(2020-03-18). Escapism or China-bashing? US now left without harsh coronavirus options, but with broken healthcare & federal disarray. rt.com 
Washington's attempts to tackle Covid-19 appear to be bleak — underestimation of the threat and China-bashing make harsh measures unlikely, as state authorities do what they can to battle the virus, RT has been told. | As of Wednesday, the US has a total of 6,496 confirmed coronavirus cases, including 112 deaths. While the numbers drag behind the worst-affected nations, such as Iran or Italy, the dynamics of the spread appears to be quite alarming — the state of New York alone reported 432 new cases in a single day. | As the disease spreads, the states are rushing to crack down on social contact, or…
(2020-03-18). We're In A Recession, And It's Likely To Get Worse. dissidentvoice.org 
The coronavirus epidemic is creating an ongoing teachable moment that could be used to transform the US economy. COVID-19 and the oil war are triggers leading to a recession that has its roots in record corporate and personal debt, longterm low wages and an artificially-inflated stockmarket. The shortcomings of US economic policy, the healthcare system, and …
(2020-03-18). 'You see a lot of suffering, but can do very little': Italian nurse bursts into tears describing coronavirus struggle to RT. rt.com 
The battle against the coronavirus is tough on medical staffs, not only physically but emotionally as well, as they witness so much suffering, an Italian nurse told RT's Ruptly video agency. | The number of those infected keeps rising, which only increases pressure on the health workers, Francesca Rovati of Guglielmo Da Saliceto Hospital in Piacenza, the city at the heart of Italy's Covid-19 outbreak, said. | Rovati said she almost went deaf from the sound made by the oxygen cylinders for patients suffering from respiratory failure due to the disease. And there's not enough of this equipment for everybody who…
(2020-03-18). Russian senator calls for ALL unilateral SANCTIONS to be lifted to prevent coronavirus causing global economic crisis. rt.com 
The spread of Covid-19 may send the global economy into a lengthy recession, but lifting sanctions that aren't backed by the United Nations may help avoid a total catastrophe. That's according to a senior Russian senator. | The drop in energy demand, unstable currency exchange rates, and the threat to people's safety have put humanity at risk of a major economic crisis which "won't spare anybody," Konstantin Kosachev, the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Russian Senate, warned. | Developing vaccines and working towards new agreements on oil prices are good measures to deal with the difficult situa…
(2020-03-18). Newborn baby tests positive for coronavirus in Norfolk. thecanary.co 
Another newborn baby has tested positive for Covid-19 in the UK.Health officials at the James Paget University Hospital in Gorleston, Norfolk, said a baby is among three new cases identified.All patients are now being treated in isolation, the trust said on Wednesday.(PA Graphics)A hospital spokesperson said: "An extensive 'contact tracing' exercise is now under way by Public Health England to trace anyone who might have had close (face-to-face) contact."Close contacts will be given health advice about symptoms and what to do if they become unwell in the 14 days after they had contact with the confirmed case."Tha…
(2020-03-18). Sanctions against Iran and Venezuela during a pandemic are cruel. zcomm.org Source: Independent Media Institute Swiftly moves the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), dashing across continents, skipping over oceans, terrifying populations in every country. The numbers of those infected rises, as do the numbers of those who have died. Hands are being washed, tests are being done, social distancing has become a new phrase. It is unclear how
(2020-03-18). Why Sanctions During a Pandemic are Cruel. counterpunch.org Swiftly moves the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), dashing across continents, skipping over oceans, terrifying populations in every country. The numbers of those infected rises, as do the numbers of those who have died. Hands are being washed, tests are being done, and social distance has become a new phrase. It is unclear how devastating this pandemic will be.
(2020-03-18). Biden's Health Care Plan Abandons Older Americans. counterpunch.org Joe Biden has surged since the South Carolina primary, and the received wisdom is that this was mainly because of the perception by his voters that he was the most electable candidate against President Donald Trump. But there are some potential pitfalls that have not yet surfaced, and some of them concern voters who are
(2020-03-18). When Available, COVID-19 Vaccines May be Hazardous to Human Health. globalresearch.ca In cahoots with government, Big Pharma is more concerned about profits than human health. | Drug companies see a potential bonanza by developing and marketing a COVID-19 vaccine once testing is completed — likely to be available later this year. | What …
(2020-03-18). Spain Locks Down & Nationalizes Private Healthcare. zcomm.org Europe is the epicenter of coronavirus, and Spain now has the second most cases in Europe, with more than 2,000 new cases in 24 hours and the number of deaths doubled…
(2020-03-18). As UAW keeps plants open, Indiana Fiat Chrysler and Lear workers take action over deadly coronavirus. wsws.org The UAW announced Tuesday night that it had agreed to keep the Big Three plants open on a "rotating partial shutdown" basis, as the COVID-19 disease continues to spread.
