Tag: Ontario

Covid Alert, Covid-19, Ontario, Public health, Toronto

Moving from aspirational to effective contact tracing

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How many times have we heard the tune “Shoppers Drug Mart employee test positive for Covid-19 in the Junction”? What are we supposed to do with this information other than sharing it on Facebook hoping your friends who shop at that location are notified. But even if they are informed questions are raised. Which employee tested positive? Because if it was an employee solely moving boxes in storage the clients may not have much to worry about, but if it was someone working as cashier many clients would have been exposed. In summary, the problem with this scenario is that it is aspirational contact tracing. And it fails to answer a key question: how did that employee contract the virus?

https://dailyhive.com/toronto/shoppers-drug-mart-covid-19-december-18

Ideally, everyone who was in the building between the hours the employee worked should be notified of potential exposure. The Covid Alert app could help, but it would require that the employee who tested positive and those exposed have the app running on their smartphones. And since its adoption is voluntary and requires a newer smartphone not everyone has it. Hence this remarkable app should be seen as one of many ways to combat the pandemic and not a silver bullet.

As a Canadian who grew up abroad and has backpacked around our beautiful globe, I tend to ask myself: what else are other countries doing to solve this problem, which by now has affected every corner of the earth. 

Quick Response (QR) codes are effectively being used for contact tracing by businesses in Asia, Europe, and Oceania:

https://esnetwork.ca/briefings/qr-codes-as-an-approach-to-contact-tracing-for-covid-19/

On the local scene, a Canadian company has developed a QR code contact tracing solution to help businesses:

New app developed in Durham Region aims to help business owners with contact tracing

Based on the above study, QR code contact tracing solutions work best when managed by service providers for a specific transaction, for example, a movie night. So when you enter the theatre you would present your tickets and scan a QR code with your smartphone. Cineplex will not get your contact details, all they will see is a randomly generated identification code e.g. UserElVez has entered the theatre. Employees would scan the QR code when their shift begins. So, If Employee007 who later tests positive was working when UserElVez was in the theatre UserElVez would be automatically and confidentially notified of potential exposure. Naturally, all clients and employees who were in the theatre at the same time as Employee007 would also be notified. Since the movie is 2 hours long the system would automatically know when UserElVez left the building. 

Finding out how Employee007 contracted Covid might be best left to contact tracing professionals working for local public health units. However, notifying who may have been exposed by Employee007 at work to Covid can be automatically done by QR code systems, thus allowing contact tracers who are already overworked to focus on other critical matters.

QR code contact tracing is far superior to pen and paper which restaurants in T.O. were using in the summer for contact tracing since pen and paper can easily lead to privacy breaches. It is positive to see many local businesses adopt QR code solutions, but to be truly effective widespread adoption is needed. Here is a situation where local governments can take the lead and encourage the use of QR code contact tracing.

QR code contact tracing is more effective and secure than pen and pencil.
Covid-19, Ontario, Parkdale - High Park, Public health, Public safety, Toronto

Restaurant patio tents must have at least two full sides open

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By now you likely know that “the data available so far indicate that indoor transmission of the virus far outstrips outdoor transmission.” Which is a key reason why outdoor dining is safer than indoor dining. As the weather has become colder in Toronto, we have seen patio tents in restaurants become ubiquitous. Which raises the question: at what point does dining in an enclosed tent become as risky as dining indoors?

What does the law say? First, let’s look at the CaféTo guidelines.  Which state:

A tent/structure may be permitted on private property if the following requirements are met:

  • An area that is covered by a roof, canopy, tent, awning or other element, must have at least two full sides open to the outdoors and cannot not be blocked by other walls or physical…

Some might argue that this requirement is just a guideline. However, Ontario Regulation 263/20 RULES FOR AREAS IN STAGE 2 mirrors the above guidelines and states in Schedule 2:

12.  If an outdoor dining area at the establishment is covered by a roof, canopy, tent, awning or other element, at least two full sides of the entire outdoor dining area must be open to the outdoors and must not be substantially blocked by any walls or other impermeable physical barriers.

13.  If an outdoor dining area at the establishment is equipped with a retractable roof and the roof is retracted, at least one full side of the outdoor dining area must be open to the outdoors and must not be substantially blocked by any walls or other impermeable physical barriers.

Based on the above it is a legal requirement for restaurant patio tents to have two full sides open to the outdoors. The purpose of this requirement is to increase outdoor airflow and thus reduce the risk of Covid transmission.

What happens if you see a restaurant that is not in compliance with this requirement e.g. a completely enclosed tent with customers inside? You may want to heed the purpose of this requirement and not dine there due to the risks. If you know the owner, you might want to inform them about these requirements. You also can contact 311 to inform the City of potential noncompliance.

