Nonette, France
Joined September 2008
- Tweets6.4K
- Following723
- Followers500
- Likes19K
millionthofmany retweeted
This is another study that shows there are no advantages to being sick in early childhood, and these infections simply do not strengthen the immune system. This myth needs to stop.
This study especially highlights the importance of infection prevention in early life. /5
ALT Study Conclusions Early-life infection burden may continue throughout childhood and is associated with more antibiotic treatments independent of social and environmental risk factors. Exposure to more illnesses in early childhood has no net benefit, instead these children may be more likely to have continued illness and require more antibiotic use later in childhood. This highlights the importance of infection prevention in the early years. This is another study that shows us that there are NO ADVANTAGES to being sick in early childhood. Infections in early childhood simply DO NOT strengthen or build your immune system. Preventing infections makes you healthier.
millionthofmany retweeted
A new longitudinal cohort study found that children who were sick more often in early childhood were more likely to continue being sick in later childhood with more moderate to severe infections and require more antibiotic therapies. /1
ALT Early childhood infections do NOT strengthen your immune system...they only make you sicker throughout childhood. Data from a new study
millionthofmany retweeted
Your child is not sick from lack of exposure to sickness. They do not have immunity debt. Your child born after lockdowns does not have intergenerational immunity debt. The immunity debt that your child’s mother never had was not passed on to them via her mitochondria…
A new longitudinal cohort study found that children who were sick more often in early childhood were more likely to continue being sick in later childhood with more moderate to severe infections and require more antibiotic therapies. /1
ALT Early childhood infections do NOT strengthen your immune system...they only make you sicker throughout childhood. Data from a new study
millionthofmany retweeted
This morning's FAO report has some pretty shocking info on the state of our schools in Ontario.
4 in 10 schools in the province do not meet the standard of "state of good repair". If the govt doesn't increase funding, it will be 75% by 2033. #onted
fao-on.org/en/communication/…
Public schools (read: Ontario’s children) are also feeling the pain while Doug’s buddies pocket huge sums: thestar.com/opinion/contribu…
A govt that isn't properly funding hospitals and primary care has no business wasting billions of dollars on a private spa or private alcohol distribution.
Every Ontarian needs to know they can access care when they need it. Your health matters. It's time for change. #onpoli
millionthofmany retweeted
I understand the frustration with tents and encampments in communities, however any anger should be directed towards policymakers and government who have given people no other choice but to live rough.
thespec.com/politics/provinc…
millionthofmany retweeted
Some 20 cancer trials in Hamilton One have been put on hold - because of medical staff shortages,prompting concern from patients who rely on the clinical trials for last-ditch therapies. @TheSpec @jfrketich thespec.com/news/hamilton-re…
millionthofmany retweeted
Tonight, I’m thinking about Justice Murray Sinclair and of the times that I was lucky enough to hear him speak about his work with the TRC. This moment stands out for me. It’s his answer when he was asked, “Why can’t you just get over it?”
millionthofmany retweeted
Actor @MattMcGorry shares the devastating impact of long Covid.
This is so well told and well referenced. Thank you for sharing this important story and raising awareness.
Part 1 of 4
2 mild infections April 2022 and April 2023.
18 months later Matt has never fully recovered.
millionthofmany retweeted
“The biggest thing I want people to know about Long Covid is everyone is at risk. We don’t have the tools to keep people safe.”
Everyone should watch this
Thank you @CanCovSoc for producing such a powerful piece on LC youtu.be/p8HPBmtHzEg
millionthofmany retweeted
Read this entire post. 1,000+ dead every week across Canada. Over 50,000 dead per annum. How is it possible that this can remain hidden? I don't want this to be true, but we have to face reality.
With the transition of Canadian COVID-19 reporting to the combined respiratory virus dashboard, weekly COVID-19 deaths for Canada are no longer publicly reported by @GovCanHealth .
According to the most recent report, participating provinces reported 971 hospitalizations and 131 deaths for the period from Aug 25-Sep 28/24.
