Unnecessary Lockdown – The verdict is in; lockdowns do not save lives
BY SIMONE J. SMITH
“The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms specify that severe societal restrictions must be justified by the severity of the threat and the necessity of the interventions.”
Joel Kettner (MD MSc FRCSC FRCPC)
As I drove around the city this weekend, I couldn’t help but think that our government seems to be setting us up for failure. In his announcement about the lockdown, Premier Ford noted that people should not panic buy. What do you think everyone has gone and done? The line ups are around the block, shelves are emptying again, and people are panicking.
We are now entering the second lockdown of the year. Now, at the beginning of this pandemic, there was a debate as to whether the lockdown was necessary. Eight months later the verdict is in; lockdowns did very little to save lives, and they were definitely not worth thousands of businesses closing and the severe economic costs. The collateral damage of these lockdowns will inevitably lead to far more deaths worldwide due to the social turmoil it will cause, and the disruptions in medical care and food supplies. I would also like to mention at this point that medical professionals have reported that lockdowns slow the development of herd immunity, which helps a society move past the virus.
Experts are slowly coming out to speak against these rolling lockdowns that are happening globally. Lockdowns are now being viewed as one of the biggest medical and economic blunders of all time. Now, I am not saying that we do nothing, but these heavy-handed policies have done little to actually help those who are vulnerable to the virus. In fact, it has inflicted unnecessary suffering on the global community.
I will say this; there are more people questioning this lockdown and for good reason. Many people were early supporters of lockdowns when fear and panic drowned out data and reason. Now that we are paying more attention to numbers questions are arising. The CDD currently estimated that COVID-19 has a survival rate above 99.9% for people under 65 years old. CDC also estimates that 37 to 187 children die every year from the flu. This year we have lost 105 children from the flu. Yet, we are closing down schools, which go a long way towards limiting the development of herd immunity.
As many of us now, every country has adopted extreme lockdown measures. Sweden for example, acted on scientific advice to handle their COVID-19 spread. They advised their citizens to take sensible social distancing steps, but didn’t close their schools or small businesses. The Swedes are actually in a much better place than us in the Western world. Their actions have made them immune from the second wave, having achieved “herd immunity.” Meanwhile, citizens of lockdown countries remain susceptible to the virus. It is beginning to look like these countries got it right, and we are still getting it wrong.
Experts are making a compelling case that although social distancing is an excellent way for individuals to avoid catching the virus; lockdowns of the economy, and the province simply are prolonging the life of the virus. I had the opportunity to speak with
Dr Joel Kettner, Manitoba’s first Chief Provincial Public Health Officer. I was interested in speaking with him after his interview on CBC radio. In his interview, he made some statements that caught my attention.
“I have never seen anything like this, anything anywhere near like this. I’m not talking about the pandemic, because I’ve seen 30 of them, one every year. It is called influenza. And other respiratory illness viruses, we don’t always know what they are. But I’ve never seen this reaction, and I’m trying to understand why.”
I will say this. Speaking with Dr Kettner is like sitting down with the family doctor you have had for years. Our interview ended up turning into a lecture because he had so much knowledge to share. I hope that you do get an opportunity to watch the interview. He asks the difficult questions, explains why the numbers and the reaction do not add up, and his issues with the PCR test.
Before my interview with Dr. Kettner, I read his article, “A new normal, or new abnormal? Change in direction needed on COVID-19 response.” This gave me an opportunity to see what his stance was on the topic. I have always found it strange that the new Ministers of Health would not consult with the Ministers who have come before them. Our ancestral past tells us that during times of current struggle, we should turn to our elders; those who have come before us, who may know a little more than we do.
In his article, he asked some pertinent questions, ones that I think we should take into consideration. Let’s take a look at some of these questions, and while you are doing so, I want you to come up with some answers for yourself.
What type of new normal do we want?
Do we want the continuation of restriction of commerce, travel, recreation, and social gatherings?
Do we want our children attending virtual and part-time school with forced physical distancing?
Do we want to continue discouraging human interaction and mandating the covering of smiles?
Should we just accept unremitting unemployment and economic hardship – especially for those in our community who are disproportionately affected by any world disaster?
Another aspect of this pandemic that Dr Kettner questions is the accuracy of the PCR testing. For many, the science behind it is very confusing, so during our interview, Dr Kettner took the time to break it down. Some of the Western nation’s leading public health experts are concerned that the standard tests are diagnosing huge numbers of people who may be carrying relatively insignificant amounts of the virus. A review by The Times found that in three sets of testing data that included cycle thresholds, compiled by officials in Massachusetts, New York and Nevada, up to 90% of people testing positive carried barely any virus.
