Dear every human in Ontario:

I know I'm repeating pandemic comms rules a lot but *someone* has to!?!?

Let's start over.

Do you want to end this pandemic as fast as we can?

Yes

Or

No

....?
#onpoli

Okay let's assume your answer is Yes.

Y'all following so far? Remember you said Yes!
....

Situation context:
We need TWO pieces to work to end pandemic.

1. **Decision makers** imposing controls, like speed bumps and road design.

You can design pedestrian fatalities out of the equation with good design.

You can limit and starve the virus with policy and controls.

2. Us the public have to comply with controls.

BUT we don't have much choice when things are closed. That's a BIG chunk of infections: when we close opportunities for infection cases go down. So this surge can't be all private parties!

So no matter how you look at it, decision-makers, not we the people, are in the driver's seat overall.

Right off the bat, being angry with each other is pretty darn useless and a waste of energy.

And it gets even worse.

When we blame and shame each other, instead of decision-makers, we're not only helping them avoid blame and put off decisions. And focusing on the wrong people.

We're making pandemic worse. In fact, the "Covididiots" meme has def made pandemic worse.

When you call other people names (insulting politicians and powerful people is fine) you're not helping them learn.

You're making it far more likely the person embraces disinformation.

You're actually giving them an incentive to believe disinformation!!!!!

(THINK ABOUT IT)

*You're helping indoctrinate them*. You're part of the brainwashing process disinformation groups depend on.

Bc when you lash out, when you're cruel to people, you're behaving exactly as they said you would.

"Omg they were right!"

The actual "Covididiocy" is on our side.

I know this is hard to hear.

Because the vast majority of people make this mistake regularly, unknowingly enabling disinformation and the virus.

Every day.

It's okay. I get it. People need a release.

*I'm not shaming you.*
(Ba dum tsss )

Don't feel so bad.

EVERYBODY makes this mistake.

Even most people in the health worker community. (but they're in another mental zone we can't grasp.)

There's only two people I can think of who never, ever break the rule:

However, "everybody is doing it" is a piss poor excuse. Isn't it?

We don't accept that from toddlers.

Crikey, we don't even accept that excuse from our dogs.

ASIDE:
Don't worry.

No grannies were harmed in the making of that GIF: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wired.com/2017/05/viral-videos-fake-can-tell-pixels-physics/amp

Remember: we are being watched.

Everything we say and do is being examined and studied by someone in the future.

**History is literally watching us.**

A historian. A scientist. A public inquiry researcher. A student.

They're looking at us right now. Hey guys!

There are people not even born yet who will spend their entire lives studying this pandemic.

Fine details no matter how small will be examined.

They will debate our decisions.

They will assess our morality. Our characters.

They will try to map out a chain of cause and effect

Not saying 'perform for the camera'.

But ask yourself: am I helping or harming the cause of aiding or saving lives? All of us are playing a role, no matter where or who we are.

How will eyes 20-50 years from now judge it?

What are your descendants thinking?

Your descendants will have access to almost limitless data about you. They will pour over it out of sheer curiosity.

They're watching you too.

If you just read the last 2 tweets: congratulations.

You have officially spent more time thinking about the judgement of history than the premier of Ontario and most senior officials in this province.

So, why not take it even a step further?

Decades of research, evidence, including studies PHO leaders I served were involved with tell us viruses thrive on shame and anger.

Can you accept that as truth?

Yes?

Okay.

Now, go back to the first question in this thread.

Fun aside:

Doctor Sheela Basrur told my Dad that her music love, who she listened to after a long day....

Was Frank Sinatra.

So let's make some vows as of today in this crucial period of pandemic when we are feeling afraid, maybe even panicked and sad.

That we don't lash out at anyone in anger or hate.

That we won't blame anyone except decision makers.

That we will bury the term "Covididiots".

It's become such a normalized part of our discourse (I'm no angel: a few times I have expressed anger at everyday Ontarians but I still don't use that word) it must seem over the top to even suggest it's wrong.

Well it is.

*And guaranteed history will not look kindly on it**.

***Every time it is employed, people we need to join the cause of saving lives walk away***.

We need to GROW support for beating back this pandemic.

Calling people "idiots" makes the vaccination coverage pool SMALLER.

Before anyone gets defensive. Probably 80% of people use it, and shame in one way or another, that's ok! I get it.

But in this deadly phase of Second Wave and heading into vaccination, we MUST change our approach if we want to reach 70% vaccination.

There's a very good chance support for vaccination will crash soon.

Public anxiety will grow as more people get vaccinated bc of complaints from a small number that are not legitimate, faked for disinformation groups, or are true legitimate adverse events but *hyper rare*.

We will lose the struggle against disinformation if we get angry at people who switch to become concerned skeptics.

It will be so much harder to win them back.

Prolonging pandemic and all this suffering.

So, I'm asking you as a fellow Canadian who wants to hug his friends damnit, and for my parents to see their grandchildren, can you please make an effort - I mean everyone - to bite your tongue when it's regarding anyone who is not a politician, senior official, or org leader?

Just cut it out.

The shaming. The name-calling and insults.

Just let people be. Allow the skeptics space to learn and ask any questions they have safely.

And to grant people who are positive safety so they can freely report whatever info they can provide to contact tracers.

And for as many people as possible, space to learn about vaccination. To express their concerns without fear of being mocked or ridiculed.

This may mean sometimes being civil and gentle with people who are political opposites.