(2020-11-14). US — UK Intelligence Agencies Declare Cyber War on Independent Media. globalresearch.ca British and American state intelligence agencies are "weaponizing truth" to quash vaccine hesitancy as both nations prepare for mass inoculations, in a recently announced "cyber war" to be commanded by AI-powered arbiters of truth against information sources that challenge official …
(2020-11-14). [Comment] Offline: A different kind of lockdown. thelancet.com In April, 2019, Dr Mai Alkaila became the first woman to be appointed Minister of Health in the occupied Palestinian territory. An obstetrician and gynaecologist by training, she later earned a PhD in health policy and systems. But she also had a taste for diplomacy and has served the State of Palestine as Ambassador to Chile and Italy. Perfect credentials, one might imagine, for a role that comes with already delicate political challenges. And then the COVID-19 pandemic struck. How was a divided land and a divided government under occupation going to handle a health emergency that was confounding even the most u…
(2020-11-14). Return to tiers will see coronavirus infections rise, scientists warn. thecanary.co 
Returning to the tiered system of coronavirus restrictions in England after the lockdown comes to an end will see infections rise again, scientists have warned. Any hopes of families gathering at Christmas will also be dependent on the reproduction rate of the disease staying below one for "some time", according to documents released by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage).The next normal: A document from the science advisers, dated 4 November, said: If England returns to the same application of the tiering system in place before November 5, then transmission will return to the same rate of…
(2020-11-14). [Articles] Use of effective contraception following provision of the progestogen-only pill for women presenting to community pharmacies for emergency contraception (Bridge-It): a pragmatic cluster-randomised crossover trial. thelancet.com Provision of a supply of the progestogen-only pill with emergency contraception from a community pharmacist, along with an invitation to a sexual and reproductive health clinic, results in a clinically meaningful increase in subsequent use of effective contraception. Widely implemented, this practice could prevent unintended pregnancies after use of emergency contraception.
(2020-11-14). Good news on vaccines but what about its delivery? peoplesdispatch.org If we plan to vaccinate the entire Indian people, the states need to be involved in a big way, however, the Modi government has so far centralized all aspects of the management of the epidemic, treating it only as an administrative problem.
(2020-11-14). [Clinical Picture] Renal cancer with extensive level IV intracardiac tumour thrombus removed by robot. thelancet.com A 74-year-old man presented to the emergency department reporting blood in his urine. He was fit and well and reported no pain, or fever. He had a medical history of hypertension, coronary artery disease, partial colectomy for cancer, gastro-oesophageal reflux, and cataracts. He was taking aspirin, losartan, omeprazole and simvastatin.
(2020-11-14). [World Report] Prince Mahidol award winners announced. thelancet.com The 2020 awards have gone to Bernard Pécoul for his work at the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative and to Valentin Fuster for his work on platelets. Talha Burki reports.
(2020-11-14). [Correspondence] Improving global surveillance of gender-based violence. thelancet.com Gender-based violence, as highlighted by Sophie Cousins in a World Report1 and by numerous other organisations (eg, UN and WHO),1—4 is a substantial public health issue leading to excess morbidity and mortality and is thought to be exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
(2020-11-14). [Perspectives] Staying sane in our new COVID-19 world. thelancet.com COVID-19 spread like wildfire across the world: from China to its neighbouring countries to east Asia, Iran, Europe, and the rest of the world. This pandemic showed how connected the world has become, and how even the best mathematical modelling could not predict which countries would be first affected and how elite travellers would move from hotels to ski resorts to cruise ships and restaurants. But during the pandemic, there has been anxiety about the virus and considerable uncertainty, with widespread reports of mental health issues and feelings of isolation, especially under lockdowns.
(2020-11-14). [Correspondence] Lessons from The Lancet Low Back Pain Series media strategy. thelancet.com Mass media campaigns improve population health by promoting positive health behaviours and discouraging negative ones.1 Campaigns have helped to successfully reduce smoking and promote physical exercise. For some health conditions, campaigns sometimes have to compete with the marketing of unproven tests and treatments by industry and professional associations. An example of success in this context was an Australian campaign that improved population and general practitioner beliefs about back pain, improved medical management, and reduced workers' compensation costs for back pain.
