This Harvard Prof absolutely NAILS it. Most important piece I've read on Covid. Vaccines will take time but what do we do now? Read for the answer. Coles Notes (that's Canadian slang): Health Canada and FDA need to approve rapid antigen tests. https://bit.ly/36ZZMkP 

Basic stats tutorial is critical here on two sides, 1 = conditional probability & 2 = exponential growth @jkwan_md @DrKaliBarrett @michaelmina_lab @JustinTrudeau @CPHO_Canada

1=Conditional prob. If each tst has a 97% prob of sensing covid (abbot looks like 98%), then 2 tsts (if indep of each other) is a 99.91% chance of sensing. Say they aren't fully independent, the rate will still be above 98%. With so many asymptomatic, many 98% test results is

2 = Exponential growth. If you can find a few asymptomatic cases / spreaders and cut the rate of spread by 20%, then after a few wks, you'll reduce cases by 80%. 0.8^7 = 0.2. If each transmission cycle is a wk you've cut cases by 80% in 7 wks.

Who wouldn't want to take an at home $5 test before going to visit grandma? Why don't we give $3 off gas or prescriptions or groceries or all of them if people take a rapid test at checkout? We'd catch so so many cases that we'd get exponential growth of the shrinkage kind

Let's be smart. And live better sooner.

Pls approve these rapid tests Health Canada. They don't have to be that accurate to make a massive difference. Listen to the Harvard Prof...

@celliottability @TOPublicHealth @HealthCanada