References: The Science on SARS-COV-2
Protect Our Province BC bases our advocacy on the best and most current available evidence, which is carefully reviewed by our members and advisors. The articles listed below represent a selection of this evidence. Clicking "Read More" will open a brief summary that links to a new tab on the website of whichever source is referenced in the title.
You can review PoP BC's supporting evidence by type of publication, or by subject matter.
Review PoP BC References by Topic
Browse our references, or use the following thumbnail links to navigate to the section of this page where we have listed a selection of the supporting evidence for our key public health recommendations and demands.
References: The Science on SARS-COV-2
Protect Our Province BC bases our advocacy on the best and most current available evidence, which is carefully reviewed by our members and advisors. The articles listed below represent a selection of this evidence. Clicking "Read More" will open a brief summary that links to a new tab on the website of whichever source is referenced in the title.
Review PoP BC References by Type of Publication
The New England Journal of Medicine: Rethinking Covid-19 Test Sensitivity — A Strategy for Containment
It’s time to change how we think about the sensitivity of testing for Covid-19. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the scientific community are currently almost exclusively focused on test sensitivity, a measure of how well an individual assay can detect viral protein or RNA molecules. Critically, this measure neglects the context of how… Continue reading The New England Journal of Medicine: Rethinking Covid-19 Test Sensitivity — A Strategy for Containment
The Lancet: Clarifying the evidence on SARS-CoV-2 antigen rapid tests in public health responses to COVID-19
The use of rapid lateral flow antigen testing (LFT) for SARS-CoV-2 has been questioned1, 2, 3 with uncorroborated4 reports of poor LFT sensitivity. The debate surrounding the use of the Innova Lateral Flow SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Test in the UK risks confusing policy makers internationally and potentially stalling deployment of LFTs in other countries.5 As scientists and health professionals evaluating some… Continue reading The Lancet: Clarifying the evidence on SARS-CoV-2 antigen rapid tests in public health responses to COVID-19
Science: COVID-19 testing: One size does not fit all
Many types of tests are available for COVID-19 for clinical and public health use (see the figure). Testing can be performed in a central laboratory, at the point of care (POC), or in the community at the workplace, school, or home. COVID-19 testing begins with specimen collection. For medical use, a nasopharyngeal swab collected by… Continue reading Science: COVID-19 testing: One size does not fit all
Science: Test sensitivity is secondary to frequency and turnaround time for COVID-19 screening
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a public health crisis. Because SARS-CoV-2 can spread from individuals with presymptomatic, symptomatic, and asymptomatic infections, the reopening of societies and the control of virus spread will be facilitated by robust population screening, for which virus testing will often be central. After infection, individuals undergo a period of incubation during… Continue reading Science: Test sensitivity is secondary to frequency and turnaround time for COVID-19 screening
USA Today: Ventilation and air filtration play a key role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 indoors
As the nation reopens after COVID-19 restrictions, people across the country are making decisions about going back to the office or putting their children back in classrooms. But how can you make the right call? We asked the experts how to improve indoor air quality, and what questions to ask your boss or school administrator.… Continue reading USA Today: Ventilation and air filtration play a key role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 indoors
Medical News Today: Schools will need more than fresh air to stop COVID-19: MIT study
In the early days of the pandemic, researchers proposed that the main route of SARS-CoV-2 transmission was either via large droplets that people exhaled in a projectile motion through coughs and sneezes or via surface contamination. Recent work, however, has uncovered that virus particles can also infect others via long-range spread. Behind this long-range spread are bioaerosolsTrusted Source, which… Continue reading Medical News Today: Schools will need more than fresh air to stop COVID-19: MIT study
CDC Science Brief: Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in K-12 Schools and Early Care and Education Programs – Updated
Schools and early care and education (ECE) programs are an important part of the infrastructure of communities. They provide safe, supportive learning environments for children and adolescents and employ teachers and other staff.1, 2 Schools and some ECE programs also provide critical services, including school meal programs and social, physical, behavioral, and mental health services.1, 3 Schools… Continue reading CDC Science Brief: Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in K-12 Schools and Early Care and Education Programs – Updated
BC CDC: Provincial COVID-19 Communicable Disease Guidelines for K-12 Settings
This document was developed by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the BC Centre for Disease Control, Indigenous rightsholders and education partners including teachers, parents and school leaders to outline the principles and requirements for maintaining safe learning environments. These comprehensiveguidelines build on the Public Health Communicable Disease Guidance for K-12 Schools developed by… Continue reading BC CDC: Provincial COVID-19 Communicable Disease Guidelines for K-12 Settings
PHA of Canada: Evidence on the Virulence, Transmission and Impact of B.1.617.2 (Delta) among Children
As of September 2021, children have stated the new school year and Canada has entered the fourth wave of the pandemic (18, 19). Delta is the dominant variant across Canada and the number of and proportion of Delta cases is increasing across the country and modelling studies have predicted that the daily number of cases… Continue reading PHA of Canada: Evidence on the Virulence, Transmission and Impact of B.1.617.2 (Delta) among Children
World Health Network Infographic: Covid-19 School Safety
This infographic from the World Health Network illustrates how multiple layers of protection work together to ensure the safety of kids in an educational setting.