(2020-11-14). President-elect Biden's new COVID-19 task force gives the US a fresh chance to turn around a public health disaster. nationofchange.org Will there be a cohesive message from the top?>
(2020-11-14). [World Report] US wildfires and mental illness stress health systems. thelancet.com The record wildfire season on the US west coast, coupled with the raging COVID-19 pandemic, is testing the health system's preparedness. Roxanne Nelson reports from Seattle, WA.
(2020-11-13). Germans celebrate U.S. election, hope for a vaccine, and fight the right. peoplesworld.org 
BERLIN — Ding-dong, the wicked witch is dead! A wicked but very male U.S. Witch was crushed under a houseful of angry voters, though this house, unlike Dorothy's in The Wizard of Oz, was definitely not from Kansas! And I have a lingering fear that the man still in the White House may plan another …
(2020-11-13). Workers Struggles: Europe, Middle East & Africa. wsws.org South African community health workers walk out to demand an end to contract labour; Nigerian doctors in Ondo state stoppage to demand payment of salaries; Zimbabwe teachers' strike continues for living wage and safety at work—despite threats to stop salaries; UK engineers at Rolls Royce factory strike to defend jobs…
(2020-11-13). Vaccine distribution: Cold storage requirement for potential COVID-19 vaccine a major problem. peoplesdispatch.org Newsclick's Prabir Purkayastha and immunologist Dr. Satyajit Rath discuss the challenges of taking a vaccine to the people in countries like India. They also look at the various vaccine candidates in contention…
(2020-11-13). South Sudan: 'No child anywhere should suffer from polio' — UN health agency. news.un.org Although South Sudan had recently been declared free from the wild poliovirus, the UN health agency said on Friday that 15 children under the age of five are reported to have been infected by a vaccine-derived form of polio, which has left them with irreversible paralysis.
(2020-11-13). 13th Students' Conference of health sciences updates held. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 13 (MNA) — The 13th Students' Conference of updates of healthcare sciences was held Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences on Fri.
(2020-11-13). PM Boris Johnson Meets Bill Gates to Discuss Implementing 'Global' Vaccine Program. Gates and Big Pharma call the Shots. globalresearch.ca The British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, currently being criticised for imposing another lockdown based on questionable data, has met with Bill Gates to discuss implementing a global "health security" program using Britain's G7 presidency to speed up the process. |
(2020-11-13). The Main Threat From Covid Is Not the Disease. thealtworld.com The Covid Deception ( There have been large protests in Britain and most of Europe against the lockd…
(2020-11-13). Billionaire GOP Donors Positive for Covid-19 After White House Election Watch Party. commondreams.org The Uihleins, who have opposed public health guidelines, tested positive after attending the White House election eve watch party. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-11-13). Billionaire GOP Donors Contract COVID-19. progressive.org The Uihleins, who have opposed public health guidelines, tested positive after attending the White House election eve watch party.
(2020-11-13). The Health Effects of Non-Ionising Radiation (NIR): RF Emissions from Mobile Phone Networks, Wi-Fi, and the Rollout of 5G. globalresearch.ca Medical experts and practitioners from around the world have united once again to make clear their concerns regarding the health effects of escalating non-ionising radiation (NIR) exposures. NIR is electromagnetic energy ranging from Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) waves right the …
(2020-11-13). Diabetes increasing COVID risks, showing need to strengthen health systems. news.un.org As the number of people with diabetes surges, many are at "increased risk of severe disease and death from COVID-19", the UN chief said in his message for World Diabetes Day, on Saturday.
(2020-11-13). Watchdog group calls for SEC probe: Pfizer CEO dumped $5.6M in stock on day of vaccine news. salon.com Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla sold off millions in stock as the company's share price peaked following the vaccine news…
(2020-11-13). Overstretched Russian hospitals turn away COVID cases. wsws.org Desperate health care workers and family members of those infected with the coronavirus are finding that there are no more beds in the country's medical facilities, even as the government insists that the situation is "under control."
(2020-11-13). Five Iranian COVID-19 vaccines included in WHO's list: IFDA. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 13 (MNA) — Spokesman of Iran Food and Drug Administration (IFDA) announced that five Iranian vaccines were included in the list of candidates of coronavirus, COVID-19, vaccine of World Health Organization (WHO).