(2020-03-18). Disaster Capitalism and the Real Culprit in the Italian Covid-19 Catastrophe. zcomm.org The Coronavirus pandemic will provide another opportunity for neoliberal elites to impose more of their right wing agenda on a citizenry scared and confused by this mysterious and dangerous disease…
(2020-03-18). Report from China: COVID-19 a tale of two systems. fightbacknews.org Guangdong, China – There is chaos in America right now surrounding COVID-19. Americans are receiving conflicting information every day about the virus, with no direction from the Trump administration. The Trump administration has decided that the best course of action is to do nothing, with Trump himself declaring "I don't take responsibility at all." When the Center for Disease Control (CDC) releases a report, Trump will directly contradict their findings in an attempt to downplay COVID-19's immediate threat and bolster his own image. The resulting pandemonium has left Americans without guidance on how they shou…
(2020-03-18). Sri Lankan government responds to COVID-19 by mobilising the military and helping the financial elite. wsws.org There are concerns in ruling circles that the lack of health facilities and job security, along with wage cuts, will lead to major social struggles.
(2020-03-18). Close Australian schools to stave off coronavirus! Form action committees of teachers and school staff! wsws.org The Committee for Public Education insists that in the face of a public health emergency, the voices of teachers and education workers must be heard!
(2020-03-18). S.C. County Issues Shelter-in-Place with No Shelter or Facilities for Those Outside. indybay.org Several hours ago the County of Santa Cruz Health Services Agency followed up on actions by San Francisco, Marin, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Mateo counties declaring much public assembly a misdemeanor. Meanwhile acting City czar Martin Bernal has declined to provide portapotties, open bathrooms, provide vacant hotel and motel rooms, or declare an eviction moratorium for folks outside and hard-pressed renters inside.
(2020-03-18). Iran Temporarily Frees 85,000 Inmates As Pandemic Worsens. telesurenglish.net Iran has temporarily freed about 85,000 people from jail in response to the coronavirus epidemic, a judiciary spokesman said Tuesday. | RELATED: | "So far, some 85,000 prisoners have been released … Also in the prisons we have taken precautionary measures to confront the outbreak," judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said. | Asked whether prisoners over so-called "political reasons" were among those free…
(2020-03-18). EU drugs agency says no evidence ibuprofen worsens COVID-19. yenisafak.com The European Union's healthcare regulator on Wednesday said there currently is no evidence which links anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen with the worsening of COVID-19.The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said
(2020-03-18). Bangladesh confirms first death from new coronavirus. yenisafak.com Bangladesh on Wednesday confirmed its first death due to the coronavirus pandemic.Meerjady Sabrina Flora, head of Bangladesh's Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research, announced during a news conference that the patient was a 70-year-old woman who was suffering from cardiac problems, high-blood pressure, kidney diseases and diabetes.She got infected after getting in contact with a person who had just returned from abroad, said the official.Another 14 people have been infected with the virus which causes the disease known as COVID-19, she added.Flora said that the infection spread in the country du…
(2020-03-18). Gulf states register fresh coronavirus infections. yenisafak.com Health authorities in all Gulf countries reported fresh coronavirus infections on Wednesday. | Kuwait's Health Ministry said 12 people were infected with the virus, bringing the country's total cases to 142. | Oman reported nine new cases from the disease, taking the total count in the country to 33. | In Saudi Arabia, the Health Ministry said the kingdom's total infections rose to 171 after 38 new cases were reported, according to the official SPA news agency. | Three new cases were also reported in Qatar, taking the country's total infections to 442, according to the Health Ministry. | In Bahrain, authorities s…
(2020-03-18). Germany warned of 10M COVID-19 cases in 3 months. yenisafak.com Nearly 10 million people in Germany could become infected with coronavirus within the next three months, if strict measures to stem its spread are not implemented, the country's disease control agency warned on Wednesday.Speaking at a news conference in the capital Berlin, Lothar Wieler , head of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) said the government's recent measures to limit social contact in public places, closure of all non-essential shops, bars and sport venues was extremely important to stem the spread of coronavirus, also known as COVID-19."If we don't succeed in effectively limiting social contact in the com…
