Dr. Joe Vipond, a Calgary emergency room doctor has confirmed via social media that he is positive for COVID-19..Vipond is currently traveling for a climate conference..“I’m travelling, currently in Ottawa, had been hoping to present in person at the SRP Canada Conference,” Vipond stated on social media. “I was invited in the fall with no option to present remotely on two important topics, climate, and advocacy.”.In the past, Vipond has been very vocal about the province’s response to COVID-19. He has been promoting masking, encouraging vaccination, and maintaining health restrictions..“Need to self-isolate when positive. The hotel doesn’t have good in-room coffee options,” Vipond tweeted. “I was super careful. On the airplane, goggles and respirator mask, Daily RATs. Ensured others around me were masked indoors. Never took off the respirator mask indoors. Air purifier in each room I slept in.”.Vipond said, “I personally think I got it on the via train from Toronto to Ottawa. Busy car. No one beside me, and everyone masked but masks come off to eat right? I wore goggles on the plane but not on the train. And I snuck some orange slices under my mask, breaking the seal.”.Vipond admitted that the first thing he did wrong was varying his routine..“I know how to keep myself safe at home, at work, to and from work. But travel is a whole other ball of wax. Different situations. Moving around,” Vipond stated..Users on Twitter replied to his tweets and said that the line on the rapid test was very faint..“Some have suggested that since the T mark is so light, it isn’t a positive. That is incorrect. Even a faint line is positive. It just means my antigen load currently is very low. But still, I’m infectious,” Dr. Vipond replied..“So I’ve spent the morning cancelling flights, booking hotels, and contacting all those I’ve been in contact with the last two days. I’m so hoping no one gets sick. I last tested negative yesterday evening and was very careful, only meeting outdoors, and lots of masking.”.One Twitter user quickly replied in the thread, “Thanks for proving that masks don’t work to stop the spread.”.During the pandemic, Vipond spoke to several rallies setting his sights on the government’s decision to relax isolation and lift restrictions.
