Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #covid19sk
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1. Updated comparison of provincial COVID-19 death rates (per 100,000).
Orange bar ~Delta wave (Sept. 1 - Dec. 31, 2021)
Blue bar ~Omicron wave (Jan. 1 - Apr. 30, 2022)
SK had the highest death rate during the Delta wave & second highest rate during ~Omicron wave.
#covid19sk
Orange bar ~Delta wave (Sept. 1 - Dec. 31, 2021)
Blue bar ~Omicron wave (Jan. 1 - Apr. 30, 2022)
SK had the highest death rate during the Delta wave & second highest rate during ~Omicron wave.
#covid19sk
2. Why are COVID death rates higher in SK than, say, AB and MB?
I don't know the answer but I think it would be prudent for the province to conduct an independent, limited scope review to identify factors and lessons learned in preparation for the fall of 2022. #covid19sk
I don't know the answer but I think it would be prudent for the province to conduct an independent, limited scope review to identify factors and lessons learned in preparation for the fall of 2022. #covid19sk
3. Part of the data set. Please DM if you would like a copy of the complete file.
#Saskatchewan #COVID19 update from last week:
• hospitalizations set a new high mark with 403 (⬆️49)
• ICU total rises to 25
• 20 more deaths (half under 80, including one 20-39 and two 40-59; total now 1,275)
• test positivity steady at 13 per cent
#skpoli #COVID19SK
• hospitalizations set a new high mark with 403 (⬆️49)
• ICU total rises to 25
• 20 more deaths (half under 80, including one 20-39 and two 40-59; total now 1,275)
• test positivity steady at 13 per cent
#skpoli #COVID19SK
The previously reported high for hospitalizations was set on Feb. 3 with 384. That came when we were seeing a daily count. The 403 number is the tally on Wednesday at noon, so the total could have been higher on a different day. One of the flaws of weekly reporting.
Re: getting hassled for mask-wearing post-Feb 28. Can't stress enough that if it happens, stay as cool as you can. People asking: best self-defense? pepper spray? Our best advice: FILM. Leave yr house w/phone fully charged. Send pics/videos to us, cops if warranted /1 #covid19sk
Our best guess is that if anti-mask ppl are trying to start fights or bothering you about masking, especially after *they* don't have to wear them, they've got someone filming & are prob. trying to collect a heavily edited reel of people "freaking out" while "unprovoked" /2
So again, our advice would be to slip away, get a safe distance, film. (Also: find someone in charge nearby, e.g. a store mgr, to do something if they are willing, if not willing leave the store.) /3
Another report of 3 guys going into #yxe stores to harass people wearing #covid19sk masks (blocking entrances, trying to start fights). Obvs, staff don't intervene/risk own safety.
Giving in to the "mandate freedom" crowd: what a great idea to "heal divisions," @PremierScottMoe
Giving in to the "mandate freedom" crowd: what a great idea to "heal divisions," @PremierScottMoe
Just to add to this: we really hope this turns out to be isolated. We know lots of voluntarily unvaccinated folks among our friends/family who would never do this. And we strive to emulate the compassion of HCWs toward folks who are voluntarily unvaccinated. /2
@PremierScottMoe @PremierScottMoe's framing of "social division created by public health measures" is wrong & "concern trolling"—another symptom of do-nothing #covid19sk leadership. Every gov't dept. has large comms budgets & could ease social tensions w/all kinds of public health campaigns./3
Some thoughts about #covid19sk reality, and the recent changes:
1. Testing-with numbers as high as they are, PCR testing for everyone really wasn’t happening. This means we couldn’t rely on case counts even before testing restrictions this week.
BUT….1/
1. Testing-with numbers as high as they are, PCR testing for everyone really wasn’t happening. This means we couldn’t rely on case counts even before testing restrictions this week.