During the same period, Quebec, which accounts for 22% of the Canadian population, reported 4,691 hospitalizations and 256 deaths (current INSPQ data).
If hospitalizations and deaths are similar in Quebec and the rest of Canada (likely), the national report for the Aug 25-Sep 28/24 period should include at least 21,323 hospitalizations and 1,164 deaths.
Based on the most recent @CIHI_ICIS reporting of Quebec in-hospital COVID-19 deaths (Apr 1/22 to Mar 31/23), there were 1.28 times more documented COVID deaths in QC hospitals than were reported by INSPQ for the same period. However, CIHI captured only 84% of INSPQ-reported hospitalizations in QC for this period, meaning QC in-hospital deaths were likely ~1.52 times higher than deaths reported by INSPQ.
About 70% of all deaths in QC occur in hospitals (StatsCan), meaning actual COVID deaths were likely ~2.17 times higher in QC than reported by INSPQ, at least from Apr 1/22 to Mar 31/23.
Is QC reporting only "from" COVID deaths and excluding deaths of people who would have died anyway from other causes?
To test this, we can compare excess mortality estimates from @StatCan_eng for the same period, after correcting them to remove excess mortality attributable to toxic drug deaths and excess cancer deaths (stand-in for potential excess mortality attributable to delays in access to healthcare and MAID).
The StatsCan excess mortality program has been paused for the last 10 months, so estimates for QC are only available up to Sep 2/23, and are still incomplete for weeks before this date.
However, weekly age-adjusted per capita all-cause mortality rates for QC and other provinces are still published every month, meaning weekly excess mortality can still be estimated by comparing weekly mortality rates in one year to mortality rates in the same week of the preceding year, and using these ratios to estimate current excess mortality values compared to previous years when estimates are more complete.
From Apr 1/22 to Mar 31/23, there were 2.19 times more excess deaths in Quebec than reported COVID deaths, after adjusting for excess mortality attributable to toxic drugs and cancer.
This is very close to the CIHI-based estimate of actual COVID-19 deaths (2.17 times higher than reported by INSPQ for Apr 1/22 to Mar 31/23).
Taking the average of both methods for estimating under-reporting in QC, we know that for the year ending Mar 31/23, INSPQ reported 46% of "excess/from" COVID-19 deaths.
If we assume the magnitude of under-reporting of COVID-19 deaths by Quebec was similar after Mar 31/23, then from Aug 25-Sep 28/24 there were likely 558 excess/from COVID-19 deaths in Quebec, and 2,537 COVID-19 deaths in Canada.
Recall, the total number of COVID-19 deaths in Canada from Aug 25-Sep 28/24 reported on the new respiratory virus surveillance dashboard from PHAC: 131
So, it's likely that the new national COVID-19 dashboard is reporting, ~5% of "excess/from" COVID-19 deaths in Canada.
However, reporting of COVID-19 deaths by Quebec has actually worsened since Mar 31/23.
How do we know this? Because from Apr 1/23 to Jun 8/24 (the last date when age-adjusted all cause mortality rates are available from StatsCan), there were 6.37 excess deaths for every COVID-19 death reported by INSPQ, after adjusting for excess mortality attributable to toxic drugs and cancer.
So, from April 1/23 onward, Quebec has likely been reporting only 16% of its COVID-19 deaths.
If the under-reporting rate for Aug 25-Sep 28/24 was the same as for Apr 1/23 to Jun 8/24, then there were likely 1,630 "excess/from" COVID-19 deaths in Quebec from Aug 25-Sep 28/24, and 7,407 "excess/from" COVID-19 deaths in Canada during the same period.
Recall, the total number of COVID-19 deaths in Canada from Aug 25-Sep 28/24 reported on the new respiratory virus surveillance dashboard from PHAC: 131
So, it's likely that the new national COVID-19 dashboard is reporting, fewer than 2% of "excess/from" COVID-19 deaths in Canada for the 2024 respiratory virus season to date.