(2020-03-18). Coronavirus cases in South Africa jump to 116. yenisafak.com The total number of coronavirus cases in South Africa has increased to 116, the country's Health Ministry said on Wednesday.In a statement, the Health Ministry said there was an increase of 31 new cases of the coronavirus over the past 24 hours.The majority of new cases are found in Gauteng province, which comprises the cities of Johannesburg the economic hub and Pretoria the capital, the statement said.Most cases of the COVID-19 have been brought into the country by people returning from trips overseas, especially from Europe.Meanwhile, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said over 100 South Africans recently repatriat…
(2020-03-18). UK PM Boris Johnson Answers MPs Questions Amid Coronavirus Pandemic – Video. sputniknews.com Earlier this week, the UK government unveiled a package of measures to aid the economy amid the coronavirus spread, including £330 billion for companies to access loans, support for airlines, a business rates holiday, and help for small firms without insurance.
(2020-03-18). Selected Articles: Cuban Drug Could Save Thousands of Lives in Coronavirus Pandemic. globalresearch.ca 
By Cuban medicine could treat thousands of coronavirus patients as production of a "flagship" drug known to combat the disease is set to increase …
(2020-03-17). Voters smell a rat as coronavirus-soaked primaries unfold in Illinois, Arizona & Florida… but they don't want them canceled either. rt.com 
Democratic primary voters are calling out perceived rigging, from a TV station appearing to call the vote a day early to Ohio's decision to cancel it entirely. Others think forcing citizens to vote mid-epidemic is itself rigging. | The Democratic National Committee's decision to go ahead with state primaries despite the raging coronavirus epidemic — directly contravening advice from the Centers for Disease Control to avoid gatherings of 50 or more people — had progressive voters, suspecting efforts to rig the contest in favor of establishment favorite Joe Biden, up in arms on Tuesday. As residents of…
(2020-03-17). Meet 17-Year-Old Avi Schiffmann Who Runs Coronavirus Tracking Website Used by 40+ Million Globally. democracynow.org 
A teenager's website tracking coronavirus has become one of the most vital resources for people seeking accurate and updated numbers on the pandemic. The URL is nCoV2019.live. We speak with 17-year-old Avi Schiffmann, a high school junior from Mercer Island outside Seattle, who started the site in late December, when coronavirus had not yet been detected outside of China. Now the site has been visited by tens of millions, from every country on Earth. It tracks deaths, numbers of cases locally and globally, and provides an interactive map, information on the disease, and a Twitter feed. The resource updates every…
(2020-03-17). Trump Derangement Syndrome meets Covid-19 panic: Hollywood actress spreads conspiracy theory about Israel & coronavirus. rt.com 
Rosanna Arquette inspired some colorful reactions when she floated the theory that Israel has long known about the coronavirus and claimed the country and Jared Kushner are putting "lives at risk for profit." | "I'm still confused," the 'Buffalo 66' actress tweeted to her more than 100,000 Twitter followers on Tuesday, "so Israel has been working on a coronavirus vaccine for a year already? (so they knew)." | Arquette went on to say US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner is the main investor in the vaccine. | "Vaccines take a long time to know if they are safe and KUSHNER OSCAR is the major inves…
(2020-03-17). Despite U.S. blockade, Cuban pharma industry producing needed COVID-19 medicines. peoplesworld.org 
HAVANA—(Granma) Although there is no preventive vaccine or specific treatment at this time for the new coronavirus SARS COV-2, which causes COVID-19, the Cuban pharmaceutical industry is guaranteeing production of proven, high efficacy treatment medications, including recombinant human interferon alpha 2b, in addition to another group of drugs that are included in protocols for treating …
(2020-03-17). Concerns over supply shortage of protective gear for frontline health workers. thecanary.co 
There are "critical" shortages of laboratory equipment, medical devices and protective equipment in some countries, European health leaders have said.The European branch of the World Health Organisation (WHO) said it was aware of some shortages and was also monitoring the potential risk of a disruption to medicine supplies.It comes after officials in Britain faced renewed calls to keep frontline staff healthy and ensure they have enough protective equipment to continue caring for patients. | "Health facilities have to have the necessary equipment to care for those seriously affected and to protect health workers…
(2020-03-17). Together, Biden and Sanders COVID-19 plans provide immediate and systemic response. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—If you want the global view of how the U.S. health care non-system is ill-equipped to help people cope with the coronavirus pandemic, Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders, Ind-Vt., has a solution for you. It's in his speech on March 12. If you want point-by-point, detail-by-detail proposals on what the federal government can and …
