Identifying airborne transmission as the dominant route for the spread of COVID-19

Written by Local 793 Staff

Research article by PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America) Significance We have elucidated the transmission pathways of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by analyzing the trend and mitigation measures in the three epicenters. Our results show that the airborne transmission route is highly virulent and dominant for the spread of COVID-19. The mitigation measures are discernable from the trends of the pandemic. Our analysis reveals that the difference with and without mandated face covering represents the determinant in shaping the trends of the […]

Research article by PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America)

Significance

We have elucidated the transmission pathways of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by analyzing the trend and mitigation measures in the three epicenters. Our results show that the airborne transmission route is highly virulent and dominant for the spread of COVID-19. The mitigation measures are discernable from the trends of the pandemic. Our analysis reveals that the difference with and without mandated face covering represents the determinant in shaping the trends of the pandemic. This protective measure significantly reduces the number of infections. Other mitigation measures, such as social distancing implemented in the United States, are insufficient by themselves in protecting the public. Our work also highlights the necessity that sound science is essential in decision-making for the current and future public health pandemics.

Abstract

Various mitigation measures have been implemented to fight the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, including widely adopted social distancing and mandated face covering. However, assessing the effectiveness of those intervention practices hinges on the understanding of virus transmission, which remains uncertain. Here we show that airborne transmission is highly virulent and represents the dominant route to spread the disease. By analyzing the trend and mitigation measures in Wuhan, China, Italy, and New York City, from January 23 to May 9, 2020, we illustrate that the impacts of mitigation measures are discernable from the trends of the pandemic. Our analysis reveals that the difference with and without mandated face covering represents the determinant in shaping the pandemic trends in the three epicenters. This protective measure alone significantly reduced the number of infections, that is, by over 78,000 in Italy from April 6 to May 9 and over 66,000 in New York City from April 17 to May 9. Other mitigation measures, such as social distancing implemented in the United States, are insufficient by themselves in protecting the public. We conclude that wearing of face masks in public corresponds to the most effective means to prevent interhuman transmission, and this inexpensive practice, in conjunction with simultaneous social distancing, quarantine, and contact tracing, represents the most likely fighting opportunity to stop the COVID-19 pandemic. Our work also highlights the fact that sound science is essential in decision-making for the current and future public health pandemics.

The novel coronavirus outbreak, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020, has infected over 4 million people and caused nearly 300,000 fatalities over 188 countries. Intensive effort is ongoing worldwide to establish effective treatments and develop a vaccine for the disease. The novel coronavirus, named as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), belongs to the family of the pathogen that is responsible for respiratory illness linked to the 2002–2003 outbreak (SARS-CoV-1). The enveloped virus contains a positive-sense single-stranded RNA genome and a nucleocapsid of helical symmetry of ∼120 nm. There exist several plausible pathways for viruses to be transmitted from person to person. Human atomization of virus-bearing particles occurs from coughing/sneezing and even from normal breathing/talking by an infected person (3⇓⇓–6). These mechanisms of viral shedding produce large droplets and small aerosols, which are conventionally delineated at a size of 5 μm to characterize their distinct dispersion efficiencies and residence times in air as well as the deposition patterns along the human respiratory tract. Virus transmission occurs via direct (deposited on persons) or indirect (deposited on objects) contact and airborne (droplets and aerosols) routes. Large droplets readily settle out of air to cause person/object contamination; in contrast, aerosols are efficiently dispersed in air. While transmission via direct or indirect contact occurs in a short range, airborne transmission via aerosols can occur over an extended distance and time. Inhaled virus-bearing aerosols deposit directly along the human respiratory tract.

Previous experimental and observational studies on interhuman transmission have indicated a significant role of aerosols in the transmission of many respiratory viruses, including influenza virus, SARS-CoV-1, and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) (8⇓⇓–11). For example, airborne coronavirus MERS-CoV exhibited strong capability of surviving, with about 64% of microorganisms remaining infectious 60 min after atomization at 25 °C and 79% relative humidity (RH). On the other hand, rapid virus decay occurred, with only 5% survival over a 60-min procedure at 38 °C and 24% RH, indicative of inactivation. Recent experimental studies have examined the stability of SARS-CoV-2, showing that the virus remains infectious in aerosols for hours and on surfaces up to days.

Several parameters likely influence the microorganism survival and delivery in air, including temperature, humidity, microbial resistance to external physical and biological stresses, and solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation (7). Transmission and infectivity of airborne viruses are also dependent on the size and number concentration of inhaled aerosols, which regulate the amount (dose) and pattern for respiratory deposition. With typical nasal breathing (i.e., at a velocity of ∼1 m⋅s−1), inhalation of airborne viruses leads to direct and continuous deposition into the human respiratory tract. In particular, fine aerosols (i.e., particulate matter smaller than 2.5 μm, or PM2.5) penetrate deeply into the respiratory tract and even reach other vital organs. In addition, viral shedding is dependent on the stages of infection and varies between symptomatic and asymptomatic carriers. A recent finding showed that the highest viral load in the upper respiratory tract occurs at the symptom onset, suggesting the peak of infectiousness on or before the symptom onset and substantial asymptomatic transmission for SARS-CoV-2.

The COVID-19 outbreak is significantly more pronounced than that of the 2002/2003 SARS, and the disease continues to spread at an alarming rate worldwide, despite extreme measures taken by many countries to constrain the pandemic (1). The enormous scope and magnitude of the COVID-19 outbreak reflect not only a highly contagious nature but also exceedingly efficient transmission for SARS-CoV-2. Currently, the mechanisms to spread the virus remain uncertain, particularly considering the relative contribution of the contact vs. airborne transmission routes to this global pandemic. Available epidemiological and experimental evidence, however, implicates airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 via aerosols as a potential route for the spreading of the disease.