Dr Kettner goes into detail about the cycle threshold. Most tests set the limit at 40, a few at 37. That means that you are positive for the coronavirus if the test process required up to 40 cycles, or 37, to detect the virus. When the thresholds are so high, the test may detect not just live viruses, but also genetic fragments, or leftovers from an infection that poses no particular risk. Any test with a cycle threshold about 35 is too sensitive. Virologists at the University of California believe that a reasonable cut-off would be 30 to 35, or even less.
Get this; C.D.C’s own calculations suggest that it is extremely difficult to detect any live virus in a sample above a threshold of 33 cycles. So if this is the case, what standards are we using to broadcast cases each day, and it leads to the next question; are we using these false positive tests to lockdown our countries?
Since we are talking about cases, let us take a look at the numbers. This is another aspect of the pandemic that Dr Kettner does not understand. He speaks strongly about putting things into perspective. In Manitoba, one per 25,000 Manitobans has died. That is less than 1% of all deaths. 20% of the ICU beds had admissions, and in a typical flu season, the majority of ICU beds are occupied with people who have a variety of viral and bacterial infections. This year, they are using up less than 1% of the ventilators.
Another aspect of this viral infection that we know is that it primarily affects older people. 80% of the deaths in Canada are in people over the age of 85, and are living in personal care homes. Based on Statistics Canada data, for every COVID-19 death, there have been 10 deaths from other causes.
You see this is the thing; we have lost sight of the other common causes of premature death and their pressure on the health system, including heart disease, cancer, chronic lung disease, and other injuries. Dr Kettner believes that instead of focusing on reducing the spread of the virus, there should be risk based analysis that will help health care professionals focus on those who are part of the high risk/vulnerable part of our society. He believes we should allow more freedom for everyday life for those who are at a much lower risk. Dr Kettner has dealt with a pandemic each year for over the last 30 years. I think he might know a thing or two about how to navigate them.
There needs to be clear evidence (which there is not) regarding the benefits of this most recent lockdown. There needs to be a clear reliable model that shows how many additional lives will be saved because of this lockdown. There needs to be policies that are more balanced, practical, tolerable and fair. We, as a community, should have the freedom to make informed decisions about our health.
Regardless, here we are again, going back into another lockdown, and maybe we should not be so forgiving of experts who seem to be okay with destroying people’s livelihoods without strong evidence, without due process, and without consideration to how this is going to affect the world in the future. Time will tell, but COVID-19 might just go down as one of the political world’s biggest, most shamefully overblown, overhyped and irrationally inflated and most flawed responses to a health matter in the world’s history.
BY RUSHANE FERRON
The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) has received an unprecedented number of submissions for this year’s FiWi Short Film Competition. Launched earlier this year, the competition drew an impressive 47 entries. Currently, 17 shortlisted films are available for public viewing on the JCDC’s YouTube channel, with winners set to be announced on October 24th.
Executive Director of the JCDC, Mr. Lenford Salmon, expressed pride in the competition’s growing success, stating, “This record number of entries reflects how Jamaicans are embracing the programmes offered by the JCDC. While the Commission is well known for preserving and showcasing our culture, we also recognize the importance of using technology to engage, particularly with our youth. The FiWi Short Film Competition is a perfect example of how we can bring our culture to life in the digital age. The fact that it’s four years old and already experiencing this level of growth is a promising sign for the future.”
Drama and Theatre Arts Development Specialist at the JCDC, Mr. Shaun Drysdale, attributes this year’s spike in entries to the increasing interest in filmmaking, fueled by the proliferation of social media platforms that support storytelling through visuals.
“We are living in a digital age. Filmmaking is now in the hands of the average person on the street via his, or her cell phone. Add to that the inherent creativity of Jamaicans and you are left with a potent combination, which when given the correct environment, can reap tangible rewards. That is what we are experiencing at this time,” Mr. Drysdale said.
The JCDC FiWi Short Film Competition seeks to promote Jamaican culture through the production of films ranging from 3-5 minutes in duration. The films must be based on set criteria, and primarily centred around a Jamaican proverb.
This year’s proverbs are: “Sweet mout fly follow coffin go a hole”; “Puss nuh hab han, but him tek him foot wipe him face”; “Keep clear a ole house, les dem fall dung pon you”; “Rockstone a riber bottom nuh feel sun hot”; and “Finger tink, yuh cyan cut eh trow ‘wey”.
