More COVID-19 press briefings coming to B.C. but they won't feature Dr. Bonnie Henry
A group calling themselves non-partisan health professionals are holding their first briefing on B.C.'s COVID-19 response this week, citing a lack of transparency and a "worrisome lack of science-informed pandemic response" from officials in the province.
Protect Our Province BC says its members include scientists, infectious disease experts, policy analysts and community organizers. The organization wants to see the number of COVID-19 cases in British Columbia drastically reduced.
Dr. Karina Zeidler, co-founder of the group and a family physician, says there's a growing disconnect between what the scientific community is learning about COVID-19 and the messaging coming from the province, particularly when it comes to how big a role aerosol transmission plays in the virus' spread. One of the key issues the group hopes to tackle is how to keep the virus at bay and dramatically decrease how much of it is circulating in the community.
"If the B.C. government is saying that the main mode of transmission is droplets and we're putting forward that the main mode of transmission is aerosol, then that's, you know, a criticism ... of the government," she explained to CTV News in an interview.
Zeidler said aerosol transmission means people inhaling smaller droplets that go farther and hang out in the air much longer than larger droplets.
Protect our Province BC says the government should implement several measures to try and reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus, including effective ventilation and air purification, expanded use of high-quality masks, easy-to-access rapid testing, improved contact tracing, and better exposure notifications.
At the B.C. legislature, asked how the new briefings might impact how the public views the ones with himself and Dr. Bonnie Henry, Health Minister Adrian Dix said he wasn't worried.
"Dr. Henry is a renowned international expert on her subject matter, she’s an extraordinary public health officer," Dix told reporters.
"There’s a robust debate here in Canada and everywhere on these issues, and Dr Henry, I can tell you, listens to everyone, so she takes all of the evidence presented to her very seriously. We have an outstanding team, it’s why she has led pandemic response, not just on this continent, but on other continents."
The briefings will be modelled on ones being held in Alberta. Outspoken health professionals in that province are largely credited with helping pressure the government to implement enhanced COVID-19 measures that have started bringing down the number of cases.
Asked how the group would ensure the accuracy of its statements given it doesn't have access to the same information as government, Zeidler said the goal isn't to replace the B.C. Centre for Disease Control or public health experts, but to question whether more can be done and if the right measures are in place.
"I think that in every healthy democracy that holding our government to account is an important thing."
The format of the briefings will include commentary on case numbers, assessment of where the pandemic is headed, and will feature experts from a variety of fields to share their experiences and strategies to reduce transmission. Members of the media and public will also be able to ask questions. At this point, the goal is to hold them weekly with past episodes uploaded to the website protectbc.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.