Government ineptitude on coronavirus continues

The federal government is looking into introducing COVID-19 testing for essential workers crossing Canada’s land border, CBC News

Government ineptness continues. Essential workers crossing the Canada – USA border should be a priority for immunization, not for testing. Exemptions were made to facilitate integrated trade and accommodate long-standing arrangements for workers from one side of the border filling essential roles on the other side.

Minister Blair was made aware of severe staff shortages in long term care facilities in April 2020 but did not take action except to note that provinces would have to ask the military for help. How many deaths could he have prevented if potential problems in long term care facilities would have been part of emergency preparedness planning?    

Immunization of essential cross-border workers should be a joint Canadian – USA project – both nations benefit from avoiding cross border infections.
Essential workers need to be high on the COVID immunization priority list. They are the largest single group that has frequent contact with members of the public. Many are on hourly wage and have no sick leave benefits to cover a quarantine period, so they are forced to work even if feeling unwell.

Exemption from COVID regulations does not diminish the risk essential workers face from exposure to the public. They are a vulnerable group who can become unwilling virus carriers.

On another front, according to Statista, Canadian deaths (all causes) were 287,460 in 2019 and 300,310 for 2020. That is an increase of 12,850. There should have been some increase in deaths year to year (about 1.85%) due to increases in population and changing demographics. That would have made the 2020 number 292,788. The difference of 7,532 would be due to COVID, but we are told that COVID deaths at the end of December were 15,651. The numbers do not add up, which is not surprising.

Breaking news: According to the Canadian Press, Contagious Variant of COVID-19 Now Identified in All 10 Provinces. Suddenly the original coronavirus is no longer contagious? Government efforts to keep us isolated and afraid to participate in what makes life worth living have become ridiculous. The original coronavirus was supposed to be highly contagious and result in exponential increases in infections and deaths. It never came close. Why should we believe Dr. Theresa Tam now?

There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that COVID variants are more infectious than the original virus. https://www.rosemaryfrei.ca/laying-out-the-evidence/