US doctor calls out BC for "not doing well" in its COVID-19 response

When it comes to its current handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, BC is “not doing well right now,” according to an American epidemiologist and health economist.

On Twitter, Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding said that while the province handled things well last year, the same can’t be said for how things are going right now. He also noted that BC’s “R rate” – the transmission ability of the virus – currently sits at 1.54.

He also said the province has the highest number of new cases per capita.

Dear friends in British Columbia🇨🇦—you are a beautiful place & I’ve had family live/study there. You handled pandemic well last year. But BC is not doing well right now—it has the highest R currently in 🇨🇦—1.54 (figure from @DFisman) & the highest new cases per capita. Stay safe. pic.twitter.com/1Ku6IqRXEY

— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) February 25, 2021

Feigl-Ding tweeted the figures as a follow-up to an earlier tweet of his, in which he referred to BC as the “Florida of Canada.”

The reference set off a nation-wide reaction, as people weighed in on whether the label was fair, or if it in fact belonged to another province.

• See also:
  • “Florida of Canada” trends over which province’s COVID response is worst
  • BC reports 395 new COVID-19 cases, 10 more deaths in past 24 hours
  • Canada receives largest COVID-19 vaccine shipment to date

BC health officials said on Thursday that 395 new coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the province, bringing the provincially recorded total to 78,673.