Distinct Pandemic Trends in the Three Epicenters

To gain insight into the mechanism of the virus transmission routes and assess the effectiveness of mitigation measures, we analyzed the trend of the pandemic worldwide from January 23 to May 9, 2020 (Fig. 1). The COVID-19 outbreak initially emerged during December 2019 in Wuhan, China. The numbers of confirmed infections and fatalities in China dominated the global trend during January and February 2020 (Fig. 1A), but the increases in the newly confirmed cases and fatalities in China have exhibited sharp declines since February (Fig. 1B). In contrast to the curve flattening in China, those numbers in other countries have increased sharply since the beginning of March. The epicenter shifted from Wuhan to Italy in early March and to New York City (NYC) in early April. By April 30, the numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths, respectively, reached over 200,000 and 27,000 in Italy and over 1,000,000 and 52,000 in the United States, compared to about 84,000 and 4,600 in China (Fig. 1B). Notably, the curves in Italy exhibit a slowing trend since mid-April, while the numbers in the world and the United States continue to increase. Remarkably, the recent trends in the numbers of infections and fatalities in the world and in the United States exhibit striking linearity since the beginning of April (Fig. 1C).

We interpreted the differences in the pandemic trends by considering the mitigation measures implemented worldwide. The curve flattening in China can be attributed to extensive testing, quarantine, and contact tracing; other aggressive measures implemented in China include lockdown of all cities and rural areas in the whole country, isolation of residents having close contact with infected people, and mandated wearing of face masks in public. However, the effectiveness of those mitigation measures has yet to be rigorously evaluated. Differentiation of the effects of those mitigation measures in China is challenging, since the implementation occurred almost simultaneously in January 2020. While similar quarantine, isolation, and city lockdown measures were also implemented on March 9 in Italy after the country became the second epicenter, the curve of infections has yet to show complete flattening. In the United States, guidelines for social distancing, quarantine, and isolation were issued by the federal government on March 16, and stay-at-home orders were implemented by many state and local governments starting, for example, on March 19 and April 3 and on March 22 in NYC. The social distancing measures implemented in the United States include staying at least 6 feet (∼2 m) away from other people, no gathering in groups, staying out of crowded places, and avoiding mass gatherings. Obviously, the continuous rise in the US infected numbers casts doubt on the effectiveness of those preventive measures alone (Fig. 1 B and C).

In contrast to China, wearing of face masks was not mandated and was unpopular in most of the western world during the early outbreak of the pandemic. Advice on the use of face masks was not issued until April 6, 2020 by the WHO, claiming that it is important only to prevent infected persons from viral transmission by filtering out droplets but that it is unimportant to prevent uninfected persons from breathing virus-bearing aerosols. The regions heavily plagued by COVID-19 in northern Italy, such as Lombard, ordered face covering in public starting on April 6, and the Italian authorities required nationwide mandatory use of face masks on May 4. All New Yorkers were mandated to use face covering in public starting on April 17, when social distancing was not possible. With measures implemented in the United States seemingly comparable to those in China, social distancing, quarantine, and isolation exhibited little impact on stopping the spreading of the disease in the United States, as reflected by the linearity from April 1 to May 9 (Fig. 1C). It is possible, however, that these measures likely alter the slope of the infection curve, that is, by reducing the rate of infections during the early stage of the pandemic (Fig. 1). Notably, the recommended physical separation for social distancing is beneficial to prevent direct contact transmission but is insufficient (without face masks) to protect inhalation of virus-bearing aerosols (or even small droplets at intermediate proximity), owing to rapid air mixing.

Understanding the Impacts of Face Covering

Compared to the simultaneous implementation of measures in China, intervention measures were successively implemented in the western world (Fig. 2A), providing an opportunity for assessing their relative effectiveness. We quantified the effects of face covering by projecting the number of infections based on the data prior to implementing the use of face masks in Italy on April 6 and NYC on April 17 (Fig. 2A; see Methods). Such projections are reasonable considering the excellent linear correlation for the data prior to the onset of mandated face covering (Fig. 2 B and C). Our analysis indicates that face covering reduced the number of infections by over 78,000 in Italy from April 6 to May 9 and by over 66,000 in NYC from April 17 to May 9. In addition, varying the correlation from 15 d to 30 d prior to the onset of the implementation reveals little difference in the projection for both places, because of the high correlation coefficients. Notably, the trends of the infection curves in Italy and NYC contrast to those in the world and in the United States (Fig. 1C), which show little deviation from the linearity due to the nonimplementation of face-covering measures globally and nationally, respectively. The inability of social distancing, quarantine, and isolation alone to curb the spread of COVID-19 is also evident from the linearity of the infection curve prior to the onset of the face-covering rule in Italy on April 6 and in NYC on April 17 (Fig. 2 B and C). Hence, the difference made by implementing face covering significantly shapes the pandemic trends worldwide.

We further compared the numbers of daily new cases between NYC and the United States (excluding the data in NYC) from March 1 to May 9 (Fig. 3). The daily numbers of newly confirmed infections in NYC and the United States show a sharp increase in late March and early April. There exists a slower increase in the number after implementation of the stay-at-home order (about 14 d in New York and shortly after April 3 in the United States), which is attributable to the impacts of this measure. After April 3, the only difference in the regulatory measures between NYC and the United States lies in face covering on April 17 in NYC. We applied linear regression to the data between April 17 and May 9 in NYC and between April 5 and May 9 in the United States. While the daily numbers of newly confirmed infections fluctuate considerably, the slope of the regression unambiguously reflects the trend in both data. The daily new infection in NYC decreases with a slope of 106 cases per day after April 17, corresponding to a decreasing rate of ∼3% per day (relative to April 17). For comparison, the daily new infections in the United States (excluding NYC) increase, with a slope of 70 cases per day after April 4, corresponding to an increasing rate of ∼0.3% per day (relative to April 5). Hence, the decreasing rate in the daily new infections in NYC with mandated face covering is in sharp contrast to that in the United States with only social-distancing and stay-at-home measures, further confirming the importance of face covering in intervening the virus transmission.