(2020-03-17). Health secretary announces emergency measures for NHS Scotland. thecanary.co 
Scotland's NHS has been formally placed on an emergency footing to help it deal with a "substantial and sustained" increase in coronavirus cases.Health secretary Jeane Freeman revealed the move as she updated MSPs at Holyrood on the Covid-19 outbreak.Speaking after first minister Nicola Sturgeon warned "the next weeks and possibly months will be immensely difficult", the Health Secretary outlined some of the measures being implemented. | She also warned Scots more stringent steps might be needed to combat the spread of the virus — with both Freeman and the first minister describing the situation as "unpreced…
(2020-03-17). US ramps up sanctions devastating Venezuela's health sector as coronavirus spreads. thegrayzone.com Promising to "smash" Venezuela's government during a "maximum pressure March," Trump has imposed crushing sanctions that force Venezuela to spend…
(2020-03-17). Brazil: Bolsonaro to Be Denounced for Risking the Population. telesurenglish.net The Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL) lawmaker Marcelo Freixo will denounce Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro before the World Health Organization (WHO) for putting the population at risk by promoting the concentration of people in a political act against of the National Congress and the Federal Supreme Court held in Brasilia on March 15. | RELATED: | At an event called by those who long for the return to a military regime, Bolso…
(2020-03-17). The UK and Spain make coronavirus plans to use private healthcare, with one glaring difference. thecanary.co Both the UK and Spain have made plans to use private healthcare facilities to help tackle the coronavirus pandemic. But there's a glaring difference between the policies. One that speaks volumes about the Conservative government. | Public good vs private profit: | The Spanish government
(2020-03-17). US Indifference to Public Health: The Shame of the Nation. globalresearch.ca Both right wings of the US one-party state serve privileged interests exclusively at the expense of public health and welfare. | It's been this way throughout the nation's history, notably since the neoliberal 90s, especially post-9/11 when Republicans and undemocratic Dems …
(2020-03-17). Trump's Budget Proposal Reveals His Values. dissidentvoice.org It is often said that government budgets are "an expression of values." Those values are clear in the Trump administration's $4.8 trillion budget proposal for 2021, unveiled early this February. The budget calls for deep cuts in major U.S. government programs, especially those protecting public health. The Department of Health and Human Services would be …
(2020-03-17). COVID-19 Updates: Latin American Cases Rise, Isolation Reigns. telesurenglish.net Update 10: 19 pm. | The IMF rejects Venezuela's Request for US$5 Billion to Fight Coronavirus | The International Monetary Fund (IMF) rejected Tuesday Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's request for US$5 billion emergency funds in order to fight the coronavirus pandemic in the Latin American country. | Update 10: 10 pm. | Colombia declares state of emergency over coronavirus crisis | Colombia's President Ivan Duque declared Tuesday a state of emergency as the country intensifies measures to counter the coronavirus spreading in Latin America. Among the measures was an order for the elderly to stay home until th…
(2020-03-17). Insurance Industry Ramps Up Propaganda Against Medicare for All Amid Pandemic. truthout.org As the coronavirus pandemic spreads across the United States, laying bare the myriad dysfunctions and inefficiencies of America's for-profit healthcare system, a powerful insurance industry front group is openly ramping up its campaign against systemic healthcare reforms that
(2020-03-17). Plagues, Pandemics, Paintings, and Personal Gain. counterpunch.org After a lot of Trump Administration obfuscation, dillydallying, denial, sloppy planning, incompetence, inaction, and indecision about the spread and the combatting of the Coronavirus in the United States, and, after much criticism by Democrat politicians and the "liberal" media, the White House apprised the nation that at 9: 00 p.m. EDT, March 11, 2020, President Donald
(2020-03-17). Black Plague, Spanish Flu, Smallpox: All Hold Lessons for Coronavirus. truthdig.com Pandemics are nothing new in history, and their long record across the ages and continents has much to teach us about how best to handle the current outbreak, writes California State University professor Ibrahim Al-Marashi in a fascinating piece at the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. | Al-Marashi begins with a tour through the animal origins of both common viruses and lethal pathogens, of which COVID-19 is just the latest example.
