Ontario lockdown 'not supported by strong science,' says former chief medical officer of health

Dr. Richard Schabas, former medical officer of health for Hastings and Prince Edward Counties, sits in his office at Hastings and Prince Edward Public Health headquarters in Belleville, Ont. Wednesday, November 5, 2014. PHOTO BY LUKE HENDRY /The Intelligencer

 

The province’s top doctor for most of the ’90s says the Ford government’s COVID-19 response is ‘misguided’

Richard Schabas held the senior position from 1987 to 1997 and served as chief of staff at York Central Hospital during the 2003 SARS crisis. «Lockdown was never part of our planned pandemic response nor is it supported by strong science,» Schabas wrote. Schabas says that the COVID-19 modelling the province is working with is faulty and that fatality rates have declined as doctors and scientists have learned more about the disease. «Reasonable estimates of the infection fatality rate from Covid have been declining as we learn more,» he said.

«Models that predicted hundreds of thousands of deaths from Covid in Canada were badly wrong because they used incorrect, exaggerated inputs». «MPP Roman Baber sent you a public letter calling on your government to change course on Covid,» said Schabas. Schabas’ letter goes on to say that the cost of lockdowns outweighs the benefits compared to more moderate public health measures. «We will be paying for lockdown — in lives and dollars for decades to come».

Source: Jordan Fleguel | NP