#cleanhands — Public Fediverse posts

> Abdu Sharkawy
22 hrs
I won't sugar coat this. In much of Ontario, including GTA our daily numbers of #COVID19 have been steadily rising for weeks, no more so than in the last 10 days. While some of this is accounted for by increased testing, most of this is not and reflects a real rise in the incidence of new cases in our community.

> The reproductive number over time (Rt) is a key metric of the status of transmission. In simple terms, it represents the number of people that are being infected by an individual case. If Rt is > 1, it means each person infected with COVID-19 is likely to be infecting at least 1 other person and that person at least another, and so on, and so on. Simply put, it's the precursor to exponential growth on a pandemic curve. Said otherwise, it's the beginning of the 2nd wave.
In the GTA, Rt has been over 1 for 31 days.

> Just stats you say? What if I told you that at my hospital, UHN, (the largest acute tertiary care hospital network in Canada), we went from ZERO cases of Covid-19 for several weeks to 7 in the last 7 days, majority in ICU? THIS is very worrisome. Why? Once cases spill into hospital, especially the ICU, it's an indication that community transmission has exceeded a critical threshold. The virus has crept from those who are asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic and reached those who are more vulnerable and immune compromised who will be at much greater risk of severe illness. It's here and it's real. We have a choice now. We can deny, dismiss and minimize, inviting threat of an even worse 2nd wave and more lockdowns. Or we can remember what we did just a few months ago knowing our mindset and behavior made all the difference to survive. Respect the threat of Covid-19. Respect your family, your elders, your neighbors, your co-workers, your teachers, your whole community.

> Make it simple. Be vigilant. Practice your 3 W's.
#WearAMask #WatchYourDistance #WashYourHands
We can avoid both the flu and Covid-19 this way.
We are not helpless. Our destiny is in OUR hands.
#CleanHands #OpenHearts #BeatCOVID19

#toronto @covid19 #staythefuckhome