In addition to the proverbs, participants were also given two special themes around which to build the treatment of their films, based on concepts provided by two sponsors. These are: “SEAS IN FOCUS: Uniting for marine managed areas”- National Conservation Trust Fund of Jamaica (NCTFJ) and “Need a passport quick, Get it with just a click”- Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA).
Mr. Drysdale further noted that this year’s shortlisted films represent a variety of the possible genres with eleven dramatic works, two animation films, one comedy, one documentary and two science fiction films. Three of the participants are from the youth category, which is for filmmakers between 12-18 years old and the remaining 14 from adult category.
In addition to viewing the short films online, the public will have an opportunity to view at a special screening to be held on National Heroes’ Day, Monday, October 21st, 2024, as a feature of JCDC National Heritage Fest and Family Fun Day being held on the south lawn at Devon House in St Andrew.
The FiWi Short Film Competition was started by the JCDC in 2021 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The competition is the brainchild of the JCDC’s Drama and Theatre Arts Unit and encourages Jamaican amateur filmmakers to examine selected Jamaican proverbs and based on their interpretation create the treatment for a short film.
BY PAUL JUNOR
The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO), which administers the Grade 3, 6 and 9 assessments across Ontario and the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT), recently released the 2024 results. For many schools across the province, EQAO results are a snapshot of how students are doing compared to their peers in other schools at the same grade level.
The York Catholic District School Board (YCDSB) has maintained a high level of consistency with respect to the outstanding performance of its students on the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) and the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT). In a media release on Wednesday, October 9th, 2024, details were revealed about the positive achievements and exemplary accomplishments of its students.
EQAO results were released on September 26th, 2024. The focus was, “Mathematics Achievement Remains an Area of Focus but Sees Gradual Growth Over Time with Some School Boards Showing Significant Increases; Literacy Achievement Remains High but Shows Some Decline.” The data was based on the 2023-2024 school year during which over 570,000 students wrote the EQAO assessments at the elementary and secondary levels on the English and French-language school systems.
For students who wrote the Grade 3 Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics:
- 71% met the provincial standard in reading compared to 73% in 2022-2023, and 73% in 2021-2022.
- 64% of Grade 3 students met the provincial standard in writing, compared to 65% in 2022-2023 and 65% in 2021-2022.
- 61% of Grade 3 students met the provincial standard in mathematics, compared to 60% in 2022-2023 and 59% in 2021-2022.
For students who wrote the Grade 6 Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics:
- 82% met the provincial standard in reading, compared to 84% in 2022-2023 and 85% in 2021-2022.
- 80% met the provincial standard in writing, compared to 84% in 2022-2023, and 84% in 2021-2022.
- 50% met the provincial standard in mathematics, compared to 50% in 2022-2023 and 47 % in 2021-2022.
For students who wrote the Grade 9 Assessment in Mathematics:
- 54% met the provincial standard, compared to 54% in 2022-2023 and 52% in 2021-2022.
For students who wrote the Grade 10 Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT):
- 85% of first-time eligible students were successful, compared to 85% in 2022-23 and 82% in 2021-2022.
- 52% of previously eligible students were successful in 2023-2024, compared to 63% in 2022-2023 and 85% in 2021-2022.
John De Faveri, Interim Director of Education of the YCDSB writes, “We are always looking for ways to provide a better school experience, but today is a time to celebrate our students and staff for their excellent academic achievement. I want to particularly highlight the incredible work that is being done in mathematics, which we see in these results. Mathematical literacy is such an important life skill and we are happy to share a love of numbers with our students.”
Results from the Grade 3, 6 and 9 EQAO Mathematics results show improvement in Mathematics compared to 2023. In addition, with respect to reading and writing results for Grade 6 there has been a consistent steady upward rise in the performance of students as 89% and 90% of students met or exceeded provincial standards when compared to the province’s average of 82% and 89%.
Elizabeth Crowe, Chair of the Board of Trustees for YCDSB states, “EQAO results are just one of the ways we see how York Catholic is leading the province in educational achievement. As a Catholic learning community, we want to see every child succeed and EQAO results help us measure our progress toward that noble goal.”
Overall, the percentage of students who participated from YCDSB in Grade 3 and 6 EQAO were 97% and 98%, respectively. For Grade 9 Math assessment there were 93% of eligible students and 97% in the OSSLT.
