NanaimoNewsNOW's Water Cooler looks at three COVID-19 related questions surrounding data and case spread. (BC Government)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Water Cooler: COVID-19 trends, community transmission and data discrepencies

Jan 31, 2021 | 10:08 AM

NANAIMO — The Water Cooler is NanaimoNewsNOW’s letters to the editor segment, featuring conversations about the news in Nanaimo and Oceanside.

This week’s feature focuses on three submissions related to the COVID-19 pandemic: the reporting of daily numbers, how cases are being transmitted and NanaimoNewsNOW’s reporting of data from Island Health.

Liz B., Ladysmith: How come your numbers are always different from the rest of the media?

NanaimoNewsNOW: In late 2019, the province adjusted how it reports daily case counts and in doing so caused a logistical issue with the health authorities. Island Health reports daily case counts on their own dashboard, released at 4:00 p.m. every weekday. The province reports at or after 3:00 p.m. weekdays.

The issue is caused by the province and Island Health having different 24 hour cycles, which adjusts the daily case counts but ultimately results in the same number of cases over time.

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NanaimoNewsNOW decided to report Island Health data instead of provincial reports for two main reasons.

First, Island Health provides a daily breakdown of regions meaning we can report more localized data. Secondly, Island Health verifies all the new cases to confirm they are actual Island residents and not visitors who live elsewhere.

We believe this choice will cut down on data corrections moving forward and allow us to better present how the pandemic is affecting residents of central Vancouver Island instead of just the Island Health region or B.C. as a whole.

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Maurice F., Nanaimo: Just wondering why the government is talking like the pandemic is gradually going away? When in actual fact daily in many, many news casts, (and we see it in real life daily too), they are showing that its gotten so much worse…People in charge NEED to SHUT THINGS DOWN!!!

We find it ridiculous Bonnie is saying its ok for kids to be in school,(some without masks), and things are getting better, and in the VERY NEXT news cast 30 seconds later they tell us about yet ANOTHER record number of DEATHS DAY!!

Unbelievable…thats just one example of many… Why are we, and you the news people not doing anything about it…you have to start showing people that have this same opinion and start helping humanity more than just rolling cameras. That goes for ALL news casters…They are killing people off and no one is doing nothing…SHAME on us all..

NanaimoNewsNOW: There is a delicate balance being struck between harsh restrictions bringing a quick end to the pandemic and maintaining as much of regular life as possible.

Throughout the pandemic, the B.C. government has maintained a passive approach and only acted through health orders when the science dictated it. We’ve seen this in the shutdown of venues promoting close contact like bars, nightclubs and high-intensity sports.

We have not heard the government suggest the pandemic is “going away”, rather the opposite. Dr. Henry famously called for British Columbians to do more in the face of case numbers which have dropped, but are at a potentially tipping point for a third wave.

It’s important to take the daily case counts in perspective. One day’s low numbers can be followed by a record the next, however several factors go into the numbers. Test positive rates certainly influence things, but so do the number of tests conducted and processed by the BC CDC.

The challenge for the news media is to provide context for those numbers. NanaimoNewsNOW makes daily effort to put numbers in context, report trends as well as daily case counts and keep everything we report in perspective for how the central Island is coping with a global issue.

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Jacqueline G., Nanaimo: Can you tell us just how these cases are spreading. Shopping? A worried 70 year old!

NanaimoNewsNOW: A vast majority of cases continue to be linked to existing cases or clusters. Island Health breaks down how cases are transmitted after contact tracing is completed.

This means more than three quarters of all cases are because of a direct exposure to a confirmed case. Likely scenarios in this category are household contacts (i.e.: one family member contracts, with others in the house later testing positive) or extended work contacts.

The number of cases linked to random public exposure like going to the grocery store or other essential business are miniscule. Provided you’re following public health practices such as wearing a mask, maintaining distance and practicing personal hygiene then the chances to contract COVID-19 remain very low on Vancouver Island.

Join the conversation. Submit your letter to NanaimoNewsNOW and be included on The Water Cooler, our letters to the editor feature.

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