Group of doctors signs open letter to MPP Randy Hillier denouncing COVID-19 misinformation

Ontario MPP Randy Hillier speaks to journalists in his office in the Ontario Legislature in Toronto on Tuesday, March 26, 2019. Hillier returned to Queens Park after being ousted from the Ontario PC Caucus. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young)

OTTAWA — A group of family physicians has signed an open letter to Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston MPP Randy Hillier, challenging assertions he's made about COVID-19 as misinformation.

Hillier, an independent MPP, has been a vocal critic of the Ford government's COVID-19 restrictions and has attended or led rallies against public health measures, including a recent one in Ottawa on Parliament Hill. He was charged under the Reopening Ontario Act after organizing a rally at Queen's Park in November.

The open letter appeared in some local media outlets in the Kingston area this weekend. Jeanette Dietrich, a doctor from Sydenham, ON, wrote the letter. Dozens of additional doctors have co-signed the letter in support. Dietrich sent it to CTV News Ottawa on Sunday.

"I read news reports about Mr. Hillier’s rallies he was organizing and was concerned so I went to his website to read some of the information that was on there as I read it I became more and more concerned with all the misinformation, half-truths and things that could really confuse people,” Dietrich told CTV News. "I felt that I could not let misinformation just stand without being corrected."

The letter was signed by 42 local doctors from Hillier's riding but, as of 3 p.m. Sunday, it had the signatures of more than 116 physicians and counting.

Dietrich said she is happy to see how many of her collogues have signed up to support her.

"I think it’s great. It’s wonderful to have the support to show that the medical community is in agreement and I think when people see their own doctor listed there that they trust that it will carry more weight," Dietrich said. "I hope that they get an understanding that they need to take this virus seriously."

Dr. Meghan Argue, a doctor at the Smiths Falls and Winchester hospitals added her name early on. She says it’s a very emotional topic but because of the great job Dr. Dietrich did putting things in clear language she believes it’s been received very well.

"I wanted to sign on to that letter because, specifically as someone who works in that electoral district, it was important that my voice be part of this protest against misinformation," Argue said. "It’s not so much about trying to convince Hillier to change his tune, I don’t think that is going to happen, but I do think there are a lot of people who are quite enticed by that kind of message.”

CTV News reached out to Hillier for comment but he has not yet responded.

Letter criticizes comments made by Hillier about nature of COVID-19

"As a physician who both lives and works in this region, I must express my dismay at your recent attendance at rallies protesting the use of public health measures in the fight against COVID-19," the letter begins. "I have viewed the video on your website where you purport to, 'Stick to the proof and not the propaganda' yet it is filled with misinformation."

The letter criticizes Hillier for saying comparing COVID-to the common cold in a video on his website.

"You imply that COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV2 is not much worse than the common cold by saying, 'Why are so many people living in, with such concern, in such dread and taking such precautions for something, for a virus, a coronavirus, that is more like the common cold than it isn’t,'" Dietrich writes.

In the 14-minute video, posted to his website in November, Hillier explains some of what he's learned about the nature of COVID-19 and its relationship to other coronaviruses. While he admits that the SARS-CoV2 virus is "more severe" than some coronaviruses, he said its mortality rate is "very similar to the flu." A sign that says "No more lockdowns" stands behind him.

Hillier also criticizes what he called "apocalyptic" early models for the potential impact of the virus in Canada and how governments have responded to the risk of COVID-19 in the community.

Dietrich's letter challenges Hillier's assertions and the nature of his sourcing.

"You imply that COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV2 is not much worse than the common cold by saying, 'Why are so many people living in, with such concern, in such dread and taking such precautions for something, for a virus, a coronavirus, that is more like the common cold than it isn’t.' You state the infection fatality rate is 'very similar to the flu.' You put a link to an article that explains how coronaviruses can be mild and cause the common cold but there are also deadly ones such as SARS and MERS. The article states 'In December 2019, another virus joined these dangerous cousins. Scientists are calling it SARS-CoV2.' Yet you label this article 'Common Cold can be coronavirus' which in no way reflects its contents."

The link in question directs readers to a Science News for Students article titled, "Explainer: What is a coronavirus?" though it's labelled on Hillier's website as "Common cold can be coronavirus." The article says coronaviruses are "among the many viruses that cause the common cold" but also says, "A few severe types can lead to serious illness and deaths."

Dietrich shares statistics from Infection Prevention and Control Canada that show influenza is responsible for 290,000 to 650,000 deaths worldwide each year, whereas COVID-19 has so far been responsible for 1.66 million deaths as of Dec. 17, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The letter also counters Hillier's assertion that COVID-19 tests are faulty.

“Often, people, if you’ve had a cold within the last six months your test with the PCR will come back positive," Hillier said.

That is false, Dietrich says.

"You reference a YouTube video by Dr. Michael Yeadon and an article quoting Dr. Carl Heneghan," the letter states. "The comment about a positive PCR happening from a cold 6 months ago came from the interviewer making that statement in the YouTube video, not the scientist. It is correct that the PCR test will detect pieces of viral RNA which may not have infectious potential.

"The PCR test is specific to SARS-CoV2, the agent that causes COVID-19, not other viruses that cause the common cold and the CDC has stated that swabs may remain positive for up to 3 months after infection, not 6 months," Dietrich says, citing the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Both the scientists you reference were discussing the situation in the UK in September when many asymptomatic people were being tested and case counts were rising but deaths were not. The concern was that as with any test, when you test people with a lower likelihood of disease a greater percentage of positives may be false positives, Dietrich writes. "This is not an argument that PCR testing is false, it means that you need to understand the nuances of testing. Dr. Heneghan was arguing that contact tracing should be based on positive tests, but restrictive measures should be based on hospital admissions and symptomatic cases. In Ontario we have seen rising cases followed by rising hospitalizations, long-term care outbreaks, ICU admissions and deaths. Clearly, we have an increasing COVID-19 outbreak, not just faulty tests."

Hospitalizations in Ontario rose steadily from September through mid-December. According to data from Public Health Ontario, there were 65 people hospitalized with COVID-19 on Sept. 1, with 17 in intensive care. As of Dec. 20, there are 875 people with COVID-19 in hospitals across the province, 261 of whom are in the ICU. A slight decrease in the number of hospitalizations since Dec. 16 has been recorded but ICU admissions have remained relatively stable.

The letter ends with Dietrich condemning misinformation.

"While I recognize that it is legitimate to debate the relative risks and benefits of lockdowns, that debate must be based on valid representations of the effects of COVID-19," she says. "You are spreading misinformation that minimizes the seriousness of COVID-19 to support your personal anti-lockdown and anti-mask beliefs. You misuse scientific references to give your stance an appearance of being scientific. I urge the public to ignore you and heed the advice of trained health care professionals. Continue to practice social distancing, wear masks, and keep everyone safe."

Read the full letter.

(Can't see it? You can also read the full letter at this link.)