Any parents or guardians interested in learning about the 2024 EQAO and OSSLT results and individual school results for their children can check the EQAO’s website: https://www.eqao.com/results/.
BY PAUL JUNOR
There is: planning, preparation, and organization that parents, guardians and caregivers must make in York Region as they prepare their children for high school. For those who chose to send them to a high school at the Catholic board, there are open houses planned to make this process easier to navigate.
In a press release on Thursday, October 10th, 2024, details were revealed about these open houses. It notes, “The open houses will highlight key aspects of each school, including administration, programs, graduation requirements, uniforms, school structure, student opportunities and more. In addition, information about the registration process, including registration dates, deadlines and documents needed to enroll, will be discussed.
The media release mentioned the seven regional programs, and ten Specialist High Skills Majors (SHSM) programs. They include:
Advanced Placement
Programs with an extended and enriched curriculum allow students to earn credits or advanced standing at most universities.
English as a Second Language
(ESL) and English Literacy Development (ELD)
English as a Second Language and English Literacy Development programs assist English language learners from diverse linguistic and education backgrounds in attaining English language proficiency.
French Immersion (FI)
Students who completed the Elementary French Immersion programs, or equivalent can continue with the immersion program to earn a French immersion certificate upon graduation.
High Performer Athlete (HPA)
An academic-based program for student-athletes participating in competitive-level athletics. Students benefit from a flexible timetable to help balance their academic and athletic commitments and earn high school credits for the work they put into their training.
International Baccalaureate (IB)
A rigorous and intellectually challenging pre-university course of study that allows students to earn an IB Diploma upon graduation, recognized in Canada and abroad.
Regional Arts (RAP)/Integrated Regional Arts Program(iRAP)
Students specialize in drama, dance, visual arts, digital media arts, instrumental music, or vocal music- while obtaining their high school diploma. In the iRAP, students experience their learning through an integrated model where the curriculum is explored in relation to the interconnectedness of the individual, the community, and the world.
STREAM Program
Students explore real-world challenges and use the design thinking process to develop critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication skills, guided by the traditional Catholic social teachings. This academic program uses an interdisciplinary approach to inquiry and problem-based learning.
Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)
Students can obtain a diploma with a specialist in either: Arts and Culture; Aviation and Aerospace; Business; Health and Wellness; Hospitality and Tourism; Information and Communication Technology; Justice, Community Safety and Emergency Services, Manufacturing; or Non-Profit. Every YCDSB school offers a SHSM program.
Parents or guardians who live in York Region and are interested in any programs can check: Website: www.ycdsb.ca
Record entries for JCDC FiWi Short Film Competition
York Catholic is leading the province in educational achievement
York Catholic District School Board plans open house for future high school students
The Legacy Awards; Showcasing diverse talent and celebrating the contributions of underrepresented communities
There is always more than meets the eye – Cormega is not your average artist
Celebrating Miss Lou: A life of poetry, music and love
YOGA: Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation) for sufferers of hypertension or heart disease
Kemtek Development launches new exclusive gated community in Jamaica!
Tourism-Related Live Streaming – The Manifold Ways it Can Create a Buzz for a Destination
Send groceries to Jamaica in a flash, how? GroceryList Jamaica
Ravi’s West Indian Grocery – Fresh Products Weekly Straight from Guyana!
ASA Meats & West Indian Groceries – Serving Freshness & Quality to the Community
Nadine Sutherland – A woman who continues to reinvent herself
Knia Singh – Light Up The Darkness
Spragga Benz – Light Up The Darkness
Kyle Kemper – Light Up The Darkness
David Icke – Light Up The Darkness
Ohio’s Bill 248 and Dr. Sherri Tenpenny’s compelling testimony
-
Community News1 week agoThe Caribbean diasporic dynamic: Untapped potential power
-
Community News1 week agoAmerican individualism and Canadian cooperative thought; Alternatives offered to free people
-
Community News1 week agoTed Rogers Centre of Management presents Critical Race Theory in Action
-
Community News2 weeks agoEven when memories fade, traditions can live on; the impact of the short film, Sugar Dumplin
-
Community News1 week agoThe Silent Struggle Resolved; The World Literacy Foundation presents, “The Literacy Pen”
-
Junior Contributors2 weeks agoIt’s a clever way to grab attention and make us want to eat
-
Community News2 weeks agoSomeone once said data is the new gold: That was no lie
-
Community News1 week agoIs Canada’s Wonderland participating in the racial profiling of young black men too?
Michael
November 27, 2020 at 5:30 pm
Well Said and factual too.