Dominant Airborne Transmission

We further elucidated the contribution of airborne transmission to the COVID-19 outbreak by comparing the trends and mitigation measures during the pandemic worldwide and by considering the virus transmission routes (Fig. 4). Face covering prevents both airborne transmission by blocking atomization and inhalation of virus-bearing aerosols and contact transmission by blocking viral shedding of droplets. On the other hand, social distancing, quarantine, and isolation, in conjunction with hand sanitizing, minimize contact (direct and indirect) transmission but do not protect against airborne transmission. With social distancing, quarantine, and isolation in place worldwide and in the United States since the beginning of April, airborne transmission represents the only viable route for spreading the disease, when mandated face covering is not implemented. Similarly, airborne transmission also contributes dominantly to the linear increase in the infection prior to the onset of mandated face covering in Italy and NYC (Fig. 2 B and C and SI Appendix, Fig. S1). Hence, the unique function of face covering to block atomization and inhalation of virus-bearing aerosols accounts for the significantly reduced infections in China, Italy, and NYC (Figs. 1–3), indicating that airborne transmission of COVID-19 represents the dominant route for infection.

Recent measurements identified SARS-Cov-2 RNA on aerosols in Wuhan’s hospitals and outdoor in northern Italy, unraveling the likelihood of indoor and outdoor airborne transmission. Within an enclosed environment, virus-bearing aerosols from human atomization are readily accumulated, and elevated levels of airborne viruses facilitate transmission from person to person. Transmission of airborne viruses in open air is subject to dilution, although virus accumulation still occurs due to stagnation under polluted urban conditions. Removal of virus-bearing particles from human atomization via deposition is strongly size dependent, with the settling velocities ranging from 2.8 × 10−5m⋅s−1 to 1.4 × 10−3 m⋅s−1 for the sizes of 1 and 10 μm, respectively. For comparison, typical wind velocity is about 1 m⋅s−1 to 3 m⋅s−1 indoors and is ∼1 m⋅s−1 horizontally and 0.1 m⋅s−1 vertically in stable air. Under those indoor and outdoor conditions, the residence time of virus-bearing aerosols reaches hours, due to air mixing.

We also examined ambient conditions relevant to the outbreaks in Wuhan, Italy, and NYC. The initial outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan coincided with the winter haze season in China, during which high levels of PM2.5 were prevalent in air (SI Appendix, Figs. S2 and S3). On the other hand, the daily average PM2.5 concentrations were much lower during the outbreaks in Rome, Italy, and in NYC (SI Appendix, Fig. S2). The airborne transmission pathways (i.e., indoor or outdoor) as well as the effects of ambient PM2.5 levels on virus transmission may be variable among urban cities. For example, the winter haze conditions in China likely exacerbated outdoor virus spreading, because of low UV radiation, air stagnation (lacking ventilation on the city scale), and low temperature. Also, there may exist a synergetic effect of simultaneous exposure to the virus and PM2.5 to enhance the infectivity, severity, and fatalities of the disease. In addition, nascent virus-bearing aerosols produced from human atomization likely undergo transformation in air, including coagulation with ambient preexisting PM and/or growth on a time scale of a few hours in typical urban air (27⇓–29). Such transformation, as recently documented on coarse PM in Italy, may mitigate virus inactivation, by providing a medium to preserve its biological properties and elongating its lifetimes. However, key questions remain concerning transformation and transmission of virus-bearing aerosols from human atomization in air. Specifically, what are the impacts of transformation of human-atomized aerosols on viral surviving and infectivity in air?

While the humidity effect on viral surviving is uncertain, the conditions during the outbreaks in Wuhan, Rome, and NYC correspond to high RH yet low absolute humidity because of low temperature. Early experimental work showed remarkable survival for the analogous coronavirus MERS-CoV at the RH level characteristic of the COVID-19 outbreaks in Wuhan, Rome, and NYC. For comparison, indoor temperature and RH typically range from 21 °C to 27 °C and 20 to 70%, respectively.

Of particular importance are the considerations that render airborne SARS-CoV-2 the most efficient among all transmission routes. Even with normal nasal breathing, inhalation of virus-bearing aerosols results in deep and continuous deposition into the human respiratory tract, and this transmission route typically requires a low dose. Also, airborne viruses have great mobility and sufficiently long surviving time for dispersion, and residents situated in densely populated environments are highly vulnerable. In addition, nascent micrometer-size aerosols produced from coughing/sneezing of infected people have the potential of containing many viruses, particularly for asymptomatic carriers.

Future research is critically needed to assess the transmission, transformation, and dispersion of virus-bearing aerosols from human atomization under different environmental conditions, as well as the related impacts on virus infectivity. It is equally important to understand human atomization of airborne viruses: What are the number and size distributions of nascent aerosols as well as the viral load per particle from coughing/sneezing? It is also imperative to evaluate human inhalation of airborne viruses: How are aerosols deposited along the respiratory tract, and what is the minimum dose of airborne viruses required for infection? It is also important to evaluate the performance of face masks to quantify the efficiency to filtrate airborne viruses relevant to human atomization and inhalation. Elucidation of these mechanisms requires an interdisciplinary effort.

A Policy Perspective

The governments’ responses to the COVID pandemic have so far differed significantly worldwide. Swift actions to the initial outbreak were undertaken in China, as reflected by nearly simultaneous implementation of various aggressive mitigation measures. On the other hand, the response to the pandemic was generally slow in the western world, and implementation of the intervention measures occurred only consecutively. Clearly, the responsiveness of the mitigation measures governed the evolution, scope, and magnitude of the pandemic globally (Figs. 1 and 2).