Oz SAGE infographic: Safe Indoor Air for Kids
This infographic outlines critical tools for enhancing air quality in educational settings, recommended in addition to the consistent use of masks.
ON Ministry of Education: School Ventilation
We would like to recognize the extensive work that has been undertaken by all school boards over the past year to optimize and improve ventilation and filtration in schools. As a result of these efforts, we are pleased to note that ventilation improvement measures have been reported in all schools in all school boards across… Continue reading ON Ministry of Education: School Ventilation
COVID-19 is Spread Through the Air we Share
USA Today: Ventilation and air filtration play a key role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 indoors
As the nation reopens after COVID-19 restrictions, people across the country are making decisions about going back to the office or putting their children back in classrooms. But how can you make the right call? We asked the experts how to improve indoor air quality, and what questions to ask your boss or school administrator.… Continue reading USA Today: Ventilation and air filtration play a key role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 indoors
Medical News Today: Schools will need more than fresh air to stop COVID-19: MIT study
In the early days of the pandemic, researchers proposed that the main route of SARS-CoV-2 transmission was either via large droplets that people exhaled in a projectile motion through coughs and sneezes or via surface contamination. Recent work, however, has uncovered that virus particles can also infect others via long-range spread. Behind this long-range spread are bioaerosolsTrusted Source, which… Continue reading Medical News Today: Schools will need more than fresh air to stop COVID-19: MIT study
The Lancet: Ten scientific reasons in support of airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2
Ten streams of evidence collectively support the hypothesis that SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted primarily by the airborne route.
Wired: The 60-Year-Old Scientific Screwup That Helped COVID Kill
The distinction between droplet and airborne transmission has enormous consequences. To combat droplets, a leading precaution is to wash hands frequently with soap and water. To fight infectious aerosols, the air itself is the enemy. In hospitals, that means expensive isolation wards and N95 masks for all medical staff.
The Royal Society: What Are Droplets and Aerosols and How Far Do They Go? A Historical Perspective on the Transmission of Respiratory Infectious Diseases
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed major gaps in our understanding of the transmission of viruses through the air. These gaps slowed recognition of airborne transmission of the disease, contributed to muddled public health policies and impeded clear messaging on how best to slow transmission of COVID-19.
Air Quality (Ventilation & Filtration) Upgrades Are Required
ON Ministry of Education: School Ventilation
We would like to recognize the extensive work that has been undertaken by all school boards over the past year to optimize and improve ventilation and filtration in schools. As a result of these efforts, we are pleased to note that ventilation improvement measures have been reported in all schools in all school boards across… Continue reading ON Ministry of Education: School Ventilation
Wiley Online: The impact of particle filtration on indoor air quality in a classroom near a highway
Abstract A pilot study was performed to investigate whether the application of a new mechanical ventilation system with a fine F8 (MERV14) filter could improve indoor air quality in a high school near the Amsterdam ring road. PM10, PM2.5, and black carbon (BC) concentrations were measured continuously inside an occupied intervention classroom and outside the… Continue reading Wiley Online: The impact of particle filtration on indoor air quality in a classroom near a highway
REHVA: Indoor Air Quality and Thermal Environment in Classrooms with Different Ventilation Systems
This article presents the measurements of indoor climate in classrooms in the same school in Denmark. The classrooms had different ventilation systems: Ventilation was achieved either by manually operable windows, or by automatically operable windows with and without an exhaust fan in operation, or by a balanced mechanical ventilation system. Indoor air temperature and carbon… Continue reading REHVA: Indoor Air Quality and Thermal Environment in Classrooms with Different Ventilation Systems
USA Today: Ventilation and air filtration play a key role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 indoors
As the nation reopens after COVID-19 restrictions, people across the country are making decisions about going back to the office or putting their children back in classrooms. But how can you make the right call? We asked the experts how to improve indoor air quality, and what questions to ask your boss or school administrator.… Continue reading USA Today: Ventilation and air filtration play a key role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 indoors