And no, Canada doesn't have exceptionally high COVID-19 mortality rates.
From December 2021 to March 2023, the estimated median weekly COVID-19 infection fatality rate for Canada was 4% LOWER than the median infection fatality rate for the UK calculated from ONS infection estimates and confirmed COVID-19 deaths, even though Canada is slightly older than the UK and has had lower rates of fresh vaccine dose uptake than the UK from 2022 onward.
What was the median weekly SARS-CoV-2 infection fatality rate for Canada during this period? 0.08747%
What was it in the UK? 0.08824%
Open access ref for UK IFRs: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/article…
Why are so few of Canada's COVID-19 deaths reported?
It's likely that at least in part it's because many/most(?) provinces now only report deaths in people infected for the first time, as @sarperotto has confirmed for BC via official communications from BCCDC.
From Dec 4/21 to date, the average person in Canada has had ~3.5 SARS-CoV-2 infections. Reporting only deaths associated with first time infections would reduce reporting by ~70%....meaning only ~30% of deaths would have been reported if this policy was in place in every province.
On top of that, testing in Canada during Omicron has declined ten times more than the decrease in infection and fatality rates, meaning that a substantial number of deaths and hospitalizations simply wouldn't be detected because of under-testing.
So, it's probably a combined issue of under-reporting and under-testing, but either way, it's an enormous problem.
As the Office of Canada's Chief Science Advisor Dr. Mona Nemer @ChiefSciCan has pointed out, Canada currently has gaps in the effectiveness of our communication about COVID-19 vaccines. Fewer than 15% of people in Canada got fresh doses in the fall 2023 campaign.
Perhaps if we started reporting more than 2% of actual COVID-19 deaths on our new national respiratory virus reporting dashboard people would better understand why getting a fresh vaccine is so important, and journalists would have real numbers they can use to help communicate about the issue.
I don't know who else to copy in on this post--it's like shouting into the wind, and I don't know what it will take for Canada and ALL provinces to start improving actual COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations.
@picardonhealth @NightShiftMD @DrGorfinkel maybe you can help resurrect a national conversation on this topic.
millionthofmany retweeted
With the transition of Canadian COVID-19 reporting to the combined respiratory virus dashboard, weekly COVID-19 deaths for Canada are no longer publicly reported by @GovCanHealth .
According to the most recent report, participating provinces reported 971 hospitalizations and 131 deaths for the period from Aug 25-Sep 28/24.
During the same period, Quebec, which accounts for 22% of the Canadian population, reported 4,691 hospitalizations and 256 deaths (current INSPQ data).
If hospitalizations and deaths are similar in Quebec and the rest of Canada (likely), the national report for the Aug 25-Sep 28/24 period should include at least 21,323 hospitalizations and 1,164 deaths.
Based on the most recent @CIHI_ICIS reporting of Quebec in-hospital COVID-19 deaths (Apr 1/22 to Mar 31/23), there were 1.28 times more documented COVID deaths in QC hospitals than were reported by INSPQ for the same period. However, CIHI captured only 84% of INSPQ-reported hospitalizations in QC for this period, meaning QC in-hospital deaths were likely ~1.52 times higher than deaths reported by INSPQ.
About 70% of all deaths in QC occur in hospitals (StatsCan), meaning actual COVID deaths were likely ~2.17 times higher in QC than reported by INSPQ, at least from Apr 1/22 to Mar 31/23.
Is QC reporting only "from" COVID deaths and excluding deaths of people who would have died anyway from other causes?
To test this, we can compare excess mortality estimates from @StatCan_eng for the same period, after correcting them to remove excess mortality attributable to toxic drug deaths and excess cancer deaths (stand-in for potential excess mortality attributable to delays in access to healthcare and MAID).
The StatsCan excess mortality program has been paused for the last 10 months, so estimates for QC are only available up to Sep 2/23, and are still incomplete for weeks before this date.