Curbing the COVID-19 relies not only on decisive and sweeping actions but also, critically, on the scientific understanding of the virus transmission routes, which determines the effectiveness of the mitigation measures (Fig. 5). In the United States, social distancing and stay-at-home measures, in conjunction with hand sanitizing (Fig. 5, path a), were implemented during the early stage of the pandemic (March 16). These measures minimized short-range contact transmission but did not prevent long-range airborne transmission, responsible for the inefficient containing of the pandemic in the United States (Figs. 1 and 3). Mandated face covering, such as those implemented in China, Italy, and NYC, effectively prevented airborne transmission by blocking atomization and inhalation of virus-bearing aerosols and contact transmission by blocking viral shedding of droplets. While the combined face-covering and social distancing measures offered dual protection against the virus transmission routes, the timing and sequence in implementing the measures also exhibited distinct outcomes during the pandemic. For example, social distancing measures, including city lockdown and stay-at-home orders, were implemented well before face covering was mandated in Italy and NYC (Fig. 5, path b), and this sequence left an extended window (28 d in Italy and 32 d in NYC) for largely uninterrupted airborne transmission to spread the disease (Figs. 2 and 3). The simultaneous implementation of face covering and social distancing (Fig. 5, path c), such as that undertaken in China, was most optimal, and this configuration, in conjunction with extensive testing and contact tracing, was responsible for the curve flattening in China (Fig. 1). Also, there likely existed remnants of virus transmission after the implementation of regulatory measures, because of circumstances when the measures were not practical or were disobeyed and/or imperfection of the measures. Such limitations, which have been emphasized by the WHO , spurred on controversial views on the validity of wearing face masks to prevent the virus transmission during the pandemic. However, it is implausible that the limitations of mitigation measures alone contributed dominantly to the global pandemic trend, as exemplified by the success in China. Our work suggests that the failure in containing the propagation of COVID-19 pandemic worldwide is largely attributed to the unrecognized importance of airborne virus transmission.

Conclusions

The inadequate knowledge on virus transmission has inevitably hindered development of effective mitigation policies and resulted in unstoppable propagation of the COVID-19 pandemic (Figs. 1–3). In this work, we show that airborne transmission, particularly via nascent aerosols from human atomization, is highly virulent and represents the dominant route for the transmission of this disease. However, the importance of airborne transmission has not been considered in establishment of mitigation measures by government authorities. Specifically, while the WHO and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have emphasized the prevention of contact transmission, both WHO and CDC have largely ignored the importance of the airborne transmission route. The current mitigation measures, such as social distancing, quarantine, and isolation implemented in the United States, are insufficient by themselves in protecting the public. Our analysis reveals that the difference with and without mandated face covering represents the determinant in shaping the trends of the pandemic worldwide. We conclude that wearing of face masks in public corresponds to the most effective means to prevent interhuman transmission, and this inexpensive practice, in conjunction with extensive testing, quarantine, and contact tracking, poses the most probable fighting opportunity to stop the COVID-19 pandemic, prior to the development of a vaccine. It is also important to emphasize that sound science should be effectively communicated to policy makers and should constitute the prime foundation in decision-making amid this pandemic. Implementing policies without a scientific basis could lead to catastrophic consequences, particularly in light of attempts to reopen the economy in many countries. Clearly, integration between science and policy is crucial to formulation of effective emergency responses by policy makers and preparedness by the public for the current and future public health pandemics.

Methods

Projection of the pandemic trend without implementing face covering in Italy and NYC was performed first by establishing the linear correlation between the infection number and date. We considered the data for both 15 and 30 d prior to the onset of face covering. The slope and the reported infection number were used for the projections. The avoided infection number due the face covering was determined from the difference between the projected and reported values on May 9, 2020.

The data for accumulative confirmed infections and fatalities in Wuhan, Italy, and NYC were taken from the reports by Wuhan Municipal Health Commission (http://wjw.wuhan.gov.cn/), European CDC (https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en), and NYC government (https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-data.page), respectively. The data of accumulative confirmed infections and fatalities worldwide were taken from WHO COVID-19 situation report (https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports) (1), and the numbers in China, Italy, and United States were from taken from European CDC.

Ground-based measurements of PM2.5 and RH in Wuhan were taken from the China National Environmental Monitoring Centre (http://beijingair.sinaapp.com/). The PM2.5 data in NYC were taken from US Environmental Protection Agency (https://www.epa.gov/outdoor-air-quality-data). The PM2.5 data in Rome were taken were from Centro Regionale della Qualità dell’aria (http://www.arpalazio.net/main/aria/). The RH data in Rome and NYC were taken from the 6-hourly interim reanalysis of the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (https://www.ecmwf.int/en/forecasts/datasets/reanalysis-datasets/era5).

We used spaceborne measurements of aerosol optical depth (AOD) to characterize the regional aerosol pollution during the COVID-19 outbreak (January 23 to February 10, 2020) in China. The green band AODs at 0.55 μm are available from Terra and Aqua combined Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Version 6 Multiangle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (https://lpdaac.usgs.gov/products/mcd19a2v006/). The Level-2 product has daily global coverage with 1-km pixel resolution. The AOD retrieval is only available for the clear sky.

Onsite with Mike Gallagher: Episode 1

Written by Local 793 Staff

Join business manager Mike Gallagher, as he travels across the province visiting various job sites and interviewing Local 793 members working in the field. In this episode, Gallagher heads to Ottawa and speaks to members at the LRT Phase 2 – Confederation Line East Extension. Operators are doing bridge work at the Montreal Station, located at Montreal Road and Highway 174. The Confederation Line East is one of the three major extensions to the city’s light rail transit system.

Join business manager Mike Gallagher, as he travels across the province visiting various job sites and interviewing Local 793 members working in the field.

In this episode, Gallagher heads to Ottawa and speaks to members at the LRT Phase 2 – Confederation Line East Extension. Operators are doing bridge work at the Montreal Station, located at Montreal Road and Highway 174.

The Confederation Line East is one of the three major extensions to the city’s light rail transit system.

Statement from Business Manager Mike Gallagher on racism

Written by Local 793 Staff

Local 793 Stands in Solidarity Against Racism In the past week, we have seen massive protests erupt across the United States and around the world, including here in Canada, spurred by the murder of a black man named George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer named Derek Chauvin. An article in Rolling Stone magazine pointed out that the police officer, now charged with the third-degree murder of Floyd, may not have intended to kill him while kneeling on his neck for over eight minutes, “but simply didn’t care whether or […]

Local 793 Stands in Solidarity Against Racism

In the past week, we have seen massive protests erupt across the United States and around the world, including here in Canada, spurred by the murder of a black man named George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer named Derek Chauvin.