BC Must Increase Our Testing Capacity (Both RAT and PCR)
The New England Journal of Medicine: Rethinking Covid-19 Test Sensitivity — A Strategy for Containment
It’s time to change how we think about the sensitivity of testing for Covid-19. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the scientific community are currently almost exclusively focused on test sensitivity, a measure of how well an individual assay can detect viral protein or RNA molecules. Critically, this measure neglects the context of how… Continue reading The New England Journal of Medicine: Rethinking Covid-19 Test Sensitivity — A Strategy for Containment
The Lancet: Clarifying the evidence on SARS-CoV-2 antigen rapid tests in public health responses to COVID-19
The use of rapid lateral flow antigen testing (LFT) for SARS-CoV-2 has been questioned1, 2, 3 with uncorroborated4 reports of poor LFT sensitivity. The debate surrounding the use of the Innova Lateral Flow SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Test in the UK risks confusing policy makers internationally and potentially stalling deployment of LFTs in other countries.5 As scientists and health professionals evaluating some… Continue reading The Lancet: Clarifying the evidence on SARS-CoV-2 antigen rapid tests in public health responses to COVID-19
Science: Test sensitivity is secondary to frequency and turnaround time for COVID-19 screening
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a public health crisis. Because SARS-CoV-2 can spread from individuals with presymptomatic, symptomatic, and asymptomatic infections, the reopening of societies and the control of virus spread will be facilitated by robust population screening, for which virus testing will often be central. After infection, individuals undergo a period of incubation during… Continue reading Science: Test sensitivity is secondary to frequency and turnaround time for COVID-19 screening
Science: COVID-19 testing: One size does not fit all
Many types of tests are available for COVID-19 for clinical and public health use (see the figure). Testing can be performed in a central laboratory, at the point of care (POC), or in the community at the workplace, school, or home. COVID-19 testing begins with specimen collection. For medical use, a nasopharyngeal swab collected by… Continue reading Science: COVID-19 testing: One size does not fit all
Kids Can Catch COVID, with Potentially Serious Consequences.
CDC Science Brief: Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in K-12 Schools and Early Care and Education Programs – Updated
Schools and early care and education (ECE) programs are an important part of the infrastructure of communities. They provide safe, supportive learning environments for children and adolescents and employ teachers and other staff.1, 2 Schools and some ECE programs also provide critical services, including school meal programs and social, physical, behavioral, and mental health services.1, 3 Schools… Continue reading CDC Science Brief: Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in K-12 Schools and Early Care and Education Programs – Updated
ON Ministry of Education: School Ventilation
We would like to recognize the extensive work that has been undertaken by all school boards over the past year to optimize and improve ventilation and filtration in schools. As a result of these efforts, we are pleased to note that ventilation improvement measures have been reported in all schools in all school boards across… Continue reading ON Ministry of Education: School Ventilation
REHVA: Indoor Air Quality and Thermal Environment in Classrooms with Different Ventilation Systems
This article presents the measurements of indoor climate in classrooms in the same school in Denmark. The classrooms had different ventilation systems: Ventilation was achieved either by manually operable windows, or by automatically operable windows with and without an exhaust fan in operation, or by a balanced mechanical ventilation system. Indoor air temperature and carbon… Continue reading REHVA: Indoor Air Quality and Thermal Environment in Classrooms with Different Ventilation Systems
USA Today: Ventilation and air filtration play a key role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 indoors
As the nation reopens after COVID-19 restrictions, people across the country are making decisions about going back to the office or putting their children back in classrooms. But how can you make the right call? We asked the experts how to improve indoor air quality, and what questions to ask your boss or school administrator.… Continue reading USA Today: Ventilation and air filtration play a key role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 indoors
The BMJ: Long covid: One in seven children may still have symptoms 15 weeks after infection, data show
A large study of children and young people who caught SARS-CoV-2 has found that as many as one in seven (14%) may still have symptoms 15 weeks later.1 However, this figure is lower than in some studies that have reported a prevalence of long covid as high as 51% in children and young people. Speaking at… Continue reading The BMJ: Long covid: One in seven children may still have symptoms 15 weeks after infection, data show