However, weekly age-adjusted per capita all-cause mortality rates for QC and other provinces are still published every month, meaning weekly excess mortality can still be estimated by comparing weekly mortality rates in one year to mortality rates in the same week of the preceding year, and using these ratios to estimate current excess mortality values compared to previous years when estimates are more complete.
From Apr 1/22 to Mar 31/23, there were 2.19 times more excess deaths in Quebec than reported COVID deaths, after adjusting for excess mortality attributable to toxic drugs and cancer.
This is very close to the CIHI-based estimate of actual COVID-19 deaths (2.17 times higher than reported by INSPQ for Apr 1/22 to Mar 31/23).
Taking the average of both methods for estimating under-reporting in QC, we know that for the year ending Mar 31/23, INSPQ reported 46% of "excess/from" COVID-19 deaths.
If we assume the magnitude of under-reporting of COVID-19 deaths by Quebec was similar after Mar 31/23, then from Aug 25-Sep 28/24 there were likely 558 excess/from COVID-19 deaths in Quebec, and 2,537 COVID-19 deaths in Canada.
Recall, the total number of COVID-19 deaths in Canada from Aug 25-Sep 28/24 reported on the new respiratory virus surveillance dashboard from PHAC: 131
So, it's likely that the new national COVID-19 dashboard is reporting, ~5% of "excess/from" COVID-19 deaths in Canada.
However, reporting of COVID-19 deaths by Quebec has actually worsened since Mar 31/23.
How do we know this? Because from Apr 1/23 to Jun 8/24 (the last date when age-adjusted all cause mortality rates are available from StatsCan), there were 6.37 excess deaths for every COVID-19 death reported by INSPQ, after adjusting for excess mortality attributable to toxic drugs and cancer.
So, from April 1/23 onward, Quebec has likely been reporting only 16% of its COVID-19 deaths.
If the under-reporting rate for Aug 25-Sep 28/24 was the same as for Apr 1/23 to Jun 8/24, then there were likely 1,630 "excess/from" COVID-19 deaths in Quebec from Aug 25-Sep 28/24, and 7,407 "excess/from" COVID-19 deaths in Canada during the same period.
Recall, the total number of COVID-19 deaths in Canada from Aug 25-Sep 28/24 reported on the new respiratory virus surveillance dashboard from PHAC: 131
So, it's likely that the new national COVID-19 dashboard is reporting, fewer than 2% of "excess/from" COVID-19 deaths in Canada for the 2024 respiratory virus season to date.
And no, Canada doesn't have exceptionally high COVID-19 mortality rates.
From December 2021 to March 2023, the estimated median weekly COVID-19 infection fatality rate for Canada was 4% LOWER than the median infection fatality rate for the UK calculated from ONS infection estimates and confirmed COVID-19 deaths, even though Canada is slightly older than the UK and has had lower rates of fresh vaccine dose uptake than the UK from 2022 onward.
What was the median weekly SARS-CoV-2 infection fatality rate for Canada during this period? 0.08747%
What was it in the UK? 0.08824%
Open access ref for UK IFRs: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/article…
Why are so few of Canada's COVID-19 deaths reported?
It's likely that at least in part it's because many/most(?) provinces now only report deaths in people infected for the first time, as @sarperotto has confirmed for BC via official communications from BCCDC.
From Dec 4/21 to date, the average person in Canada has had ~3.5 SARS-CoV-2 infections. Reporting only deaths associated with first time infections would reduce reporting by ~70%....meaning only ~30% of deaths would have been reported if this policy was in place in every province.
On top of that, testing in Canada during Omicron has declined ten times more than the decrease in infection and fatality rates, meaning that a substantial number of deaths and hospitalizations simply wouldn't be detected because of under-testing.
So, it's probably a combined issue of under-reporting and under-testing, but either way, it's an enormous problem.
As the Office of Canada's Chief Science Advisor Dr. Mona Nemer @ChiefSciCan has pointed out, Canada currently has gaps in the effectiveness of our communication about COVID-19 vaccines. Fewer than 15% of people in Canada got fresh doses in the fall 2023 campaign.