An article in Rolling Stone magazine pointed out that the police officer, now charged with the third-degree murder of Floyd, may not have intended to kill him while kneeling on his neck for over eight minutes, “but simply didn’t care whether or not Floyd died.” In the widely circulated video, Chauvin can be seen with his hands in his pockets while nonchalantly pressing his knee to the neck of Floyd and ignoring his pleas that he could not breathe, eventually calling out for his mama in desperation.

The Rolling Stone article also points out that the Minneapolis police department had recently had its budget increased by $2.4 million, allowing them to hire an additional 14 police officers. This is a police force that has killed black people at a rate 13 times higher than their white counterparts from 2013-2019.

It is obvious that arresting one racist police officer for third-degree murder will not solve the systemic racism in the United States, since sadly the murder of Floyd is not a one-off situation. With the prevalence of video, deaths like Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Eric Garner that are filmed by concerned citizens will continue to expose wrongdoing by the police. Police officers need to be better trained to not exert unnecessary force in arresting suspects of crime and racist individuals should not be hired in the first place.

Unfortunately, violence and murder against black people in America, like mass shootings, has been all too common throughout history. Whether in Canada or the United States, the problem goes much deeper than individual prejudiced beliefs against people of colour, and the true systematic nature of racism ensures that black people are consistently disadvantaged personally, economically and socially.

I believe that the root cause of racism is simple hate. Statistics have been showing in both Canada and the United States that the COVID-19 virus is killing poor people and people of colour at a much higher rate than the rest of the population. Likely due to the fact that they disproportionately make up those employed in low-paid work deemed essential during this health crisis, the irony of which should not be lost on anyone.

The issue of racism will be impossible to solve once the protests begin to subside if we do not also address the issue of inequality. Poverty and inequity have been growing at an increased rate as corporate CEOs and upper management get uber rich, pay little tax, and continue moving their manufacturing to countries like Mexico, China and other low wage non-Union parts of the world. While here in North America, the loss of jobs, growing poverty and hopelessness becomes a breeding ground for the right-wing populism that led to the election of President Trump in the first place.
It is to state the obvious to say that “Black Lives Matter,” and I believe that to be true. Black lives matter. As a white man, I cannot say that I know what it feels like to be a victim of racism. Although I support the Black Lives Matter movement against racism, I am opposed to the violence and looting that has occurred during some of these protest. But I am also opposed to the violence and pepper spraying and tear gas deployed by police against peaceful protesters.

As a Union, we have members who we continue to welcome who are black, First Nations, Métis, and Inuit, as well as a growing number of female members. We are not sexist, nor racist and we cannot ignore it when our members suffer discrimination. They are our brothers and sisters and we will always stand shoulder to shoulder with them and fight for a better, more just society absent of the hate and racism demonstrated in police brutality videos across the Unites States.

I chose not to be silent on the issue of racism and I recommend each of you get the conversation going amongst yourselves. Unions have long played the role of representation for human rights issues. We in the labour movement have to be part of the solution, which means being inclusive and rejecting racism whenever we see or hear it.

In solidarity,

Mike Gallagher
Business Manager

IUOE Local 793 2020 Nomination and Election Update – June 2

Written by Local 793 Staff

June 2, 2020 Dear Brothers and Sisters: Re: IUOE Local 793 2020 Nomination and Election Update I am writing further to my letter dated May 8, 2020 with a further update on behalf of the IUOE Local 793 Election Committee (“Election Committee”). As you are aware, union election nominations will be held throughout June on the dates when regularly scheduled monthly meetings would normally have occurred in each district. Please be advised that nominations will be open for 90 minutes at each scheduled meeting. If any members are still in […]

June 2, 2020

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

Re: IUOE Local 793 2020 Nomination and Election Update

I am writing further to my letter dated May 8, 2020 with a further update on behalf of the IUOE Local 793 Election Committee (“Election Committee”).

As you are aware, union election nominations will be held throughout June on the dates when regularly scheduled monthly meetings would normally have occurred in each district. Please be advised that nominations will be open for 90 minutes at each scheduled meeting. If any members are still in line at the end of 90 minutes, they will be allowed to make a nomination.

Please familiarize yourselves with the COVID-19 procedures being put in place for your protection prior to arriving at the meeting. The procedures were outlined in the Election Committee’s previous correspondence.

Yours truly,

Alex Law
Chair, IUOE Local 793 Elections Committee

Firefighters Are Warning People to Never Leave Hand Sanitizer in Your Car

Written by Local 793 Staff

Without being alarmist, the rising temperatures mean the inside of your car will get hot very quickly – so don’t leave a bottle of hand sanitizer in there, just in case. The fire department of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, has issued a warning that alcohol-based sanitizer bottles should not be left in cars because there’s a possibility they could explode. Their warning is echoed by the National Fire Protection Association, which issued a video (below) in April saying hand sanitizer’s flash point is below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, which means a bottle of […]

Without being alarmist, the rising temperatures mean the inside of your car will get hot very quickly – so don’t leave a bottle of hand sanitizer in there, just in case.

The fire department of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, has issued a warning that alcohol-based sanitizer bottles should not be left in cars because there’s a possibility they could explode.

Their warning is echoed by the National Fire Protection Association, which issued a video (below) in April saying hand sanitizer’s flash point is below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, which means a bottle of it doesn’t need any external heat source to give off flammable vapors. All it would then need is a flame source – someone smoking in the car, for instance – for it to be in danger of explosion. The CDC considers alcohol-based hand sanitizer a flammable liquid “which readily evaporates at room temperature into an ignitable vapor.”

But the Wisconsin firefighters posted an alarming photo on their Facebook page, which subsequently spread to CBS News and elsewhere, showing a door blown apart by an explosion. It turns out, as the Poynter media group reported, that this photo depicts a deliberate explosion set in 2015 that had nothing to do with any hand sanitizer. It is extremely unlikely that your personal sanitizer bottle will cause that, the firefighters admit, but they still say that with just the wrong combination of concentrated bright sunlight and excessive heat on a bottle of hand sanitizer, it could happen.