(2020-11-13). What's at stake in Brazil's municipal elections this Sunday. peoplesdispatch.org The municipal elections, originally scheduled for October, were postponed to Sunday November 15 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The change was approved by the National Congress in July. | The COVID-19 health crisis in the country, far from being under control, is one of the factors that might lead to greater abstention in
(2020-11-13). Biden health adviser has a plan to get pandemic under control and revive economy: Pay people to stay home for 4-6 weeks. nationofchange.org The government "could pay for a package right now" to cover economic losses—making it possible to curb Covid-19 transmission without increasing the financial suffering associated with shutting down commerce, said epidemiologist Michael Osterholm.
(2020-11-13). Health minister warns: Ukraine on the verge of coronavirus "catastrophe" wsws.org Facing a rapidly worsening medical situation and a failing economy, the Ukrainian ruling class is doing little to stem the pandemic and assist the country's working class.
(2020-11-13). The mental health of young adults is being ravaged by the pandemic—the suffering needs to stop. wsws.org Many months into the pandemic, with a surge in COVID-19 cases affecting virtually every US state, a new study shows that there is a veritable tsunami of depression flooding over the nation's young adult population.
(2020-11-12). US Border Smugglers Benefit From Pandemic Border Policy. telesurenglish.net U.S. President Donald Trump's administration in March announced that it would begin to quickly expel nearly all migrants caught at the border under the authority of an existing federal public health act, known as Title 42, saying the move was necessary to prevent coronavirus from spreading into the United States. | But the order appears to be having unintended effects. | RELATED: | Previously, Central American mi…
(2020-11-12). Supreme Court Challenge To ACA Highlights Why We Need Medicare For All. popularresistance.org Once again, the fate of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the health law passed under the Obama administration in 2010, will be in the hands of the Supreme Court. The court heard oral arguments in the case, California v. Texas, on Tuesday. A decision is expected in the spring. This is the third time the law has been tested in the Supreme Court, but this time experts are not certain the outcome will be as favorable as it was in 2012 and 2015 due to the loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her replacement with Amy Coney Barrett.
(2020-11-12). US Covid task force chief Fauci says coronavirus vaccines should reach all parts of the world, not only rich states. rt.com 
America's top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci has called on pharmaceutical companies and institutes developing coronavirus vaccines to ensure that they are available in all countries, not only the wealthy ones. | As companies talk about the ability to make billions of doses, "we don't need hundreds of millions for the rich countries," Fauci told a webinar held by British thinktank Chatham House. | "We need billions [of vaccine doses], so whether you live in the darkest part of the developing world, or if you live in London, you should have the same access." | Vaccines clearly have the potential to…
(2020-11-12). UK hit by 'highly infectious' bird flu as govt declares national prevention zone to halt spread. rt.com 
British health chiefs confirmed a "highly infectious" bird flu outbreak in England on Thursday as the government declared a national prevention zone, echoing similar drastic action taken by other European nations. | The H5N8 strain of bird flu was found in broiler breeder chickens on a farm near the town of Leominster in Herefordshire, western England, in what is the UK's latest report of highly infectious bird flu. | It follows other cases of H5N8 in wild birds in Gloucestershire, Devon and Dorset in southern England and at a farm in Cheshire in the north of the country. | An Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (…
(2020-11-12). Northern Ireland politicians work to WRONG deadline on lifting Covid lockdown. rt.com 
The power-sharing political parties in Northern Ireland have been debating for days what measures to put in place after the country's four week 'circuit breaker' lockdown ends — except they've been working to the wrong date. | The Northern Ireland Assembly in Stormont was working on the belief that restrictions it had introduced were set to end at midnight on Thursday. However, the Department of Health has received "revised legal advice" showing it actually expires 24 hours later, at midnight on Friday. | The confusion is likely to add to the growing frustration among business owners in Northern Ireland,…
(2020-11-12). German company says its Covid-19 vaccine could be ready for use by September 2021. rt.com 
Germany's CureVac AG is about to launch third phase clinical trials of its coronavirus vaccine candidate, the company's CEO, Franz-Werner Haas, said on Thursday. The jab could get final approval by September 2021. | The company seeks to launch its third and final vaccine trial phase "as soon as possible," Haas told journalists during an online media conference. The study is expected to involve 36,000 participants and be completed in about three months. | If things go smooth, CureVac plans to file for its vaccine candidate emergency approval with the European Medicines Agency as early as in the first quarter of…
(2020-11-12). Paris beefs up policing amid 'lack of respect' for Covid-19 rules as France mulls tighter lockdown. rt.com 
France is to increase policing in Paris and other big cities amid a "lack of respect" for Covid restrictions, the prime minister has said, warning that lockdown could be tightened if the situation worsens in the coming days. | Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, PM Jean Castex confirmed that France's current measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 would remain unchanged for the next fortnight, explaining it would be "irresponsible" to lift them now amid serious pressure on the health system. | Currently, someone is admitted to hospital in France every 30 seconds and to intensive care every three minute…
(2020-11-12). Inexpensive and rapid tests can distinguish between Chagas disease parasites. imperial.ac.uk A new rapid diagnostic test that can differentiate between different strains of Chagas disease parasite could lead to a widespread testing programme.
(2020-11-12). UCSF Hospital Bosses Cutting Staffing In Middle Of Covid Pandemic! indybay.org CNA UCSF nurses and workers from AFSCME 3299 and CWA UPTE spoke up against the cutbacks of nurses and other staff threatening the health and safety of the workers and patients. The UCSF management, UC Regents and Governor Newsom according to the workers are continuing to put profit before patients and workers.
(2020-11-12). Measles cases hit 23-year high last year, killing 200,000 as vaccination stalls, WHO says. news.un.org Measles killed an estimated 207,500 people last year after a decade-long failure to reach optimal vaccination coverage, resulting in the highest number of cases for 23 years, the World Health Organization (WHO) and US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said in a joint report on Thursday.
(2020-11-12). Ethnicity and clinical outcomes in COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis. thelancet.com Individuals of Black and Asian ethnicity are at increased risk of COVID-19 infection compared to White individuals; Asians may be at higher risk of ITU admission and death. These findings are of critical public health importance in informing interventions to reduce morbidity and mortality amongst ethnic minority groups.
(2020-11-12). Health Workers Go on Strike in Chile. telesurenglish.net Chile's National Federation of Health Workers (FENATS) Thursday announced a 48-hour strike to demand the Sebastian Piñera's government better working conditions. | RELATED: | The strike was called after a deadlock in the talks with the Health Ministry to address the social requests. | Health workers demand the approval of the COVID-19 Bonus set to grant special aid for vulnerable families affected by the economic…
(2020-11-12). Greek health workers observe national protests. peoplesdispatch.org The Federation of Greek Hospital Doctors' Associations, the key organiser put forth a set of demands to fight the pandemic. These include mass recruitment and appointment to permanent positions for all doctors…
(2020-11-12). Lowering the Bar on Success: Megan McArdle on Drug Development. cepr.net Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle was anxious to tell readers that drug development in the pandemic has been a great success story. After all, look at all the treatments we have, and now it appears that Pfizer/BioNtech have developed a highly effective vaccine. What could be better than that? Well, first we need a bit …
(2020-11-12). Metro Detroit hospitalizations rise sharply as second wave of COVID-19 cases surges across Michigan. wsws.org An alarming surge in the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 is underway in metropolitan Detroit and throughout the state of Michigan, threatening to overrun the capacity of the health care system.
(2020-11-12). West Virginia Kroger workers reject sellout agreement, vote overwhelmingly to strike. wsws.org Under the proposed agreement, Kroger would place a cap on the amount of money it contributes to health care benefits, placing more of the burden on its employees.
(2020-11-12). Iran COVID-19 fatalities pass 40,000. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 12 (MNA) — The Iranian Health Ministry has confirmed 457 new coronavirus-related deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the death tally to 40,121.
(2020-11-12). North Dakota reaches 100 percent hospital capacity, tells health care workers to continue working if infected with COVID-19. wsws.org North Dakota is facing a critical health emergency, with hospitals at full capacity. The state's herd immunity policy has resulted in a crisis so dire that infected health care workers are being told to continue working to avoid staff shortages…
(2020-11-12). Senate passes Veteran's Health Act; a package of bills addressing healthcare and suicide prevention for veterans. nationofchange.org "By identifying and eliminating barriers for veterans to access public lands, AVRO will ensure that veterans can heal on the landscapes they served to protect."
(2020-11-12). Who Chooses the Official, Governmentally-Approved "Health Experts"? globalresearch.ca "My budget [is] highly earmarked, so it is driven by what I call donor interests." — "For the world at large, normalcy only returns when we've largely vaccinated the …