Seriously? Dunderheads!

"This bonspiel is an annual event that usually attracts fifty to sixty physicians from Western Canada."

"I believe I contracted the COVID-19 virus at this bonspiel."

"[My practice is rescheduling appointments, and the office is] communicating with patients I was in contact with."

"As I write this, I am reminded that physicians are not invincible. The risks of this pandemic are far too real."

"I have been self-isolating since Tuesday morning when I first noticed symptoms."

"I hope my personal situation serves as a signal for all healthcare workers, and others, to be vigilant about their health."

Dr.Allan Woo, president, Saskatchewan Medical Association

The Granite Curling Club is seen in Edmonton . Ian Kucerak / Postmedia

So, interesting news. While the medical community is busy explaining to Canadians at large how critical it is that everyone take COVID-19 transmission seriously and self-isolate to protect themselves and others from being infected, doctors, who most certainly should know better, have been themselves casual about exposing themselves to infection. To read that a province's top medical practitioner has been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus is to logically imagine that he contracted the disease through exposure to the many patients he sees. Wrong.

Not only is the logical supposition wrong, but that doctors organized a sport event in the practise of good fellowship at a time of high alert within the country when their medical skills are most needed, is beyond belief. But, on the other hand, as Dr.Woo admits in his defence as a mere human being, we are only human, and we all make mistakes. Even unbelievable whoppers like this one, on the part of organizers within the medical community, those who chose to attend within the medical community and those who now feel rather foolish within the medical community.

And how ironic it is that on the very day that the World Health Organization finally decided to declare the novel coronavirus a global pandemic, the gathering of doctors from across Western Canada took place in Edmonton. A curling tournament. All in good fun; solidarity among colleagues. Which has led Alberta's chief medical officer, Dr.Deena Hinshaw, to call a press conference where she revealed that 72 people had played in the bonspiel and some 45 had attended a following banquet.

The expectation is, not unreasonably, that additional physicians across Western Canada may now be at risk for contracting COVID-19; among those who attended the bonspiel, and among those with whom the attendees later professionally mingled. "I absolutely say that anyone who attended that is needing to isolate for 14 days", stated Dr.Hinshaw. Mind-boggling that at the very time the bonspiel took place, the Alberta government advised against gatherings of 50 or more people for essential staff. Who could be more 'essential' in the present situation than medical professionals?

It was, furthrmore, Dr.Hinshaw's opinion that depending on the number of people in any enclosed space at the same time, such a gathering would not be specifically prohibited (!). As for who the vector was, the belief is it was in all likelihood one among them in the gathering who had recently returned from a trip to Los Vegas. And then, of course, Dr.Woo himself interacted with patients he was treating, exposing all of them to the virus before he became symptomatic...

Dr. Allan Woo (Facebook: Saskatchewan Medical Association)

"This investigation involves two provinces at least. All of the information is being collected and communicated to all the provinces from where people may have come to that event."

"Details are sought about where each of the participants were, did certain people sit together as a group and mix more than others, and based on that, a determination will be made shortly — in a day or two — does this involve all people who attended?"

"Beyond that, I would not like to discuss any particular details of any case in terms of exposures. Having said that, if we know that there is more than one case related to an event, we will be disclosing that."  
Dr. Saqib Shahab, Saskatchewan chief medical officer of health