Iceland enjoys the privilege of being a small nation on an island with excellent access to #COVID19 screening and sequencing. This has enabled Iceland to tell stories of this pandemic that really hit home the potential impact a single individual can have. A thread. 1/5

For months, travel to Iceland has been possible but required double qPCR screening, at the airport on arrival and 5-6 days later. People are made aware of these requirements and sign a declaration committing to the second screening and interim quarantine. 2/5

In August, a traveler screened negative on arrival. Broke quarantine, then tested positive days later. Sequencing reveals that this one person’s choice resulted in a wave that took five months to stamp out and infected 2700 - nearly 1% of the country. Caused several deaths. 3/5

There’s no shame in catching or transmitting #COVID19. So much is down to privilege & circumstance: occupation, living situation, family responsibilities. Childcare needs. Ability to work from home.

And then there’s this, which is none of those. And it’s unbearably sad. 4/5

So today I’m sitting with that. How tragic it is. How devastating it would be to be that traveler. Everyone has been selfish on occasion, cut a corner, made bad choices; but so few ever have to see and reckon with such consequences. I’m sad for them & I’m tired for all of us. 5/5

I can’t find any English articles to link to, but info is from this interview with @pmelsted about sequencing work by his team at @decodegenetics https://www.visir.is/g/20212099055d