(2020-05-02). [Perspectives] Society and the slow burn of inequality. thelancet.com On June 14, 2017, Grenfell Tower, a high-rise housing block in the Royal London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, UK, went up in flames. 72 people died, among the poorest and most marginalised in society. A dramatic conflagration such as this could teach us two kinds of lessons, if we were but open to receiving them. This event exposed underlying problems in society and it showed us that we have to do things differently. In the case of Grenfell, the underlying societal problem was deep-seated and enduring social inequalities and resultant health inequalities.
(2020-05-02). [World Report] Prisons are "in no way equipped" to deal with COVID-19. thelancet.com Prisons are a hotspot for COVID-19. In theory, prisoners have the same right to health as anyone else, but the reality is very different. Talha Burki reports.
(2020-05-02). [Comment] Offline: A global health crisis? No, something far worse. thelancet.com Every evening we scour those graphs looking for signs that the epidemic is in retreat. New cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). People in hospital with COVID-19. Critical care beds with COVID-19 patients. Daily COVID-19 deaths in hospital. And then the final and bluntly worded "global death comparison". Those with responsibility for leading us through this emergency have called it "a once in a century global health crisis". This statement is incorrect on two grounds. First, because we cannot know what the rest of the century will bring.
(2020-05-02). [Perspectives] Death of a courtier. thelancet.com A plague sweeps the nation, the head of state's health is threatened, and the business of government is rendered fragile and unsteady. It has been over a decade since Hilary Mantel began her Thomas Cromwell trilogy with Wolf Hall in 2009, and 8 years since 2012's Bring Up the Bodies, but what felt like an arduous wait now seems like nothing but impeccable timing. Cromwell even ends the novel under his own version of lockdown as a prisoner in the Tower of London. The world has been uncannily prepared for The Mirror & the Light.
(2020-05-02). [Editorial] COVID-19: remaking the social contract. thelancet.com "Allegiance, after all, has to work two ways; and one can grow weary of an allegiance which is not reciprocal." The British playwright David Hare quoted this line by the American writer James Baldwin in his recent reflections on the UK Government's response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Baldwin's reminder and warning in the context of civil rights in the mid-20th century USA speak now in the pandemic to communities the world over who are unsure of their governments' allegiances to them.
(2020-05-01). US Deportations Add Extra Risk to Global Public Health. telesurenglish.net In the name of protecting U.S. citizens against COVID-19, Washington has recently stepped up the deportation of illegal immigrants from Mexico and Central American nations. | RELATED: | The U.S. authorities seem to have paid no regard that such moves at the time of a ravaging pandemic may overwhelm the often vulnerable public health systems in the recipient countries and thus pose a grave danger to the global an…
(2020-05-01). Nurses in South Africa protest demanding PPE, income tax breaks and Danger Allowance. peoplesdispatch.org The protests were organized by the Young Nurses Indaba Trade Union. Other demands included the immediate and periodic testing of all healthcare workers and compulsory, conducive, decent and habitable accommodation for essential staff…
(2020-05-01). Armed Gunmen Enter Michigan Capitol Demanding End to COVID-19 Lockdown. truthout.org The right-wing movement against public health measures designed to stave off the coronavirus pandemic escalated on Thursday as armed gunmen were among those who stormed the Michigan state house and tried to enter the legislative chamber. | The protesters
(2020-05-01). May Day People's Strike! Target, Amazon, Instacart Workers Demand Safe Conditions & Pandemic Relief. democracynow.org 
This May Day, an unprecedented coalition of essential workers from Amazon, Instacart, Whole Foods, Walmart, Target and FedEx are calling out sick or walking out during their lunch break to demand better health and safety conditions, along with hazard pay. Others are joining them for May Day actions that include rent strikes, car caravan protests and online organizing calling for a "People's Bailout" and economic recovery plan that prioritizes workers. We speak with Kali Akuno, co-founder and co-director of Cooperation Jackson, which issued a call for a people's strike starting May 1. "The corporations and the gov…
(2020-05-01). Farewell to the god of plague. mronline.org 
The Communists were determined to eradicate disease. In the 1930s, Mao joined the Chinese Communist Party's Public Health Commission; in 1934, when he was in the Jiangxi Soviet, Mao placed public health at the top of the list for party work.
(2020-05-01). CROWDS of Californians protest governor's order to close BEACHES over coronavirus fears (VIDEOS). rt.com 
Residents in Orange County, California turned out by the hundreds to protest Governor Gavin Newsom's order to close all beaches, in the latest outburst of frustration with Covid-19 lockdowns now entering week seven. | Newsom ordered a "hard close" of state and local beaches on Thursday, arguing that people from outside the area were coming to congregate there and posing a risk to public health. Huntington Beach, located south of Los Angeles and known as "Surf City," said it would resist. | Before the city fathers could sue, however, local residents gathered on the beach to confront mounted and heavily armed po…
(2020-05-01). Target, Amazon, Instacart Workers Demand Safe Conditions and Pandemic Relief. truthout.org This May Day, an unprecedented coalition of essential workers from Amazon, Instacart, Whole Foods, Walmart, Target and FedEx are calling out sick or walking out during their lunch break to demand better health and safety conditions, along with hazard pay. Others are joining them for May Day actions that include rent strikes, car caravan protests and online organizing calling for a "People's Bailout" and economic recovery plan that prioritizes workers. We speak with Kali Akuno, co-founder and co-di…
(2020-05-01). May 1 Actions to Counter "ReOpen America" Rallies; Demand Trump/Pence #OutNOW. indybay.org Join us to demand Trump, Pence, the whole fascist regime #OutNow in social distancing counter protest of the May 1st fascist rallies that demand the end to sheltering at home and demand their rights to disregard the health and lives of the most vulnerable. In contrast to this, unite with refuse fascism by saying Humanity first and in the name of humanity we refuse to accept a fascist America.
