Reposted by Anneke
With the US imploding into full-blown fascism, it's important not to take our eyes off the implosion of public health and infection control into more or less the same thing, with H5N1 waiting in the wings. The cover up of their very big mistake on COVID prevents adequate preparations for bird flu.
![[Simulated overhead projector slide:]
Second page of the May 2025 edition of the BC Pharmacare Newsletter continued.
Pharmacists are encouraged to remind people that:
• Provincially supplied kits do not expire until May or June 2026 [commentary: As if SARS-COV-2 would've disappeared by then. And what about the people who missed the announcement?]
• Test kits are not needed as they once were because COVID-19 is in decline [commentary: We'll still need a way to test for it.]
• Kits have been distributed for free in B.C. since 2020, with demand on a steep decline [commentary: SOURCE? And so what?]
• Kits will be available for private purchase at many pharmacies in the future [commentary: And shift the onus of buying them onto people making $1,500 a month!]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:dy4l7kqcar73iaezbjxzwiui/bafkreiebnmx7ofespkudhu7yjoo27ln6til4fuovnkzsbijvetfz426sr4)
![[Simulated overhead projector slide:]
The silent erosion of COVID-19 awareness & management in B.C.:
A TIMELINE
[A timeline of the year 2025 and the January of 2026. Numbered diamonds are placed on the timeline to mark the events below.]
1. April 16: Amount & timeliness of SARS-CoV-2 sample data uploaded to GISAID, an online repository, deteriorate.
2. May: The end of RAT Kit Distribution Program is announced in a professional newsletter. This provided free RAT kits to pharmacies.
3. May 31: RAT kits orders from this day onwards would not be reimbursed.
4. June: The BCCDC page dedicated to how COVID-19 spreads is removed.
5. September 1: Under the MSP, less than 20 people will be allowed in an online group medical visit. Scores of bed and housebound people will lose telehealth access to a long COVID and ME/CFS clinic. Delayed until January.
6. September 15: Sponsored Vancouver Sun article suggests the program that generates SARS-CoV-2 data from wastewater samples would be expanded and describes the then-current state of the program.
7. September 18: The wastewater surveillance program is cut: 8 of 12 wastewater treatment plants will no longer be monitored, and 1 sample will be taken per week instead of 3.
8. October 14: The year's vaccination campaign starts with widespread shortages.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:dy4l7kqcar73iaezbjxzwiui/bafkreicfxyqn7yche43lpphoqb6slre4klaq6t4imyqeyzc7ohly5awrga)
![[Text on an yellow octagon meant to look like the output of an overhead projector.]
The silent erosion of COVID-19 awareness & management in B.C.:
A TIMELINE
[A timeline of the year 2025 and the January of 2026. Numbered diamonds are placed on the timeline to mark the events below.]
1. April 16: Amount & timeliness of SARS-CoV-2 sample data uploaded to GISAID, an online repository, deteriorate.
2. May: The end of RAT Kit Distribution Program is announced in a professional newsletter. This provided free RAT kits to pharmacies.
3. May 31: RAT kits orders from this day onwards would not be reimbursed.
4. June: The BCCDC page dedicated to how COVID-19 spreads is removed.
5. September 1: Under the BC medical services plan, less than 20 people will be allowed in an online group medical visit. An unknown number of bed- & house-bound people will lose telehealth access to the BC-CLMF, a long COVID & ME/CFS clinic. Implementation delayed until January.
6. September 15: Vancouver Sun publishes a sponsored article, suggesting the program responsible for generating SARS-CoV-2 data from wastewater samples would be expanded & describes the then-current state of the program.
7. September 18: The wastewater surveillance program is cut: 8 of 12 wastewater treatment plants will no longer be monitored, and 1 sample will be taken per week instead of 3.
8. October 14: The year's vaccination campaign begins to widespread shortages.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:dy4l7kqcar73iaezbjxzwiui/bafkreibyc7hcwrwtwlid453tk3fv523vx3cziv4g5qksvdrks6b3ymxo2a)
