Editor:
It’s alarming how we are now being misled and neglected in this pandemic by our province.
As Omicron spreads exponentially, likely to push our hospitals beyond capacity, the B.C. government and public health authorities have not offered adequate new effective strategy, nor immediate interventions to blunt the coming tsunami of infection.
We need the same take-home rapid tests now like other provinces have provided as even twice vaccinated may not block out infection. We need a full drive to roll out boosters to all immediately. We need clearer instructions on recommended, high efficiency masks, limitations on indoor gathering and venue capacities, plus guidance on improving indoor ventilation in line with the WHO’s “vaccine plus” strategy. We know this is a more highly contagious airborne virus than any previous one, so if our authorities won’t get serious, it’s up to us to do just that by limiting indoor gatherings, getting the best N95 masks, and remembering physical distancing whenever possible.
As a recent article in The Tyee stated: “At this point, B.C. officials risk losing the public’s trust. They are inviting a preventable public health catastrophe that is likely to result in large numbers of infections, hospitalizations, deaths and long COVID.” This is tragic and alarming as we have done relatively well so far.
Juergen Dankwort
Sechelt