BUT….1/
If we can’t offer PCR tests to everyone, we need to make sure we’ve covered all the bases-we can’t stop testing if it’s required for WCB etc. We have done well with access to rapid tests-finding ways to report them would make sense. This is when other data indicators are key. 2/
2. Reporting-knowledge is power.
School case reporting and daily hospital numbers helps us make informed decisions for ourselves and our families. If we know our hospitals are becoming overwhelmed, we can react quickly. 1 week in Covid time is too long to wait for updates. 3/
School case reporting and daily hospital numbers helps us make informed decisions for ourselves and our families. If we know our hospitals are becoming overwhelmed, we can react quickly. 1 week in Covid time is too long to wait for updates. 3/
While Moe again declares public health measures basically over in the midst of a COVID wave, we've been approached to promote a weekly action for teachers & others starting Groundhog Day. We support this action & we'll elaborate how & why you should participate. #covid19sk 🧵/1
So Scott Moe—once again—against all medical advice, wants to declare #covid19sk over when it’s surging, & get rid of all measures to protect us, based on the flat-Earth anti-vax view of the world that vaccines do nothing to prevent Omicron infection/transmission. #covid19sk🧵/2
Moe has openly aligned himself with the anti-vax side, all so they don't run off to a new right-wing party—which will not unseat the SaskParty but cause losses in urban ridings to the NDP. That's the reason. #covid19sk 🧵/3
Channelling the spirit of a "one-team" mentality, the Saskatchewan government is asking public sector employees from other departments to help the health-care system in the coming weeks.
calgaryherald.com/pmn/news-pmn/c… #skpoli #covid19sk
calgaryherald.com/pmn/news-pmn/c… #skpoli #covid19sk
In an email to executive council staff, who provide support to Premier Scott Moe, his cabinet and committees, workers were asked to volunteer as care aides in hospitals, long-term care homes, COVID-19 testing sites and public health clinics. #skpoli
This includes feeding people, taking residents or patients to the bathroom, helping them get dressed, answering phones, moving medical supplies and directing traffic.
School divisions have been left in the unenviable position of having to make public health decisions that fall far outside of their expertise. There is no consistency or transparency.
Families and school staff deserve to know how many cases are in their school.
1/7
Families and school staff deserve to know how many cases are in their school.
1/7
There should be thresholds that trigger certain measures, and every stakeholder should know what those thresholds & measures are.
Instead of a predictable, transparent set of measures, our government opted for no plan. They opted for chaos. They opted to keep us in the dark. 2/7
Instead of a predictable, transparent set of measures, our government opted for no plan. They opted for chaos. They opted to keep us in the dark. 2/7
This will not be our last wave, but let’s work together to make sure this is our last wave without these things:
🟠 N95s for students and staff
🟠 Transparent public documentation of air quality reports for each classroom. Clean air must be our minimum standard for schools. 3/7
🟠 N95s for students and staff
🟠 Transparent public documentation of air quality reports for each classroom. Clean air must be our minimum standard for schools. 3/7
#NYE2021: So many thoughts go through my mind
2 long years ago today China alerted the world to what seemed to be a new viral respiratory illness. 1 year ago I was mentally preparing for a tough few more months & then surely we would be through #COVID19SK
2 long years ago today China alerted the world to what seemed to be a new viral respiratory illness. 1 year ago I was mentally preparing for a tough few more months & then surely we would be through #COVID19SK
Today SK sets new records for number of daily reported cases (735) and test positivity rate (26%), recognizing many more than this are infected. We have another tough few months ahead. I am tired & i'm not alone
Yet today I am mostly grateful & proud. Our @saskhealth team of over 45000 staff & physicians have done amazing things under incredibly challenging conditions/Let's start w vaccines: 1.8M doses in SK arms over the past 365 days. Countless lives saved.
Modelling released by @SKGov predicts DRAMATIC rise in cases, hospitalizations, & ICU admits w/ #Omicron if no additional measures to reduce contacts (i.e. gathering & capacity limits).
Briefing today: NO measures to be implemented at present. Wait and see.
1/ #COVID19SK
Briefing today: NO measures to be implemented at present. Wait and see.
1/ #COVID19SK
Here is ICU / non-ICU modelling data. Not great, as you can see. Also not being taken into account - scores of HCWs taken out of circulation as a result of widespread community transmission.
