Change of course needed on COVID strategy

I am confused and outraged about COVID reporting by our government. The report released on April 29 listed the number of positive PCR tests. This implies that positive tests at the rapid testing sites, and rapid tests done at home and reported, are no longer counted.

If this is the case, the decline in numbers is an artifact of change in reporting, not in incidence. In addition, one now must meet very strict criteria to get a PCR test.

At the end of December 2021, there were just under 18,000 COVID cases reported, and around 110 deaths attributed to COVID, in this province. Four months later, there are more than 85,000 cases and 336 deaths.

Since April 1, there have been more than 27,000 cases and 81 deaths (25 per cent of total deaths). This does not take into account the collateral deaths because of the impact that COVID has had on the health-care system. This is the highest number of cases and deaths, by far, for any month during the pandemic. These high case numbers are occurring even though rapid tests that are reported positive are likely no longer included. It should be noted that this occurred after mask mandates were lifted. Is this a cause and effect?

The amount of information that citizens are being given is shrinking yet again. There are no longer reports on the positivity rate of PCR tests or the total number of folks in hospital with COVID. Will the government’s next decision be that citizens no longer need to know the number of positive cases and the number of deaths?

My question for the government is this: Government recently changed course on out-of-province homeowners and taxes that they must pay. Why can’t they change course on this issue and bring back masks in public places, as well as gathering limits?

A statement by our premier on the tax issue, reported in the May 4 edition of the Herald: “Sometimes, we need to pause and adjust course ... We’re not so arrogant that we can’t admit when we need to adjust.”

Why not apply the same logic when lives are at stake?