President Jim Madder presided over a full house today, that included guests: Dr Michael Wilson, Marilyn Stewart, Rita Komedant, Patricia and Ian Neely.
O Canada was followed by a respectful land acknowledgement.
FEATURE PRESENTATION
Dr. Kieran Moore is the Chief Medical Officer of Health for Ontario. Formerly the MOH for Kingston,Frontenac, Lennox and Addington, he has an impressive resume as an expert in public health and preventative medicine.
A brief introduction by David Legge sufficed to highlight his educational background and extensive experience in the public health sector dealing with evidence based surveillance systems. Key interests therein include: bioterrorism, outbreak detection, public health in general, pre-hospital care, evaluation of data streams for early outbreak detection and more. For example, he is the Principle Investigator for the Pan-Canadian Research Network on Lyme Disease.
His early medical career centred on family and emergency medicine right here in Thunder Bay and he was a provincial coroner then as well.
Today's presentation was a fulsome update on the Covid 19 pandemic here in Ontario.
The stats on vaccination uptake are relatively quite good in the Thunder Bay District Health Unit zone, with over 80 % of eligible residents fully immunized and booster dosing going well.
Unfortunately as expected, and verifying the modelling, the 4th wave is picking up and the new Omicron variant (already here) is likely to be a headliner into the winter season (delta is still about 99.9 % responsible).
Dr. Moore has many goals: one example: keeping the provincial ICU admission number under 300. This will be a challenge as winter advances.
The complex picture, including disease prognostics and biology were reviewed, with risk, indicators and current metrics outlined.
A very healthy Q&A session weighed in on many elements such as: how the virus targets organ systems, viral zoonoses theory, school safety precautions (doing well in general), vaccine hesitancy around the world, CoVax challenges, potential input from Rotarians and more.
Dr. Moore had to move on to another important media event. The questioning would have gone on much longer otherwise. He was most gracious in thanking his Thunder Bay friends as well as Rotary for their support and good work. Hopefully, he can report back in the future.
He was thanked by Paul DeBakker.
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Dr Dimiter Alexandrov was on hand for follow-up questions and answers following his compelling presentation last week on new low energy fusion reactor science.
Indeed a 5 kilowatt prototype is already in the works; applications would favour rural (eg indigenous) communities in the north. Apparently there is already cooperation with scientists on the subject in the United States.
Stay tuned. Lakehead University would be the site for making this happen.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
Members can review Jim Madder's communique listing the many current activities of the club.
Up to the minute highlights:
1. The Dew Drop Inn Rotary slot for December 23 is on tap. (D. Silliman)
2.Catch the Ace with UWTB: 2 new recipients are to be added: RFDA and Christmas Cheer Fund (Albert Brulé)
3. The PA Rotary Christmas tree (to be auctioned off) is to be erected and decorated starting today the 7th. Volunteers are welcomed going forward (S. Crawford)
4. The Christmas Carol Sing (virtual) is on -December 12th at 7:00 pm (Matt Villella: http//trinityunited/livestream/)
5. Clarence Louie, prominent FN leader and businessman (Osoyoos Band ) will be speaker at the end of January (hybrid format at Daytonas (B. Walmark)
6. Rotary Radio Day ads: Matt Villella encourages members to make use of the early bird deadline.
7. Jim Madder reiterated next week's meeting (hybrid) with live portion and celebrations at Oliver Rd Rec Centre.
8. Doug Shanks continues to be a magnet for Happy Dollar donations...all good.
O Canada was followed by a respectful land acknowledgement.
FEATURE PRESENTATION
Dr. Kieran Moore is the Chief Medical Officer of Health for Ontario. Formerly the MOH for Kingston,Frontenac, Lennox and Addington, he has an impressive resume as an expert in public health and preventative medicine.
A brief introduction by David Legge sufficed to highlight his educational background and extensive experience in the public health sector dealing with evidence based surveillance systems. Key interests therein include: bioterrorism, outbreak detection, public health in general, pre-hospital care, evaluation of data streams for early outbreak detection and more. For example, he is the Principle Investigator for the Pan-Canadian Research Network on Lyme Disease.
His early medical career centred on family and emergency medicine right here in Thunder Bay and he was a provincial coroner then as well.
Today's presentation was a fulsome update on the Covid 19 pandemic here in Ontario.
The stats on vaccination uptake are relatively quite good in the Thunder Bay District Health Unit zone, with over 80 % of eligible residents fully immunized and booster dosing going well.
Unfortunately as expected, and verifying the modelling, the 4th wave is picking up and the new Omicron variant (already here) is likely to be a headliner into the winter season (delta is still about 99.9 % responsible).
Dr. Moore has many goals: one example: keeping the provincial ICU admission number under 300. This will be a challenge as winter advances.
The complex picture, including disease prognostics and biology were reviewed, with risk, indicators and current metrics outlined.
A very healthy Q&A session weighed in on many elements such as: how the virus targets organ systems, viral zoonoses theory, school safety precautions (doing well in general), vaccine hesitancy around the world, CoVax challenges, potential input from Rotarians and more.
Dr. Moore had to move on to another important media event. The questioning would have gone on much longer otherwise. He was most gracious in thanking his Thunder Bay friends as well as Rotary for their support and good work. Hopefully, he can report back in the future.
He was thanked by Paul DeBakker.
----------------------------------------------------------
Dr Dimiter Alexandrov was on hand for follow-up questions and answers following his compelling presentation last week on new low energy fusion reactor science.
Indeed a 5 kilowatt prototype is already in the works; applications would favour rural (eg indigenous) communities in the north. Apparently there is already cooperation with scientists on the subject in the United States.
Stay tuned. Lakehead University would be the site for making this happen.
----------------------------------------------------------
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Members can review Jim Madder's communique listing the many current activities of the club.
Up to the minute highlights:
1. The Dew Drop Inn Rotary slot for December 23 is on tap. (D. Silliman)
2.Catch the Ace with UWTB: 2 new recipients are to be added: RFDA and Christmas Cheer Fund (Albert Brulé)
3. The PA Rotary Christmas tree (to be auctioned off) is to be erected and decorated starting today the 7th. Volunteers are welcomed going forward (S. Crawford)
4. The Christmas Carol Sing (virtual) is on -December 12th at 7:00 pm (Matt Villella: http//trinityunited/livestream/)
5. Clarence Louie, prominent FN leader and businessman (Osoyoos Band ) will be speaker at the end of January (hybrid format at Daytonas (B. Walmark)
6. Rotary Radio Day ads: Matt Villella encourages members to make use of the early bird deadline.
7. Jim Madder reiterated next week's meeting (hybrid) with live portion and celebrations at Oliver Rd Rec Centre.
8. Doug Shanks continues to be a magnet for Happy Dollar donations...all good.