Perhaps if we started reporting more than 2% of actual COVID-19 deaths on our new national respiratory virus reporting dashboard people would better understand why getting a fresh vaccine is so important, and journalists would have real numbers they can use to help communicate about the issue.
I don't know who else to copy in on this post--it's like shouting into the wind, and I don't know what it will take for Canada and ALL provinces to start improving actual COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations.
@picardonhealth @NightShiftMD @DrGorfinkel maybe you can help resurrect a national conversation on this topic.
millionthofmany retweeted
With mild infection in healthy participants who received a #SARSCoV2 challenge there was evidence of persistent cognitive and memory changes at least one year after Covid, compared with uninfected controls
thelancet.com/journals/eclin… @ProfHampshire @eClinicalMed
millionthofmany retweeted
Typical Classroom and COVID
School is in session and many families, teachers, staff, and children are wondering how best to navigate the reality that COVID is also back in class.
The grandchildren head off to new schools this term, one to Elementary school and the other to Middle School. Nanny wonders how they’ll fare in classrooms where no one masks. What’s the air quality in the rooms? Will that help if it’s good or if they can open windows? Will they be able to stay healthy this year and not keep getting laid low by various illnesses? Should Nanny keep masking when she comes over for visits? How bad is it really?
We did some mathin’, as Stef calls it.
Using the Risk Scenario Estimator, we can answer the question people have but are afraid to ask: What’s the real risk exposure for COVID in a typical classroom?
Good news - examining the results, there are ways to reduce your or your child's risk in attending in person school during the year.
We've established our baseline risk level at times when the kids are quietly working away on a problem sheet at their desks or taking notes from the teacher. Of course, when they're singing, shouting, and having group discussions, these risks will increase.
There are two basic variables explored in the Data Cards, in two groups. Schools and air filtration.
First we’ll look at the type of school. There are MODERN schools, and OLDER schools. The Modern schools have addressed Indoor Air Quality with good up to code ventilation, from HVAC and forced air systems. As a simple reference, these are usually schools with air conditioning.
Older schools are without air conditioning, have a variety of ventilation systems, and generally have poor air quality. Good news, they may have windows that open, that can help with air quality. Opening windows and doors for natural ventilation helps keep the CO2 levels in the room down, increasing air changes per hour, improving the air quality.
Here’s a recommendation Nanny will be happy about. Encourage and support getting DIY Corsi-Rosenthal air purifier boxes into classrooms. Simple to make and very affordable.
cleanaircrew.org/box-fan-fil…
The other variable is air filtration. We’ve done estimates for both types of schools looking at classrooms with and without a Corsi-Rosenthal box in the room.
Then, because the Estimator is amazing and can do these things, we looked at 5 timeframes to show the progression of risks and present possible opportunities to lessen them.
The table shows exposure estimates that assumes one person in a classroom for a 6-hour instructional day, looking at
1 day, a 5-day week, a Fall term of 74 days, a Winter term of 111 days, and the full School Year of 187 days.
(Length of terms is based on dates set by the Ontario Ministry of Education.)
You can see in the Data Cards, the various methods of reducing risk and the striking differences they make.
Schools with air conditioning, and that put C-R boxes in classrooms, have the lowest risk, no surprise. The data shows that for the full school year, people in those classrooms, not wearing masks, have a 27% chance of getting COVID during the year.
Twenty seven percent is a significant risk, but compare that to the older school classroom without a C-R box to boost the ventilation in the room. Those maskless humans have a 69% chance of getting infected in the year.
A helpful reference is, no matter which type of school it is, when a Corsi-Rosenthal box is set up and running in a classroom, the relative risk of catching COVID for those in the room is reduced by 1/3rd.
More good news - what about masks! When used, the scary risk levels reduce enormously!
Even with just a cloth mask there’s a 10% reduction in risk. It’s even better when you’re able to both improve air quality and wear a mask. Any mask is better than no mask.
