YOU SAID IT: Shames Canada

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SHAMES CANADA

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A recent report indicated that the Taliban are now executing anyone involved in helping Canada and other allies during the long war. Top priority should have been given to removing those who risk their lives working directly with the Canadian military and now under a death sentence. These brave Afghans should have been ousted before US President Joe Biden handed Afghanistan over to the Taliban along with a long record.

Allowing any Afghan considered an ally to be assassinated by the Taliban not only embarrasses Canada, but will also make it very difficult to obtain foreign human assets to assist Canada during future foreign conflicts.

LARRY COMEAU

OTTAWA

(Of course.)

OMICRON QUESTION WITHOUT ANSWER

Nine medical researchers, primarily in South Africa, but also including McMaster University Professor Jonathan Dushoff, have published a preprint of a paper in which they report that their analysis of South African data shows that “the Omicron variant is associated with a substantial ability to evade immunity from a previous infection. “They conclude that this” has important implications for public health planning, particularly in countries like South Africa with high rates of immunity to previous infections. “

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They leave unanswered whether Omicron is also capable of evading vaccine-induced immunity.

The researchers analyzed data on 35,670 suspected reinfections among 2,796,982 individuals with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2. Individuals who had positive sequential tests at least 90 days apart were considered to have suspected reinfections. They identified 35,670 people with at least two suspected infections, 332 people with suspected third infections, and one person with four suspected infections.

They found that reinfection was lower during waves driven by the Beta and Delta variants than during the first wave. In contrast, the spread of the Omicron variant was associated with increased reinfection. They note that the number of new daily reinfections has recently skyrocketed. They believe this was prompted by the appearance of the Omicron variant.

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Vaccination coverage in South Africa was very low for much of the study period. Whether Omicron can also evade vaccine-derived immunity will have important implications.

CHRIS BRETT

GLOUCESTER

(If we have learned anything during this pandemic, it is that there is still much to learn.)

IT’S NOT YOUR ‘FREE TIME’

Breaking news for Coun. Carol Anne Meehan. The “half hours” in which the sun shines between your scheduled meetings is not your “free time” to walk your dog. Taxpayers pay you for an eight-hour shift. Not just while in a meeting. I’m sure there are plenty of city business that she can handle while she’s not in a meeting … and with taxpayer money.

CHRIS ROBLEE

OTTAWA

(Likewise, there are likely a lot of city business problems that she serves outside of that typical eight-hour day.)

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SCIENCE FOR $ 1,000

In the year 2525, if the man is still alive (who sang it) and Jeopardy! can survive, I have no doubt this will be part of a show:

“I choose Science for $ 1,000.”

“Five hundred years ago, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Omicron, to name just a few, were a huge problem around the world.”

“What are COVID-19 variants?”

JILL YOUNG

OTTAWA

(And the contestant will probably know the answer since it is not a Canadian city.)

They just don’t care

Re: No idea about Canada, letter, Dec 1

Many Canadians have said similar things to the letter’s author’s comments. Americans have commercial and military interests around the world and even in space. Canada really isn’t that important to them.

I’m sorry about that.

GORDON BALL

OTTAWA

(Oh!)