1/ I welcome the apparent change of heart by the Ontario Science Table. Zero Covid fantasies are now permanently off the table. This allows Ontario to finally focus the debate on more reasonable goals and plans.

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2/ One good aspect of the new Ontario Science Table plan is that there is no mention of test and trace (aside from a side remark in the context of paid sick leave). OST seems to understand its futility now. This bodes well for the future.

3/ A very basic problem with the new OST plan is that it's still based on "winging it" -- we threw long-established pandemic plans out the window last Spring. Implementation of even theoretically sound "winging it" policies is always a huge problem.

4/ The inevitable implementation problems are even bigger with theoretically dubious policies such as lockdowns/stay-at-home.

5/ Whenever we adopt a policy that the government hasn't spent years preparing for, we should not be surprised when the implementation is very, very imperfect. Often governments mess up even policies they prepare for years.

6/ So neither the OST nor the public should act surprised when the implementation of the latest round of new “winging-it” policies inevitably policies goes wrong.

7/ OST’s preferred policy still centers on lockdown/stay-at-home, albeit gentler versions of them (again, this softening is a good thing). Or at least it's expressed in gentler language.

8/ The public still hasn’t grasped the fact that, as test and trace was known to fail, Ontario’s implicit plan for this Winter -- and absent a vaccine also for the next 12 years or so -- was simple: “lockdown forever”.

9/ Think about it, Ontario’s plan was to live like this for up to 12 years. The Lost Generations Plan, 100% based on “winging it”. Then think about Florida, which chose the Focused Protection Plan. Where do you want to be now?

10/ OST like the entire professional class now calls for Paid Sick Leave. To think this is some magic bullet is just insulting toward essential workers. Discussion of them in the plan seems also condescending ("must wear masks all times" - even alone?) https://twitter.com/MikkoPackalen/status/1383904513245933571

11/ As @rubiconcapital_ has admirably documented, Ontario has pushed the burden disproportionately to essential workers already, contrary to the equity goals long at the center of public health (and now endorsed also by OST). Yet we continue to lock down. https://twitter.com/rubiconcapital_/status/1371594833786245127

12/ OST plan wants movement restrictions between regions/countries. I doubt they have considered what long-term costs this othering of people living elsewhere will have. I'm very worried that these costs are extremely large, well in excess of any potential benefits.

13/ And where do these movement restrictions end? At city borders? At neighbourhood borders? And how does the OST want this enforced? Will the OST own the inevitable significant implementation problems that arise with it?

14/ Paid sick leave and regional movement restrictions are no better justified as means to stop the spread than test and trace was last Summer (note how badly that failed, as was expected). Why do we keep selling the public these populist solutions one after another?

15/ Again, the main take-away from today is that any #ZeroCovid hashtags/banners/petitions were just for show. This is a very good thing. We can refocus the debate now. And the OST got one thing 100% correct.

‘There is no tradeoff between economic, social and health priorities’ says the Ontario Science Table. This is true. Lockdowns and school closures hurt our health directly and also make us poorer. And poverty always kills.