Who will look after all the patients? Many HCWs have already moved on.
2/ #COVID19SK
Who will look after all the patients? Many HCWs have already moved on.
2/ #COVID19SK
Once again, there is an appeal to personal responsibility for #SK citizens to make good choices, do the right thing.
No surprises here. Get vaccinated, improve ventilation, use your best mask, etc.
3/ #COVID19SK
No surprises here. Get vaccinated, improve ventilation, use your best mask, etc.
3/ #COVID19SK
Private surgery in #saskatchewan will transfer public dollars into private pockets. It will add a layer of costs.
Increasing capacity of our public system would be more efficient. #covid19sk #skpoli @drkyle @ShellyRiffel1 bit.ly/3IGAESa 🧵/ 1
Increasing capacity of our public system would be more efficient. #covid19sk #skpoli @drkyle @ShellyRiffel1 bit.ly/3IGAESa 🧵/ 1
Setting up private surgery within public health system is likely a step towards full privatization where patients would pay directly for for-profit surgery in contravention of the Canada Health Act. #covid19sk #skpoli @hinz_tamara / 2
This potentially explains Moe's bizarre flirtation with separation / separatists. It's not about a distinct “Western Canadian” or #SK’s “distinct culture,” it's about defying federal jurisdiction in order to advance their privatization agenda.#covid19sk #skpoli @SUNnurses / 3
Have Saskatchewan Health Care Workers Reached a Breaking Point?
Presentation slides 🧵 Part 1. #covid19sk #ohs #canlab
Presentation slides 🧵 Part 1. #covid19sk #ohs #canlab
2.
3.
"Hi Alex. What is this Western Canadian variant? Is it something to be worried about?"
Yes, there's a new Canadian AY.25 clade which originated from Idaho. This AY sublineage appears to have become dominant in Alberta and Saskatchewan. (1/9)
#COVID19AB
#COVID19SK
Yes, there's a new Canadian AY.25 clade which originated from Idaho. This AY sublineage appears to have become dominant in Alberta and Saskatchewan. (1/9)
#COVID19AB
#COVID19SK
This is a bit technical, but as you can see in the phylogenetic analysis below, the strain appears to have originated from Idaho and then spread quickly throughout all of Western Canada. (2/9)
#COVID19AB
#COVID19SK
#COVID19AB
#COVID19SK
The same phylogenetic analysis is now color coded by province, so you can see how the strain has spread widely through BC (sea green), Alberta (yellow), and Saskatchewan (lime green). There's smatterings of cases in Ontario, too. (3/9)
#COVID19AB
#COVID19SK
#COVID19AB
#COVID19SK
A LONG explanatory 🧵 on ICU 'capacity' & 'flow' in Saskatchewan & why we need MULTIPLE interventions to avoid compromised care for ALL #SK citizens & triage.
I'm going to use an analogy of ICU capacity = bathtub. Patients = water. Health care system = house.
1/ #COVID19SK
I'm going to use an analogy of ICU capacity = bathtub. Patients = water. Health care system = house.
1/ #COVID19SK
Water is running into the bathtub. That's all the patients who need ICU care in Saskatchewan. Some have COVID, some don't. The patients have now overflowed our ICUs.
To cope, we've built walls up on our bathtub to hold more water. That's our 'surge' capacity.
2/ #COVID19SK
To cope, we've built walls up on our bathtub to hold more water. That's our 'surge' capacity.
2/ #COVID19SK
We can only build walls up on the tub so much, because there's limits on what can be done safely w/ availability of specialized staff, especially nursing & respiratory therapists (who support ventilated persons).
We've reached that limit w/ ~120 pts in #SK ICUs.
3/ #COVID19SK
We've reached that limit w/ ~120 pts in #SK ICUs.
3/ #COVID19SK
Summary 🧵 of last night's SHA "town hall" for MDs:
- Overall #SK test positivity ~14%
- Cases declining, but so is testing
- #SK has HIGHEST current case & death rates of all provinces
- HIGHEST ICU census per capita of ANY province at ANY point in pandemic.
