Great example of why it takes communities working together to prevent the spread of #COVID19Ontario. We are so proud to work with TNO-THE NEIGHBOURHOOD ORGANIZATION Flemingdon Health Centre Health Access Thorncliffe Park. All hospitals doing COVID19 testing need to reach deeply into neighbourhoods to develop trust. #OneEastToronto

We are incredibly grateful to the team at Michael Garron Hospital. Read more about how testing students during the school day is a first for Toronto. ➡️ tgam.ca/2JkqBby

“Because most people are symptomatic, concentrating on identifying them will probably eliminate most transmission events.” This is why we must encourage everyone with symptoms, even if very mild, to get a test as quickly as possible and then isolate while waiting for the result.

I keep getting asked about the possibility that sars-cov2 will be with us for a long time (many of the questions are driven, I think, by Chris Murray’s statement that we won’t simply “put this behind us”). I do think it is likely to become a seasonal, endemic virus

Thank you Justin Trudeau for taking the time to hear about what we've been seeing on the ground and to learn more about Michael Garron Hospital efforts to help keep schools safe. Chris Kandel @jpowi Sarah Downey Kevin Edmonson @panthony1986 Tavia Caplan James Callahan Maureen Taylor

Students and staff returning to in-person learning on Feb. 16 are encouraged to get tested for #COVID19 at one of the following pop-up testing sites in #EastToronto today and tomorrow. Testing is also available at other nearby sites: ow.ly/OJtF50Dy5y2

1/ A few points to clarify a few points... These vaccines are really really good, but not perfect. One dose of a vaccine provides excellent protection against #COVID19 infection, but of course 2 doses provide more protection.

The VAST majority of #COVID19 cases, hospitalizations, & deaths are occurring in non-vaccinated people. #VaccinesWork!💉💪🏻

NEW: time for a proper thread on B.1.617.2, the subtype of the Indian variant that has been moved to "variant of concern" today by Public Health England. First, it’s clear case numbers from this lineage are growing faster than other imported variants have done in the UK.

1/ *** Thread: *** Pseudo-experts mangling child suicide data for political purposes. ************ This thread has statistics, but it also calls out shitty people & shitty behaviour. Stats now. Drama at #13.

Why are patios closed in the first place? We know the risk of outdoor transmission is negligible & we've known this for a while. Schools are complex. I would have granted local MOH capacity to decide given heterogenous burden of COVID in ON & different needs of communities.

Reminded this morning that when the federal government condemned Islamophobia, 91 Members of Parliament voted against. Their names are here: ourcommons.ca/Members/en/vot… If you support #solidarity, consider voting for someone else next time.

We aren’t testing enough to catch all cases. So, as we reopen, it’s a good idea to assume that you will meet people who have Covid. Get fully vaccinated as soon as you can. Until then, meet people outside and keep your distance. And please stay home if you have symptoms.

Kevin Vuong did not earn the right to represent our Spadina-Fort York community. He should do the honourable and right thing and step aside. If he wants to sit as an independent MP, he should campaign for the job as one.

For the “everyone’s gonna get omicron” crowd: maybe. But consider the difference between waves causing erosion over time, vs a tsunami. The issue is immediacy and magnitude. Especially when we have unused tools (like booster vax) that can blunt impact.

When they say: “We need to learn to live with COVID” What they really mean is: Let’s just give up on protecting health workers, essential workers, People with Disabilities, elders, children, unhoused people, immunocompromised people & the vulnerable...from the harms of COVID.