One of the hardest things about the pandemic is trying to keep up with the latest news/developments/theories (and the fact these are ever-changing gives a lot of fuel to anti-vaxxers which is a different discussion.)
Even as a trained librarian who’s pretty obsessively following the latest in Covid news, I’m the first to admit I don’t know everything or may get things wrong or that there are a range of policies/understandings out there and often no one “right” answer (for example, Sask is one of the only jurisdictions letting kids get their booster less than eight weeks after the first. Good? Bad? Who knows?)
Recently a colleague questioned my suggestion that rapid tests could be used on the throat as well as the nose but luckily, I was able to find the tweet – by high profile local doctor, Alexander Wong – where he suggested this very thing after having an initial moment of “Did I actually read that? Was it from a reliable source? Do I spend too much time on Twitter?” ;-).
That is why it makes sense to sample more than one site (eg. throat AND nose) for your rapid test. This gives you a better chance to sample 'enough' virus to trigger your test to become positive, based on what we know about how the virus replicates faster in the throat.
4/
— Dr. Alexander Wong (@awong37) December 27, 2021
Here are some other tweets that have stood out recently:
– Some good advice on masks from an expert:
I see a lot of people – on both "sides" – making simple mistakes about masks. I've studied PPE, taught PPE, and overseen PPE programs, including teams implementing fit testing in hospitals, long before covid.
A thread
— Joseph Allen (@j_g_allen) December 29, 2021
– “You should assume there is an Omicron-positive person in any public place you may visit”
Dr. Hinshaw reiterates that you should assume that there is an Omicron-positive person in any public place you might be going to.
— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) December 28, 2021
– I don’t give the Scott Moe government credit for much but widely distributing rapid test kits through a variety of outlets for free is one of his best decisions (and honestly, seeing how popular they are at the library, I think it was maybe a missed opportunity to not put them out earlier and take credit politically.)
https://twitter.com/Rhino_Bob/status/1476289235388936195
– On the same note though, lots of talk about how widely available rapid tests could end up causing undercounting of official numbers or even have implications for future disability claims.
@CMOH_Alberta: I didn't think I could reach a point where I would be more angry with you but here we are. By telling everyone to report their positive RATs to their Family Doctor, you have thrown us under the bus medicolegally. I have confirmed with CRA today. Read on
?1/10
— TRexMD (@TRexMD780) December 29, 2021
– Can’t find the tweet now but read a good one saying how “Omicron is mild” is misleading, both because “mild” can be a relative term and still cause illness and even death but also because Omicron being more transmissible can still end up causing more hospitalizations just based on volume of people getting it. Or how it could have a great impact on workplaces – hospitals, testing centres, schools, restaurants, retailers, libraries, etc. – even if only a handful of staff get it and have to isolate for 10 days.
[Edit: found it…
https://mobile.twitter.com/ConorLazarou/status/1476235252557402114
– Finally, a bit of humour about another advantage of having access to rapid tests…
Got invited to my 10 year high school reunion pic.twitter.com/iA9YWdso0z
— Sheri Martin (@sherimart) December 28, 2021