1/ #COVID19SK
- Overall #SK test positivity ~14%
- Cases declining, but so is testing
- #SK has HIGHEST current case & death rates of all provinces
- HIGHEST ICU census per capita of ANY province at ANY point in pandemic.
1/ #COVID19SK
Vaccine & mask mandates have helped, but not enough. #SK remains in exponential growth & cases NOT coming down at this point.
Public health experts @SaskHealth recommend gathering restrictions, including limits on household gatherings, capacity limits, etc.
2/ #COVID19SK
Public health experts @SaskHealth recommend gathering restrictions, including limits on household gatherings, capacity limits, etc.
2/ #COVID19SK
As of 0730hrs yesterday AM (Oct 21), 117 persons in ICU. 57 persons on high-flow oxygen (Optiflow) normally in ICU, cared for on regular hospital wards.
ICU census now forcing out-of-province transfers, widespread service slowdowns, and informal triage.
3/ #COVID19SK
ICU census now forcing out-of-province transfers, widespread service slowdowns, and informal triage.
3/ #COVID19SK
This is an explanatory 🧵 on ICU capacity in Saskatchewan, the different levels of ICU care & support provided across #SK, and why freeing up ICU beds in Regina & Saskatoon is SO important right now for us.
Put plainly: "not all ICU beds are equal"
(1/n)
#COVID19SK
Put plainly: "not all ICU beds are equal"
(1/n)
#COVID19SK
Not all ICU "beds" are created equal. There's different capability levels to provide support for complex patients depending on the expertise of available doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, and specialist support. (2/n)
#COVID19SK
#COVID19SK
Let's divide "care levels" into 3 buckets:
✅ 1. BASIC = ventilatory support, cardiac monitoring, IV blood pressure management, sedation, high-flow O2 support
✅ 2. SPECIALIZED = BASIC + continuous renal therapy, complex ventilatory support (eg. proning)
(3/n)
#COVID19SK
✅ 1. BASIC = ventilatory support, cardiac monitoring, IV blood pressure management, sedation, high-flow O2 support
✅ 2. SPECIALIZED = BASIC + continuous renal therapy, complex ventilatory support (eg. proning)
(3/n)
#COVID19SK
Some data slides released today @SKGov w/ accompanying discussion via Dr. Shahab.
Short 🧵 w/ commentary.
First, being unvaccinated in #SK = 28X risk of ICU admission, 13X risk of hospitalization, and 6X risk of getting COVID vs. being fully vaccinated. (1/6)
#COVID19SK
Short 🧵 w/ commentary.
First, being unvaccinated in #SK = 28X risk of ICU admission, 13X risk of hospitalization, and 6X risk of getting COVID vs. being fully vaccinated. (1/6)
#COVID19SK
Second, ~50% of all persons admitted to hospital in October had 1st positive COVID test on/after being admitted. This informs approach to early therapy, monoclonal Abs, etc.
Earlier testing & identification of illness clearly ideal. (2/6)
#COVID19SK
Earlier testing & identification of illness clearly ideal. (2/6)
#COVID19SK
Overall #SK ICU census numbers continue to rise dramatically, shown by the graph on the right, attached. This is what's killing us right now.
We need relief through combination of public health measures, more ICU staff, and out-of-province transfers. (3/6)
#COVID19SK
We need relief through combination of public health measures, more ICU staff, and out-of-province transfers. (3/6)
#COVID19SK
Some strange/very wrong claims going on in replies to some of my tweets
Here’s some #COVID19SK facts
✅NONE of the 75 people in SK ICUs today are due to a vaccine adverse event
✅>75% of all SK ICU beds are looking after people w COVID
✅There are no empty @SaskHealth hospitals
Here’s some #COVID19SK facts
✅NONE of the 75 people in SK ICUs today are due to a vaccine adverse event
✅>75% of all SK ICU beds are looking after people w COVID
✅There are no empty @SaskHealth hospitals
✅COVID PCR tests are absolutely specific for COVID. That’s the whole point of PCR. We DO know a +COVID test isn’t any other virus
✅A +COVID test is >99% truly positive
✅A -COVID test could be a false negative (~30% rate) Could be too early, not enough virus on swab…
✅A +COVID test is >99% truly positive
✅A -COVID test could be a false negative (~30% rate) Could be too early, not enough virus on swab…
✅Delta is so dominant it is no longer of any value to check each & every positive test to confirm it’s delta
✅We are looking for other variants: Active surveillance for the next VOC is happening w testing of specific & random samples. (There will be a next…)
✅We are looking for other variants: Active surveillance for the next VOC is happening w testing of specific & random samples. (There will be a next…)
Kudos to ALL #SK MLAs who have shown support for masks, vaccines & #SK HCWs via #SKMLAchallenge.