So, do you have to worry the bottle will spontaneously blow up in a hot car? Probably not, but why would you risk it? Take it with you when you get out of the car.

Read the article at prevention.com

Ontario Helps People Impacted by COVID-19 Get Back to Work

Written by Local 793 Staff

Government of Ontario News Release: May 22, 2020 1:00 P.M. TORONTO — As the economy gradually reopens, the Ontario government is helping people affected by COVID-19 get back to work. The province is investing in Ontario’s first Virtual Action Centre, an online counselling and training portal, to support laid off and unemployed hospitality workers, and is helping apprentices by providing grants to purchase tools, protective equipment and clothing for their trade, along with forgiving previous loans to purchase tools. The announcement was made today by Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, […]

Government of Ontario News Release:
May 22, 2020 1:00 P.M.

TORONTO — As the economy gradually reopens, the Ontario government is helping people affected by COVID-19 get back to work. The province is investing in Ontario’s first Virtual Action Centre, an online counselling and training portal, to support laid off and unemployed hospitality workers, and is helping apprentices by providing grants to purchase tools, protective equipment and clothing for their trade, along with forgiving previous loans to purchase tools.

The announcement was made today by Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, and Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development.

“The impact of COVID-19 has been devastating for many business owners, workers, and families, and that’s why we are doing everything we can to help people through this difficult period,” said Premier Ford. “Hospitality workers and our skilled tradespeople have been among those hardest hit by this pandemic. These new programs will ensure they’re ready to get back on the job and play an important role in our economic recovery.”

The government is providing an Ontario Tools Grant of $2.5 million in 2020-21 and $7.5 million in 2021-22 and ongoing. This will help new eligible apprentices purchase the equipment they need to start their careers. The funding amounts will be distributed as follows:

  • $1,000 for those in motive power sector trades;
  • $600 for those in construction and industrial sector trades;
  • $400 for those in service sector trades.

To be eligible for the new grant, apprentices must have:

  • completed level 1 training on or after April 1, 2020;
  • an active registered training agreement; and
  • been registered as an apprentice for at least 12 months.The government is also forgiving more than $10 million in outstanding loans owed by apprentices for tool purchases made at the beginning of their careers. The Loans for Tools Program allowed thousands of new apprentices to buy tools, equipment, clothing, manuals and code books required for their trade. About 19,000 apprentices who participated in the program owed, on average, $495.

“If we are going to rebuild our economy, we must reach out and help the workers and businesses that are suffering as a result of COVID-19,” said Minister McNaughton. “The programs that we are announcing today will leave more money in the pockets of our apprentices and support those hospitality workers who have been laid-off by providing access to the training and services they need to recover and rejoin the workforce.”

The government is also investing nearly $2 million to open a Virtual Action Centre in partnership with UNITE HERE Local 75. This virtual job training resource will provide up to 7,000 unemployed workers in the hospitality sector with access to a wide range of services and supports online and over the phone, including:

Stress management and mental health resources through video conferencing;
Immediate health and safety online training for workers who return to work at designated quarantined sites;
Technical skills online training;
Online training to upgrade English language and digital skills;
Peer group facilitation and employment preparation through videoconferencing.
UNITE HERE will operate the Virtual Action Centre. UNITE HERE is a union that represents workers in hotels, restaurants, racetracks and casinos, laundry and food service companies, airport concessions and apparel, textile and general manufacturing and distribution centers.

“Ontario’s hotel and hospitality sectors create thousands of jobs across the province,” said Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries. “This new virtual platform will make sure that those workers are supported as we gradually reopen the province and prepare our $35 billion tourism sector to welcome visitors back.”

“We are very grateful for the generous support of the Ontario government,” said Guled Warsame, President of UNITE HERE Local 75. “This support will provide services and skills training to our members who are laid-off due to COVID-19. We know that people are at the heart of the hospitality industry. We are very grateful and proud to work with the provincial government to ensure that people are provided with support and the opportunity to upgrade their skills and get back to work as soon as possible.”

Click here to read the official news release

 

IUOE Local 793 2020 Nomination and Election Update – May 8

Written by Local 793 Staff

May 8, 2020 Dear Brothers and Sisters: Re: IUOE Local 793 2020 Nomination and Election Update I am writing further to my letter dated April 9, 2020 with a further update on behalf of the IUOE Local 793 Election Committee (“Election Committee”). The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a fluid situation. As of today, there is no sense of when Local 793 will be permitted to hold regular monthly meetings in the normal course. In recognition of the fact that the only step in the election process which requires in-person […]

May 8, 2020

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

Re: IUOE Local 793 2020 Nomination and Election Update

I am writing further to my letter dated April 9, 2020 with a further update on behalf of the IUOE Local 793 Election Committee (“Election Committee”).

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a fluid situation. As of today, there is no sense of when Local 793 will be permitted to hold regular monthly meetings in the normal course.

In recognition of the fact that the only step in the election process which requires in-person attendance is the nomination of candidates as all other aspects are done via mail-in ballot, the Election Committee has sought further advice from our International in Washington and General President Callahan to allow the election to move forward. The enclosed Notice provides the modified election schedule.

It is important to note that nominations will be held in the month of June on the dates when regularly scheduled monthly meetings would have occurred in each district. We have outlined a procedure in the attached Notice to ensure that nominations can be made in person but in a safe manner that takes every reasonable precaution to protect against COVID-19.

We are confident that allowing the nominations to move forward in the month of June in the manner outlined herein is the right decision in order to avoid delaying the election unnecessarily.

Yours truly,
Alex Law
Chair, IUOE Local 793 Elections Committee

2020 NOMINATIONS FOR LOCAL UNION OFFICE

During the month of June 2020, nominations will be held for the upcoming election in September 2020.

The offices to be filled are:

  • President (1)
  • Vice-President (1)
  • Recording-Corresponding Secretary (1)
  • Financial Secretary (1)
  • Treasurer (1)
  • Business Manager (1)
  • Trustees (3)
  • Auditors (3)
  • Conductor (1)
  • Guard (1)
  • Executive Board Members (6)

The election will be held in accordance with Article XXIV, Subdivision 1, Section (b) of the Constitution, and Article XXVI, Section 1, (h) and (j) of the Constitution.