Restaurant workers and owners have been hard hit during this pandemic. I admire their resolve in face of trouble and their use of patio tents to save their jobs and business. As the weather becomes colder there might be a temptation to close the tents i.e. not have at least two full sides open. However, these rules are there to protect us. While there is a case that all levels of government might not be doing enough to help the restaurant industry, that is still no excuse for not complying with regulations that protect safety.

Restaurant patio tents must have at least two full sides open
Covid-19, Ontario, Public health, Toronto

Covid hotspots in the GTA

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You may have heard in the news that Brampton unfortunately is a Covid hotspot in the General Toronto Area (GTA). Recent numbers show us that Peel Region has reported 1,180 cases since August 1, 2020 compared to the City of Toronto which reported 1,357 cases for the same time frame. The problem is that Toronto (with 2.9 million) has almost twice the population of Peel Region (with 1.5 million) yet the number of cases is comparable.

These numbers tell us that any Provincial plan to tackle this problem must go beyond blaming a few partygoers and bars. There is a strong case for more and wider testing especially in these hotspots to contain outbreaks. Also, I would like to speak to my fellow Toronto residents and say it is time to become less Toronto centric since many people live in Peel yet work in Toronto and vice versa. Therefore, any solution must consider that Peel and Toronto are in this problem together. After all, we have several Covid hotspots in Toronto as well.

We all need to demand our members of provincial Parliament more testing and improved contact tracing now otherwise we will be looking at the very real possibility of a Covid second wave in the GTA.

Covid cases in the GTA since August 1, 2020
Covid-19, Ontario, Public health, Public safety, Toronto

Covid transmission indoors

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In early 2020 there was a Covid outbreak in an air-conditioned restaurant in Guangzhou, China. A study about this specific outbreak concluded that,“droplet transmission was prompted by air-conditioned ventilation.” A subsequent study recommended avoiding re-circulated air and maximizing outdoor air supply in buildings. Then the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) produced a guidance document for re-opening schools and universities.  However, one key fact remains: there is less risk of Covid transmission outdoors than indoors.

We can safely conclude that there is less risk outdoors, because most Covid transmissions have taken place indoors, and there has only been a limited number of outdoor transmission cases, as per Ian Hanomansing’s informative tweet.

This knowledge should be driving our public policy. Specifically, in the following areas:

  • University and school classes need to be outdoors (weather permitting) or better yet completely online,
  • Bars and restaurants need to have open windows or preferably patio seating, and
  • Employers may need to upgrade their ventilation systems and implement engineering controls.

On a personal note, it was sad to see Brothers Food & Wine permanently closed. I have wonderful memories of spending time there with family. However, it was admirable to see the owners of Brothers recognize that it would not be responsible to reopen a locale which did not lend itself to physical distancing.

Likewise, we must all do our part during this pandemic and whenever possible take our activities outdoors. If outdoors is not an option nor is staying at home, employers and educational institutions must rely on professional advice to implement risk mitigation measures, such as engineering controls, personal protection equipment, physical distancing and upgrading of ventilation systems.

brothers
Brothers Food & Wine is now permanently closed.

Covid Alert, Covid-19, Ontario, Public health, Public safety, Toronto

The case for Canada’s Covid Alert app

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There are five reasons why we should all be optimistic about Canada’s new Covid Alert app:

  1. An Oxford study indicates that Contact Tracing apps have the potential to significantly reduce Covid transmission (noting that half of transmission cases occurred before symptoms were present);
  2. Both, Korea and Taiwan have implemented highly successful Contact Tracing apps;
  3. The low level of virus exposure notifications by some European Contact Tracing apps can be explained by the fact that social distancing measures are still in effect and these apps are still in the early stages of adoption;
  4. The Bluetooth technology used to determine “close contact” might be new, but is continuously improving; and
  5. Apple and Google, which developed the Application Programming Interface (API) used by Covid Alert, prioritized privacy.

Critics of the new app are correct to point out that many essential workers and retired folks might not be able to afford a smartphone to run this app. Nonetheless, these problems can be resolved by implementing new laws requiring employers to provide smartphones to essential workers, just like they are required to provide them with Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). Furthermore, governments should strongly consider providing free smartphones to seniors and anyone who cannot afford them in their efforts to turn the tide against Covid.

Engineers, scientists, and those working with new technologies understand that no innovation is perfect from the get-go. In fact, several iterations may be required to have a successful Covid Alert program. It is not in our spirit to give up when the going gets tough. Otherwise, Canadians would not have invented the electric wheelchair, the pacemaker, or the telephone just to name a few of our innovations.

This blog post is a call to all engineers, programmers, scientists, technologists, and innovation enthusiasts in Ontario to download the Covid Alert app today, and to please help your co-workers, family and friends install it as well. The science says Contact Tracing apps have the potential to significantly reduce Covid transmission. Now it is our turn to use Covid Alert, help improve it, and do what we do best which is to protect the public.

CovidAlert