More than 18 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the early lock-down rules are easing as the overwhelming majority of those eligible are fully vaccinated.
Last week, I actually met with a colleague for a business lunch, my first in what seems like forever. It was the first time I was asked to produce my vaccine certification.
I think back to a seminar hosted by the International Telecommunications Society this past May, “Information Problems During the Pandemic” that featured Dr. Joshua Gans, Professor of Strategic Management, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto. He advocated the use of significantly increased levels of testing, such as the rapid antigen tests available to businesses. “A pandemic is essentially an information problem, and if we solve the information problem, we can defeat the virus.”
So, why aren’t we doing more testing as part of solving the information problem?
It isn’t clear to me why such testing isn’t being carried out on a more widespread basis in schools, and indeed, why some areas (such as Ontario) are creating roadblocks for parents seeking to introduce student testing on their own. Contrast this with Quebec’s newly announced plan to expand testing to schools throughout the province.
I am interested in your experience with rapid testing.
Are you going into an office? What kind of testing is done at your workplace?
Do you test yourself regularly?
Are your kids going to school? Have they been tested and is there an official (or unofficial) testing regimen?
As we head into the Canadian Thanksgiving holiday weekend, I’d be interesting in hearing from you.