MEETING DATES

The following list provides the date, time and location for the nomination meeting to be held in each district.

TIMMINS – June 3, 2020
54 Waterloo Rd., Unit 2, Timmins. 7:30 p.m. 1st Wednesday of the month.

OSHAWA – June 4, 2020
1255 Terwillegar Ave., Unit 7, Oshawa. 7 p.m. 1st Thursday of the month.

THUNDER BAY – June 4, 2020
979 Alloy Drive, Suite 101, Thunder Bay. 7 p.m. 1st Thursday of the month.

ST. CATHARINES – June 9, 2020
188 Bunting Rd., Unit 5, St. Catharines. 7:30 p.m. 2nd Tuesday of the month.

WINDSOR – June 9, 2020
3383 Walker Rd., Windsor. 7 p.m. 2nd Tuesday of the month.

SAULT STE. MARIE – June 10, 2020
432 Great Northern Rd., Suite 203, Sault Ste. Marie. 7:30 p.m. 2nd Wednesday of the month.

CAMBRIDGE – June 10, 2020
55 Fleming Drive, Unit 26, Cambridge. 7:30 p.m. 2nd Wednesday of the month.

SUDBURY – June 16, 2020
430 Westmount Ave., Unit H, Sudbury. 7 p.m. 3rd Tuesday of the month.

TORONTO – June 17, 2020
2245 Speers Rd., Oakville. 7:30 p.m. 3rd Wednesday of the month.

BELLEVILLE – June 23, 2020
1 Millennium Pkwy., Suite 102, Belleville. 7 p.m. 4th Tuesday of the month.

LONDON – June 23, 2020
4096 Meadowbrook Dr., Unit 115, London. 7 p.m. 4th Tuesday of the month.

HAMILTON – June 24, 2020
35 Goderich Rd., Unit 5, Hamilton. 7:30 p.m. 4th Wednesday of the month.

OTTAWA – June 24, 2020
174 Colonnade Rd. S., Unit 2, Nepean. 7 p.m. 4th Wednesday of the month.

NORTH BAY – June 24, 2020
Holiday Inn Express & Suites, 1325 Seymour St., North Bay. 7:30 p.m. 4th Wednesday of the month.

BARRIE – June 25, 2020
240 Bayview Drive, Unit 12, Barrie. 7:30 p.m. 4th Thursday of the month.

SARNIA – June 25, 2020
1390A Lougar Ave., Sarnia. 7 p.m. 4th Thursday of the month.

2020 ELECTION RULES AND PROCEDURES FOR LOCAL 793 OF THE INTERNATIONAL UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERS

This is an election year for the members of Local 793, and all of the correspondence on this important issue should be read carefully.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in the closure of many businesses and a prohibition on group gatherings or meetings, Local 793 remains unable to hold regular monthly membership meetings at this time.

Normally, nominations would be made during regular monthly meetings in the month of May. We recognize that because of COVID-19, we cannot comply with every constitutional requirement if we are to proceed with the election.

However, in consultation with IUOE General President Callahan, to the extent the following procedure departs from the Constitution, the General President has used his executive power to allow a modification to the rules to allow elections to move forward in the manner proposed herein.

Rules and procedures of the 2020 election shall be as follows:

1. Election of Officers and Executive Board Members of Local 793 shall be conducted as per Article XXIV, Subdivision 1, Section (b) of the Constitution, and Article XXVI, Section 1, (h) and (j) of the Constitution.
2. Notice of the upcoming election is enclosed.
3. Nominations shall be conducted by districts and sub-districts in June 2020.
4. Letters of acceptance from nominees shall be returned in stamped self-addressed envelopes to the Recording-Corresponding Secretary of Local 793 within ten (10) days after having been notified by the Recording-Corresponding Secretary of their nomination to Local Union office. Letters of acceptance shall be opened by the Recording-Corresponding Secretary by Monday, July 20, 2020, in the presence of members of the Election Committee. This will be the only accepted method.
5. The election shall be by mail referendum conducted by a secret ballot.
6. Elections shall be conducted by the Election Committee.
7. The Financial Secretary shall be responsible to provide a complete up-to-date list of all members eligible to receive a ballot by no later than Monday, July 20, 2020.
8. Ballots shall be mailed by Tuesday, August 4, 2020, and received no later than Wednesday, September 2, 2020, and shall be counted on Thursday, September 3, 2020.
9. Any candidate or their representative may be present at the counting of the ballots.
10. Each Committee Member shall receive a copy of all incoming correspondence pertaining to the election.
11. No member shall be in good standing unless they have paid all current dues to the Local in the month in which they are due and all current years’ assessments are paid in full no later than June 30, 2020.
12. Members’ names identified on the June 2020 suspension list (unless identified by error) shall not be eligible to receive a ballot.
13. Any member may contact the Election Committee by writing to the Election Committee Secretary, IUOE, Local 793, 2245 Speers Road, Oakville, Ont., L6L 6X8.

TERMS OF OFFICE & CONDITIONS OF ELIGIBILITY

Terms of office and conditions of eligibility are printed in the spring 2020 issue of the 793 Operator and also available on the union website at www.iuoelocal793.org.

NOMINATION SAFETY MEASURES

In order to facilitate the nomination process for the upcoming election while maintaining the members’ health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, the following safety measures have been implemented:

1. Members who wish to cast their nomination shall attend their respective area offices and must line up outside said office with a minimum separation of 2 metres between each individual in line (temporary chalk markers shall be outlined on the pavement to ensure mandated social distancing protocols are followed);

2. Only one member shall be permitted inside the office at a time to cast their nomination;

3. IUOE Local 793 staff shall have a check point set up at the entrance to the building wherein all members must have their temperatures taken prior to being granted entry to the building (any member who is screened positive for a fever will not be permitted entry);

4. Thermometers used to screen members shall be contactless, meaning temperatures will be taken from a safe distance;

5. This same staff shall ask each member screening questions to ensure they do not pose a risk to other members/staff. This includes “Have you been tested positive for COVID-19? Are you experiencing any symptoms of illness, including even minor cold/flu symptoms? Have you recently travelled? Have you been in contact with anyone else who has tested positive for COVID-19, displayed symptoms of illness, or recently travelled?” If a member answers yes to any of these questions they will not be permitted entry to the building.