Get the children, staff and teachers to wear bright, cheery, colourful N95’s and the % risks reduce by a factor of 10, down to 3% and 5% for the year, from those hefty double digits. There ARE ways to navigate the waves to keep everyone’s health intact.
Everyone is going back to school right now at a time of high infection levels. Even if you usually don’t mask, this is an excellent time to bring them out again.
Can Nanny convince the grandchildren to wear the Pokemon and Goth patterned N95’s she stocked up on? That remains to be seen. It will need a critical mass of the community normalizing the precautions that can be taken, who understand how important it is to protect our children’s health.
ALT A blue-bordered image by COVID-19 Resources Canada with inset frame. Title: Typical Classroom and COVID Image: colourful graphic of large red schoolhouse with cheerful smiling children scattered on the grounds in front. Text in a blue box on top left: Navigating school risks. Every classroom benefits from improved air quality. Can we make the classroom safer? Provide good, clean air. Keep masks on. Footnotes: *Data source: covid19resources.ca and Risk Scenario Estimator. Image bottom left: Three students at their desks in a classroom, heads down, writing. Text in a blue box on bottom left: Activity Risks 28 students, 2 teachers, 6 hours a day, for the full school year: Your best mask keeps everyone safe! Image lower right: Superhero with an N95 mask, N95 mask on t-shirt, arms above head, hands breaking a COVID-19 germ-styled chain. "Break the chain of infection”,”COVID is NOT over, “Together We Care”, ”Wear N95 or equivalent well-fitted masks”
millionthofmany retweeted
Carl Jung... Read it five or six times today. Bookshelves of truth in a few paragraphs. Do your future self a favour
“People do not realize just how much they are putting at risk when they don’t accept what Life presents them with, the questions and tasks that Life sets them.
When they resolve to spare themselves the pain and suffering, they owe to their nature. In so doing, they refuse to pay Life’s dues and for this very reason, Life then often leads them astray.
If we don’t accept our own destiny, a different kind of suffering takes its place: a neurosis develops, and I believe that that Life which we have to live is not as bad as a neurosis. If I have to suffer, then let it be from my reality. A neurosis is a much greater curse! In general, a neurosis is a replacement for an evasion, an unconscious desire to cheat Life, to avoid something. One cannot do more than Live what one really is.
And we are all made up of opposites and conflicting tendencies. After much reflection, I have come to the conclusion that it is better to Live what one really is and accept the difficulties that arise as a result—because avoidance is much worse.
Today I can say: I have been true to myself I have done what I could to the best of my knowledge and conscience. Whether it was right or not, I cannot say. Suffering was inevitable in any case. But I want to suffer for those things which really belong to me.
A decisive factor for me in choosing this path was the knowledge that if I did not respond fully to my Life’s purpose and challenges, then they would be inherited by my children, who would have to bear the burden of my unlived Life in addition to their own difficulties. I am aware of what a heavy burden was passed on to me by my parents. Such a burden cannot simply be shaken off. You find yourself weighed down with an inheritance that you have to accept and carry around, like a snail carrying its house on its back.
Being ‘smart’ and behaving reasonably are not enough to get you through Life. You may well spare yourself some trouble, but you cut yourself off from your own Life in the process. I have seen the fate of those who have not Lived their own Lives, and it is simply horrible.
People who Live out their destiny and fulfill it to the best of their knowledge and abilities have no reason for regret. In a way, Voltaire was right when he said one only has to regret surtout ce que l’on na pas fait (‘especially what we did not do’).
It is of immense importance that we as humans accept the debts incumbent on us.
In old age it is not the wonderful things that we perhaps missed out on seeing or experiencing that we will regret, but rather the moments when we let Life pass us by.”
millionthofmany retweeted
The great writer Toni Morrison told us in 1975 about why a person might keep asking someone to define their race & how they came to that definition & when & why & prove it: it keeps you from doing your work.💡
Keep doing your work, everyone. 👇#NABJ24 #Election2024