This 🧵 CELEBRATES our #SK MLAs by compiling their posts.
It's BOTH REFRESHING & EFFECTIVE to see unified public health messaging from our elected leaders. Thank you!
#COVID19SK
This 🧵 CELEBRATES our #SK MLAs by compiling their posts.
It's BOTH REFRESHING & EFFECTIVE to see unified public health messaging from our elected leaders. Thank you!
#COVID19SK
#covid19sk will soon overwhelm our healthcare system. Effective leadership from the top will be essential in navigating this disaster. There are 5 things that @PremierScottMoe and Dr. Shahab could do to improve our response: 1/8
Admit your mistakes. If our response to COVID was flawless, our healthcare system wouldn’t be where it is. It isn’t all your fault, but some of it is. Own that. Genuinely apologize for it. And commit to moving forward together with humility. 2/8
Communicate. We need to know where we are at and where we are headed. Bring back daily provincial briefings featuring heavy doses of honesty. Acknowledge #covid19sk deaths. Simplify the public health orders to a grade school level. 3/8
.@PremierScottMoe, it was more than disheartening to hear you talk today about how doctors should *start* publicly educating and talking to media to counter pandemic misinformation, as if we haven’t been doing this kind of advocacy from the start.
A thread (with receipts):
A thread (with receipts):
Back in March 2020, we saw the writing on the wall and knew we needed more action from our political & business leaders. Our first open letter, signed by nearly 200 Drs, called for a move to encourage employees to work from home and businesses to move to a takeout/curbside model.
In November 2020, we wrote again, this time specifically addressing you. We asked for masking in public spaces and increased funding to support testing and contact tracing capacity (sound familiar?).
Saskatchewan broke 3 #covid19sk records today:
- highest daily new cases: 543
- highest hospitalizations: 249
- highest ICU admissions: 55
Reminder: the health care system is bracing for the worst, with plans in place to begin making life-and-death decision by Sept 30 #skpoli
- highest daily new cases: 543
- highest hospitalizations: 249
- highest ICU admissions: 55
Reminder: the health care system is bracing for the worst, with plans in place to begin making life-and-death decision by Sept 30 #skpoli
The thresholds that would push our doctors to make life-and-death decisions are in this thread below 👇🏻 #covid19sk
Earlier this week, Dr. @awong37 said now is the time for people to lay low, don’t get a trauma/major injury because critical care may not be available.
thestar.com/news/canada/20… #covid19sk
thestar.com/news/canada/20… #covid19sk
A #COVID19SK 🧵: Today @drsusanshaw graciously spent 40 minutes with me over the phone discussing the state of Sask’s health-care system that is overwhelmed by COVID. She says it’s important to talk about/share this information. Thread continues below..
theglobeandmail.com/canada/article…
theglobeandmail.com/canada/article…
Saskatchewan is already in Stage 1 of its triage plan. Surgeries are getting delayed so that those who are in a car crash or have COVD-19 can have immediate access to an ICU bed. #covid19sk
Today there are 76 residents in ICUs. If we hit 119 ppl in ICUs, Sask will enter Stage 2 of its triage plan. Doctors will then have to consult their ethics team to decide who gets life-saving care.
The health authority projects we will hit 125 ppl in ICUs by Sept. 30. #covid19sk
The health authority projects we will hit 125 ppl in ICUs by Sept. 30. #covid19sk