6. Each member must use a pump of hand sanitizer prior to entering the building, and another upon exiting the building, to prevent cross contamination;

7. Each member shall be provided their own pen to use when completing the nomination in order to prevent cross contamination;

8. A self-seal express post envelope shall be available in the office for the members to place their own nomination into without requiring contact;

9. Since studies have shown that COVID-19 can survive on cardboard for 24hours, the nominations shall remain sealed in the express post envelope for a minimum of 24hours after nominations, in order to prevent contamination during processing;

10. All staff present to assist members and screen members prior to entry shall be equipped with masks and gloves;

11. If any member does not feel comfortable entering the building to cast their nomination, they shall be provided a nomination form outside the building and allowed to cast their nomination outside.

Local 793 calls on Ford Government to reconsider Halton Region Courthouse project

Written by Local 793 Staff

For Immediate Release May 12, 2020 OAKVILLE – Local 793 of the International Union of Operating Engineers, one of Ontario’s largest construction unions, is extremely disappointed with the Ontario Government’s wrongful decision to cancel the procurement for the Halton Region Consolidated Courthouse project and asks that the decision be reversed. “IUOE Local 793 calls on the Ford Government to reconsider the project right away and invest in the infrastructure and jobs that are a vitally needed shot-in-the-arm stimulus for our economy,” Local 793 Business Manager Mike Gallagher said. Scheduled to […]

For Immediate Release
May 12, 2020

OAKVILLE – Local 793 of the International Union of Operating Engineers, one of Ontario’s largest construction unions, is extremely disappointed with the Ontario Government’s wrongful decision to cancel the procurement for the Halton Region Consolidated Courthouse project and asks that the decision be reversed.

“IUOE Local 793 calls on the Ford Government to reconsider the project right away and invest in the infrastructure and jobs that are a vitally needed shot-in-the-arm stimulus for our economy,” Local 793 Business Manager Mike Gallagher said.

Scheduled to begin construction in early June, the shovel-ready project would have an immediate beneficial impact by creating jobs and stimulating the province’s economy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“One could, in the face of uncertainty, find some hope that our government could agree that projects like the $500 million-plus Halton Courthouse would not only realize all political party recognition of the need for justice facilities in one of the fastest growing communities in Canada, but which timing is perfect to help get jobs moving again,” Gallagher said.

He stated that the cancellation will only begin to undermine confidence in the province’s infrastructure program at a time when the government wants to get the economy going.

“Canada and Ontario are not some backwater jurisdiction that replaces years of planning and a job tendering process with knee-jerk decisions that make us appear to be so unreliable that no contractors could waste their time and energy on bidding jobs here,” Gallagher warned.

The decades-old Milton courthouse has been facing challenges for years. Progressive Conservative MPP Ted Arnott delivered a message in the Ontario Legislature in 2015, stating it was time for the government to commit to building a new Halton courthouse. “The current Halton Courthouse is aging, overcrowded, unsafe, and inadequate to meet the needs of our rapidly growing region.”

Ontario Superior Court Justice Peter Daley said on November 19, 2018: “In excess of $2 million has been spent on mould remediation at the Milton Courthouse thus far, with an additional $600,000 forecasted to be spent on further mould remediation.”

Building a new courthouse is an expensive endeavor but given the age and physical condition of the Milton courthouse, no plan to renovate or expand the facility will address these issues.

The provincial government said it will direct its resources for the courthouse project toward developing ways of delivering justice remotely and online, which will raise concerns over privacy and transparency.

“It is unfathomable that the Attorney General’s office would cancel the hundreds of jobs needed and a project two years in the planning with the absolutely ridiculous notion that ‘virtual justice’ could replace the real justice that courtrooms with juries, judges and the legal profession bring to ensure that justice is not denied,” Gallagher concluded.

***

Local 793 of the International Union of Operating Engineers represents more than 16,000 highly-skilled crane and heavy equipment operators across Ontario and Nunavut. The union has a head office, banquet hall and training campus in Oakville, and another training campus in Morrisburg, Ontario. Canadian locals of the International Union of Operating Engineers represent more than 50,000 operators and have hundreds of millions of dollars invested in equipment at training centres across the country.

For additional information contact:
Local 793 Business Manager Mike Gallagher
905-469-9299, ext. 2202

Sanitizing Your Equipment, Presented by OETIO

Written by Local 793 Staff

Rod McKenzie, director of training at OETIO Morrisburg, and Craig Giles, training supervisor at OETIO Oakville, share steps for sanitizing the cab of a piece of heavy equipment. Click here for the Federal safety guidance to protect drivers and limit the spread of COVID-19 in commercial vehicle operations CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO:

Rod McKenzie, director of training at OETIO Morrisburg, and Craig Giles, training supervisor at OETIO Oakville, share steps for sanitizing the cab of a piece of heavy equipment.

Click here for the Federal safety guidance to protect drivers and limit the spread of COVID-19 in commercial vehicle operations

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO:Proper sanitizing of equipment is important to keep COVID-19 at bay.

VIDEO UPDATE: Great news regarding the Local 793 SUB plan

Written by Local 793 Staff

Local 793 Business Manager Mike Gallagher reports from head office in Oakville to provide members with great news on the progress of the Union’s development of a Supplementary Unemployment Benefits (SUB) plan. “It looks like everything is falling into place,” Gallagher said. CLICK IMAGE TO WATCH VIDEO:

Local 793 Business Manager Mike Gallagher reports from head office in Oakville to provide members with great news on the progress of the Union’s development of a Supplementary Unemployment Benefits (SUB) plan.

“It looks like everything is falling into place,” Gallagher said.

CLICK IMAGE TO WATCH VIDEO: