The COVID-19 pandemic

[taylortbb]

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics...ated-from/

59% support + 19% somewhat support for the question

Would you support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose or oppose unvaccinated people being denied access to public gatherings like sporting events or indoor dining in restaurants?

I think with numbers like that it's only a matter of time til the provinces realize they need to get on board.

[neonjoe]

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics...ated-from/

59% support + 19% somewhat support for the question

Would you support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose or oppose unvaccinated people being denied access to public gatherings like sporting events or indoor dining in restaurants?

I think with numbers like that it's only a matter of time til the provinces realize they need to get on board.

Sounds like it’s only the unvaccinated that against it. I haven’t seen much about political persuasion vs vaccination in Canada but maybe it’s part of the PC base that they don’t want to anger?

[tomh009]

THURSDAY 2021-08-05

Waterloo Region reported 16 new cases for today (9.9% of the active cases) and zero more for yesterday for 19; 120 new cases for the week (-5 from yesterday and +18 from last week), averaging 11.7% of active cases. 158 active cases, +29 in the last seven days.

3,181 doses of vaccine administered, with a seven-day average at 3,223 (previous week was 4,694). 68.44% of total provincial population vaccinated (+0.09% from yesterday, +0.55% from 7 days ago), 59.17% fully vaccinated (+0.43% from yesterday, +3.11% from 7 days ago). 

Ontario reported 213 new cases today with a seven-day average of 198 (-1), compared to 165 a week ago. 183 recoveries and two deaths translated to an increase of 16 active cases and a new total of 1,706. +282 active cases for the week and 27 deaths (four per day). 23,494 tests with a positivity rate of 0.91%. The positivity rate is averaging 1.22% for the past seven days, compared to 0.99% for the preceding seven. 78 patients in ICU (+0 today, -8 for the week) with COVID-19.

58,213 doses of vaccine administered, with a seven-day average at 59,503 (previous week was 98,515). 71.47% of total provincial population vaccinated (+0.08% from yesterday, +0.53% from 7 days ago), 62.43% fully vaccinated (+0.21% from yesterday, +2.29% from 7 days ago). 

New case variants reported today (these are substantially delayed so they do not match the new case numbers):

• Alpha (B.1.1.7): 5
  
• Beta (B.1.351): 0
  
• Delta (B.1.617): 185 (87% of variants over the past 10 days)
  
• Gamma (P.1): 4
  

• 17 cases in Windsor-Essex: 4.4 per 100K
  
• 18 cases in Hamilton: 3.1 per 100K
  
• 10 cases in Middlesex-London: 2.5 per 100K
  
• 4 cases in Grey Bruce: 2.5 per 100K
  
• 14 cases in Waterloo: 2.3 per 100K (based on provincial reporting)
  
• 31 cases in Peel: 2.2 per 100K
  
• 6 cases in Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph: 2.2 per 100K
  
• 11 cases in Halton: 2.0 per 100K
  
• 18 cases in York: 1.6 per 100K
  
• 44 cases in Toronto: 1.5 per 100K
  
• 3 cases in Southwestern Ontario: 1.5 per 100K
  
• 2 cases in Brant: 1.5 per 100K
  
• 7 cases in Durham: 1.1 per 100K
  

[jeffster]

Current 7-day Covid-19 cases per 100k

• Grey Bruce Health Unit 27.1
• Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services 19.5
• City of Hamilton Public Health Services 18.1
• Windsor-Essex County Health Unit 17.4
• Southwestern Public Health 14.2
• York Region Public Health 13.8
• Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit 13.8
• Hastings Prince Edward Public Health 12.5
• Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit 12.3
• Middlesex-London Health Unit 12.2


• TOTAL ONTARIO 10.1


Patients hospitalized in the ICU was unchanged at 110, while those on ventilators dropped to 76 from 77. These are the more important numbers.

[Bjays93]

Of course it's only the unvaccinated that are against it. I'm somewhat worried about the precedent a vaccine passport would set however,  and how medical exemptions like myself would be accommodated. I have zero issue wearing a mask for the rest of my life if I'm being completely honest but I'd still like to be able to live

[ijmorlan]

Of course it's only the unvaccinated that are against it. I'm somewhat worried about the precedent a vaccine passport would set however,  and how medical exemptions like myself would be accommodated. I have zero issue wearing a mask for the rest of my life if I'm being completely honest but I'd still like to be able to live

I agree that medical exemptions require thought, not just for Covid but for other vaccines as well.

In most cases, I think it might be OK for people with medical exemptions (as determined by a process that involves doctors determining the validity of the exemption, not just a self-declaration) to be deemed to have met the vaccination requirement. Whatever document one would show to prove having met the requirement should just say that one has met the requirement; generally speaking, stores, restaurants, etc. don’t need to know who has been exempted and who has been vaccinated.

On the other hand, in the midst of an outbreak or for certain locations or certain diseases, it might be unsafe to have even a few unvaccinated people present. There might also be specific settings that for whatever reason tend to have a higher fraction of exempt individuals present (extreme example, a clinic for dealing with a medical issue which is a counterindication for the vaccine). In this situation there might have to be a difference. I’m not sure how that should be handled.

Problem is, it’s way easier to write a column or Twitter post making a disgusting, dishonest, bad faith comparison between vaccine passports and segregation than it is to write one saying something intelligent about an issue which actually requires thoughtful discussion.

Whatever ends up happening, I hope you aren’t left permanently having to worry about extra inconvenience owing to a medical issue.

[plam]

Of course it's only the unvaccinated that are against it. I'm somewhat worried about the precedent a vaccine passport would set however,  and how medical exemptions like myself would be accommodated. I have zero issue wearing a mask for the rest of my life if I'm being completely honest but I'd still like to be able to live

Unfortunately I think some people who don't have valid medical reasons also think that masks are as good as vaccines. They're not. They do help and will probably be necessary for a while yet but the bulk of the population really needs vaccines.

[Bjays93]

Of course it's only the unvaccinated that are against it. I'm somewhat worried about the precedent a vaccine passport would set however,  and how medical exemptions like myself would be accommodated. I have zero issue wearing a mask for the rest of my life if I'm being completely honest but I'd still like to be able to live

I agree that medical exemptions require thought, not just for Covid but for other vaccines as well.

In most cases, I think it might be OK for people with medical exemptions (as determined by a process that involves doctors determining the validity of the exemption, not just a self-declaration) to be deemed to have met the vaccination requirement. Whatever document one would show to prove having met the requirement should just say that one has met the requirement; generally speaking, stores, restaurants, etc. don’t need to know who has been exempted and who has been vaccinated.

On the other hand, in the midst of an outbreak or for certain locations or certain diseases, it might be unsafe to have even a few unvaccinated people present. There might also be specific settings that for whatever reason tend to have a higher fraction of exempt individuals present (extreme example, a clinic for dealing with a medical issue which is a counterindication for the vaccine). In this situation there might have to be a difference. I’m not sure how that should be handled.

Problem is, it’s way easier to write a column or Twitter post making a disgusting, dishonest, bad faith comparison between vaccine passports and segregation than it is to write one saying something intelligent about an issue which actually requires thoughtful discussion.

Whatever ends up happening, I hope you aren’t left permanently having to worry about extra inconvenience owing to a medical issue.

I should note from my own experience, those who have reasons not to get vaccinated tend to err on the side of extreme caution because its usually an underlying health condition that prevents someone from being able to get vaccinated (past allergic reactions really have no bearing because the vaccines r mRNA)

So obviously from my own experience and everyone I know who's in a similar boat. I'm not going to be going to restaurants in the midst of a covid surge anyway for my own safety's sake. I also have no desire to dine indoors, but being able to dine outdoors would be nice. 

I may ultimately suck it up and get vaccinated anyway but I have to weigh the risks because I'm already on heavy drugs that take a toll on my body for my current chronic illness. It is certainly a very difficult situation to navigate because I'm dealing with a rare illness that most doctors, outside of specific experts, have little to no knowledge on. There's really just no information on how my ongoing treatment would mix with the vaccine and whether it is safe or isnt. 

Ultimately this is just me voicing my frustration at the current situation and the lack of a clear answer on what is the best thing for me to do personally so I digress. I'm just so exhausted by all this and am ready for it to be over.

[Bjays93]

Of course it's only the unvaccinated that are against it. I'm somewhat worried about the precedent a vaccine passport would set however,  and how medical exemptions like myself would be accommodated. I have zero issue wearing a mask for the rest of my life if I'm being completely honest but I'd still like to be able to live

Unfortunately I think some people who don't have valid medical reasons also think that masks are as good as vaccines. They're not. They do help and will probably be necessary for a while yet but the bulk of the population really needs vaccines.

It also depends on what kind of mask your wearing and how your wearing it. Some masks are better than others. If you're wearing a dinky little cloth mask then that comes nowhere near the amount of protection a vaccination would offer. If you are wearing medically certified N95 or FFP2 masks likely a different story as they offer an incredible amount of protection. 

It also depends on what you are doing. If you are dining, you have to remove your mask and your protection is gone, whereas with a vaccine it remains. If you are doing something where your mask can stay on the whole time your protection remains the whole time. Ultimately masks and vaccines are two different types of protection that are hard to compare. 

The perfect example of this is, it is clear the delta variant is somewhat breaking through vaccines but the vaccination is still preventing severe illness. So it is not fully protecting you from getting sick but it is protecting the severity of the sickness. On the other hand, properly fitted medical masks continue to appear incredibly effective against the delta variant but they protect you from getting it period and obviously have no bearing on how sick you will be if you do get it. So at the end of the day they're just different and if you are someone who cannot get vaccinated you have to adjust the way you live accordingly regardless of what restrictions may or may not be in place.

[danbrotherston]

Anyone watching the Quebec COVID vaccination data to see if there is a big bump from the announcement of vaccine passports?

[Bjays93]

Anyone watching the Quebec COVID vaccination data to see if there is a big bump from the announcement of vaccine passports?

There is a significant bump yes

[danbrotherston]

Anyone watching the Quebec COVID vaccination data to see if there is a big bump from the announcement of vaccine passports?

There is a significant bump yes

Thanks!

And I did just manage to answer my own question as well:

https://globalnews.ca/news/8091786/quebe...ointments/

Honestly, this is a no brainer.

[tomh009]

FRIDAY 2021-08-06

Waterloo Region reported 24 new cases for today (15.0% of the active cases) and three fewer for yesterday for 19; 125 new cases for the week (+5 from yesterday and +16 from last week), averaging 11.8% of active cases. 155 active cases, +18 in the last seven days.

2,050 doses of vaccine administered, with a seven-day average at 2,860 (previous week was 4,586). 68.50% of total provincial population vaccinated (+0.06% from yesterday, +0.50% from 7 days ago), 59.44% fully vaccinated (+0.27% from yesterday, +2.76% from 7 days ago). 

Ontario reported 340 new cases today with a seven-day average of 214 (+16), compared to 170 a week ago. 149 recoveries and two deaths translated to an increase of 173 active cases and a new total of 1,706. +388 active cases for the week and 18 deaths (three per day). 23,448 tests with a positivity rate of 1.45%. The positivity rate is averaging 1.28% for the past seven days, compared to 1.01% for the preceding seven. 80 patients in ICU (+2 today, -6 for the week) with COVID-19.

New case variants reported today (these are substantially delayed so they do not match the new case numbers):

• Alpha (B.1.1.7): 16
  
• Beta (B.1.351): 0
  
• Delta (B.1.617): 43 (87% of variants over the past 10 days)
  
• Gamma (P.1): 2
  

• 14 cases in Grey Bruce: 8.6 per 100K
  
• 23 cases in Windsor-Essex: 5.9 per 100K
  
• 15 cases in Middlesex-London: 3.7 per 100K
  
• 41 cases in York: 3.7 per 100K
  
• 22 cases in Waterloo: 3.6 per 100K (based on provincial reporting)
  
• 3 cases in Huron Perth: 3.1 per 100K
  
• 8 cases in Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph: 2.9 per 100K
  
• 3 cases in Chatham-Kent: 2.8 per 100K
  
• 80 cases in Toronto: 2.7 per 100K
  
• 36 cases in Peel: 2.6 per 100K
  
• 15 cases in Hamilton: 2.6 per 100K
  
• 5 cases in Southwestern Ontario: 2.5 per 100K
  
• 10 cases in Niagara: 2.2 per 100K
  
• 3 cases in Brant: 2.2 per 100K
  
• 13 cases in Durham: 2.0 per 100K
  
• 2 cases in Lambton: 1.5 per 100K
  
• 7 cases in Simcoe-Muskoka: 1.3 per 100K
  
• 7 cases in Halton: 1.3 per 100K
  
• 10 cases in Ottawa: 1.0 per 100K
  

[danbrotherston]

Seems we are now seeing sustained growth in cases in Ontario.

[jeffster]

There is a significant bump yes

Thanks!

And I did just manage to answer my own question as well:

https://globalnews.ca/news/8091786/quebe...ointments/

Honestly, this is a no brainer.

100%....