(2020-03-17). If You Think Coronavirus Profiteering Is Bad, Wait Till the Climate Heats Up. commondreams.org Rich or poor, Americans already spend more on medicine than any other people in the world. (Photo: Elvert Barnes/flickr/cc) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-03-17). Why America Can't Respond to the Current Crisis. truthdig.com Dr. Anthony S Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and just about the only official in the Trump administration trusted to tell the truth about the coronavirus, said last Thursday: "The system does not, is not really geared to what we need right now … It is a failing, let's admit it." | While we're at it, let's admit something more basic. The system would be failing even under a halfway competent president. The dirty little secret, which will soon become apparent to all, is that there is no real public health system in the United States. | The ad hoc response fashioned la…
(2020-03-17). South-East Asian countries urged to 'do more' to fight COVID-19. news.un.org With South-East Asia reporting more than 480 cases of COVID-19 and eight deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday called for countries to "act now" and urgently scale-up "aggressive" measures to tackle the disease.
(2020-03-17). Years of Austerity Weakened the Public Health Response to Coronavirus. truthout.org Years of austerity at all levels of government, combined with profiteering in the health care sector and the Trump administration's bungled response, have severely weakened the nation's ability to combat the coronavirus outbreak and is putting public health workers on the front lines of the crisis in danger, according to experts and labor advocates. | Underfunded and overworked public health departments are tasked with tracking and stopping the spread of the disease. Hospitals and emergency rooms ar…
(2020-03-17). Cuban Drug Could Save Thousands of Lives in Coronavirus Pandemic. globalresearch.ca Cuban medicine could treat thousands of coronavirus patients as production of a "flagship" drug known to combat the disease is set to increase significantly, pharmaceutical bosses said at a press conference on Friday. | President of the BioCubaFarma group Eduardo Martinez…
(2020-03-17). Pandemic: The Invention of a Disease Called Fear. People are being "Herded". Disrupting the World Economy. globalresearch.ca The word 'pandemic' bears a similarity to the word 'panic' and indeed 'pandemonium'. In fact 'pandemic' evokes an almost instant flush of fear in those easily manipulated by mass media, before any details have even touched the surface or context …
(2020-03-17). How to Talk to Someone You Believe Is Misinformed About the Coronavirus. truthdig.com The medical evidence is clear: The coronavirus global health threat is not an elaborate hoax. Bill Gates did not create the coronavirus to sell more vaccines. Essential oils are not effective at protecting you from coronavirus. But those facts have not stopped contrary claims from spreading both on and offline.
(2020-03-17). Brazil COVID-19: 2 Deaths, Bolsonaro Tests Negative. telesurenglish.net Brazil confirmed two deaths in a single day Tuesday, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro declared a state of emergency while the right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro gave negative in his second test of coronavirus. | RELATED: | The South American country's first victim was a 62-year-old man with underlying health conditions who died Monday in Sao Paulo, authorities said. | The man had no recent history of international trave…
(2020-03-17). With US Hospitals Unprepared for COVID-19, European Students Urged Home. truthout.org The biggest college in Norway urged students to return from countries with "poorly developed" health systems — such as the United States! — as experts warned that the American hospital system would be overwhelmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. | Norway's University of Science and Technology issued an alert to students studying abroad urging them to "return home." | "This applies especially if you are staying in a country with poorly developed health services. This also applies for countries…
(2020-03-17). New report from UN Economic Commission for Europe measures progress on global goals. news.un.org As all eyes, hearts and minds focus on the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) garnered attention on Tuesday when a new UN report revealed that only ten countries in the European region have levels of air pollution below the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended limit.
