A true/false check on city bar outbreak
Let's clear up some misconceptions on the story about a Saskatoon bar identified last week as the epicentre of a “potential” superspreader event.
1. There's a bar named Crackers located on Pinehouse Drive: True.
2. The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) identified a “potential COVID-19 superspreader event” at Crackers Restaurant and Karaoke Bar between Dec. 23 and Jan. 4: True.
3. The case count linked to Crackers had risen to 75 as of Monday, making it one of Saskatchewan's largest outbreaks: True.
4. We know for sure that Crackers was issued a fine in relation to the outbreak: False.
We don't know. On Tuesday, Premier Scott
Moe strongly suggested Crackers had been fined, but the SHA, Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Health have refused to confirm that.
5. The outbreak has been identified as connected to karaoke: False.
The SHA investigation found neither karaoke nor dancing were determined to be a factor in the outbreak, but issued a reminder that karaoke and dance floors remain prohibited in Saskatchewan.
6. Crackers had been operating a “singing league.” True.
The bar's website reports a singing league was operating as late as Halloween weekend. The league was complying with the ban on karaoke by requiring singers to register remotely before showing up to belt out a tune. Much of that information has been removed from the Crackers website.
7. The singing league had continued to operate over the holiday season: False.
There's no evidence the league was operating after tighter restrictions for bars and restaurants were introduced in November.
8. Crackers ownership and management has been outspoken about the outbreak: False.
Other than a statement on the Crackers social media accounts on Jan. 11 advising that the establishment would close for cleaning, there has been no communication. Calls and messages from The Starphoenix have not been returned.
9. The SHA has clearly defined what constitutes a superspreader event: False.
There appears to be no case threshold for being identified as a superspreader event, although it has been suggested that the term implies spread of the virus beyond those who attended a specific location in a given time frame.
10. The province provided more information about a previous superspreader event at a gospel outreach series over two weeks in Prince Albert in the fall: True.
We were told at least 86 cases were linked to the event in 17 communities, and that contact tracing involved 450 people.
11. Most restaurants and bars have flouted the regulations introduced to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic: False.
The Ministry of Health says nine tickets have been issued to bars and restaurants since May and 10 written warnings since the start of the pandemic for violating public health rules. Hospitality Saskatchewan says there are 900 to 1,000 restaurants in the province, including 765 licensed restaurants.
12. Tickets always indicate guilt: False.
Of the 28 tickets issued for violating public health orders in Saskatchewan up to Dec. 31, only five resulted in convictions. Thirteen await a court date and 10 were withdrawn or jurisdiction was lost.
13. Social media plays a big role in shaping people's perceptions on whether bars and restaurants are following the rules: True.
Few would dispute the impact of widely shared videos of the crowded dance floor at Divas Nightclub in Saskatoon in October, or people dancing in a Regina bar this month.
14. Social media always sticks to the facts and takes a responsible approach: Laughter.
15. Surely when it comes to the pandemic, people are taking a responsible approach on social media: More laughter.
A widely shared Twitter post about Crackers mentioned the outbreak happened at a karaoke bar, which led many to assume the cases were linked to karaoke when there's no proof of that.
16. Social media takes a diligent approach to correcting mistakes and misconceptions:
Hysterical laughter
17. Trying to correct or clarify a post on social media is difficult to impossible. True. (Sigh)