has responded well to the Coronavirus pandemic. How did they do so? In-country experts provide key insights.

https://ourworldindata.org/covid-exemplar-south-korea

There is a lot in the letter that I agree with. In particular, I strongly agree that we should "ensure that public health has the resources to conduct timely and effective testing and contract tracing." Public health also needs the resources to isolate and provide support.

So, what should we do?

If we look around the world, we can see that countries like South Korea that aim high, and properly resource a #TestTraceIsolateSupportMask, can contain Covid-19 and open up.

We can do this too in Canada.

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