(2020-05-01). First Official Cases of Coronavirus and Deadly Flooding Mark Ramadan in Yemen. mintpressnews.com 
Health officials tell MintPress that flooding has impeded coronavirus prevention measures in a country already devastated from five years of Saudi bombing that has left 70 percent of its health facilities destroyed.
(2020-05-01). The Working Life of the Meat Packer in the Time of the Plague. counterpunch.org End of the day, factory whistle cries, Men walk through these gates with death in their eyes. And you just better believe, boy, somebody's gonna get hurt tonight, It's the working, the working, just the working life. -Bruce Springsteen, "Factory" (1978) President Trump, responding to meatpacking plant closures occasioned by COVID-19 has ordered the plants
(2020-05-01). Hasidic Jews Defy New York's Lockdown. thealtworld.com 
When does religious observance override community health? | Last Tuesday an estimated 2,500 male
(2020-05-01). How Covid Alarmists Waged Biological Warfare on Nursing Homes. anti-empire.com 
| The daily death figures from hospitals have dominated the news headlines and the government's press briefings during Britain's coronavirus crisis so far. Mercifully, those figures have been in decline for some time now. The peak of hospital deaths was passed on 8 April — three weeks ago. | Indeed, the passing of the hospital peak has led some experts, like Professor Carl Heneghan, director of Oxford Univer…
(2020-05-01). Experts slam Tories for NHS cuts and systematic failures in coronavirus testing. thecanary.co 
A public health professor has claimed Conservative government cuts have "emaciated" the testing system and made the ability to track down coronavirus (Covid-19) cases more difficult.Gabriel Scally, a former regional director of public health, said he was "very worried" about the country's ability to get to the levels of contact tracers needed. Scally said 10 years ago it would have been possible — but cuts have damaged this.His anger was in response to Conservative former Cabinet minister David Gauke's defence of reductions in public spending. Gauke warned of an "even more difficult situation" without auster…
(2020-05-01). North Korea's Kim makes public appearance at FERTILIZER PLANT amid death rumors fueled by Trump's 'no comments' (PHOTOS). rt.com 
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has made his first public appearance in weeks, at a fertilizer factory north of Pyongyang. The state media reports and photos, however, have not entirely dispelled speculations about his health. | A news broadcast by the North Korean state radio said that Kim cut the ribbon on a fertilizer plant in Sunchon, in South Phyongan Province, on Friday. He was accompanied by his sister Kim Yo-jong and several other officials. The Sunchon event was also reported by the state news agency KCNA, and by South Korea's news agency Yonhap, who said it "contradicted rumors" about Kim's health.
(2020-05-01). Abortion access threatened during pandemic. workers.org 
"These anti-choice governors have created a health crisis within a health crisis," Julie Burkhart told the April 16 Los Angeles Times. She is the founder and CEO of Trust Women, which runs nonprofit health care clinics in Wichita, Kan., and Oklahoma City, Okla. In Texas, the Trust. Respect. Access. coalition . . . |
(2020-05-01). Russia reports almost 8,000 new Covid-19 cases in a record daily rise. rt.com 
Russian health officials have recorded 7,933 new Covid-19 cases since Thursday, according to the daily update. It brings the total number of coronavirus infections in the country to 114,431. | Moscow remains the biggest hotbed for the outbreak, with roughly half of the identified cases localized in the capital. The death toll in Russia stands at 13,220, after 96 more people succumbed to the disease. | On Thursday, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin tested positive for coronavirus. He
(2020-05-01). WHO's not invited? World Health Organization seeks permission to participate in China's investigation into Covid-19 origins. rt.com 
The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that Beijing is investigating the origins of the novel coronavirus that first appeared in Wuhan, but the agency has so far been prevented from participating in the probe. | It has now said that it wants an invitation to take part in China's investigation into the outbreak of Covid-19. Tarik Jasarevic, a spokesman for the WHO,
(2020-05-01). The Tenderloin Containment Zone: A Photo Essay. counterpunch.org 
San Francisco — Sunday morning, April 26, 2020. San Francisco is openly violating its own Department of Public Health guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic, turning the sidewalks of the Tenderloin into a containment zone for the homeless — in a 20,000 person neighborhood right next to City Hall, while keeping large public spaces like Civic
(2020-05-01). Colombia vows to pay health workers' back payment 6 weeks into state of emergency. colombiareports.com 
Colombia's health minister said Thursday he will pay health workers' back payments amid confusion over where the $1.5 billion promised by President Ivan Duque six weeks ago went. In Duque's…
(2020-05-01). Meat/Mental Health Story Latest in Fake Nutritional Science. counterpunch.org 
"Meat Improves Mental Health" mainstream media blasted out this week, without mentioning the "study," published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, was funded by an "unrestricted research grant from the Beef Checkoff, through the National Cattlemen's Beef Association." Such fake science from the meat industry is becoming more common as people drop meat. Whereas only
(2020-05-01). Mayor of Nice calls for Covid-19 'health passports' to enter or leave France. rt.com 
The mayor of Nice has urged French PM Edouard Philippe to introduce new travel controls during the Covid-19 pandemic through "health passports" in the parts of France which border other countries. | Christian Estrosi posted the details of his letter on
(2020-05-01). Ireland extends coronavirus lockdown to May 18 as PM gives first details for easing restrictions. rt.com 
The Irish government on Friday announced a further extension to the country's lockdown measures, with Prime Minister Leo Varadkar saying they would remain in place until May 18; then first steps to ease restrictions will be made. | Varadkar said the Irish economy would reopen in five stages, with each successive easing dependent on the level of coronavirus infections being kept under control. The current travel limit for personal exercise will be extended from two to five kilometers from Tuesday, while people aged over 70 — who have been advised since late March by government health officials to 'cocoon'
(2020-05-01). Coronavirus and the Increase in Domestic Violence. counterpunch.org 
Americans are paying dearly as they suffer through the coronavirus epidemic. The costs of inadequate testing, poor medical care and even death in isolation are only compounded by the nation's staggering economy, mounting unemployment rate and uncertainty of recovery. Making matters worse, there has been an increase in domestic violence. "My husband won't let me
(2020-05-01). 'The Merry Month of May:' a Summons to Grasp the Spirit of the Time. counterpunch.org 
Death by plague is personified in this quote: "Men, women, & children dropt downe before him: houses were rifled, streetes ransack, beautifull maidens throwne on their beds and ravisht by sickness: rich mens cofers broken open, and shared amongst prodigall heirs and unthrifty servants: poore men used poorely, but not pittifully; he did much hurt, yet some say he did very much good."
(2020-05-01). 41 US States Lost More People to the 2018 Flu Than to Covid-19. anti-empire.com 
Here's an interesting graphic comparing people who succumbed to the flu in the 2017-18 season by US states and people who perished while testing positive for Covid-19 in 2020, or who are merely "suspected" of having perished with Covid-19, or who were heart attack excess deaths declared "Covid victims" by the diktat of CDC or Governor Cuomo: | Just eight states
(2020-05-01). Welcome to the Era of the Great Disillusionment. counterpunch.org 
This is a column I have been mulling over for a while but, for reasons that should be immediately obvious, I have been hesitant to write. It is about 5G, vaccines, 9/11, aliens and lizard overlords. Or rather, it isn't. Let me preface my argument by making clear I do not intend to express any
(2020-05-01). Remdesivir approved for emergency use for Covid-19 treatment in US despite lackluster clinical trials. rt.com 
The antiviral drug remdesivir has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for emergency use for Covid-19 treatment, despite mixed clinical results and lingering scientific questions. | Remdesivir, made exclusively by Gilead, received FDA approval for emergency use on Friday after appearing to show clinical benefit in a single trial conducted by the National Institute for Allergy and Infections Disease (NIAID). Gilead has pledged to donate 1.5 million doses of the drug, and the stockpile currently on hand will be distributed to hospitals starting on Monday, according to Vice President Mike Pence.
(2020-05-01). There Will Be Blowback, In Mostly Good Ways. anti-empire.com 
Two months ago, it had been mandatory in my local grocery to use only shopping bags brought from home. Plastic bags were illegal by local ordinance. Then the virus hit. Suddenly the opposite was true. It was illegal to bring bags from home because they could spread disease. Plastic bags were mandatory. As a huge fan of plastic bags, I experienced profound Schadenfreude. | It's amazing how the prospect of death clarifies priorities. | Before the virus, we indulged in all sorts of luxuries such as dabbling in dirtiness and imagining a world purified by bucolic naturalness. But when the virus hit, we suddenly rea…
(2020-05-01). Coronavirus: How Are European Countries Treating Refugees Amid the Pandemic? mintpressnews.com Neglecting the refugees while fighting coronavirus is as foolish as it is inhumane. The last few months have taught us that self-centered strategies do not apply in the cases of global healthcare crises.
(2020-05-01). Coronavirus: How European Countries Are Treating Refugees Amid the Pandemic? mintpressnews.com Neglecting the refugees while fighting coronavirus is as foolish as it is inhumane. The last few months have taught us that self-centered strategies do not apply in the cases of global healthcare crises.
(2020-05-01). Developing Countries Struggle with Coronavirus Health and Economic Impacts. indybay.org From Ecuador to the Dominican Republic to Ethiopia, developing countries are struggling to obtain aid and financing to address the health and economic impacts of the coronavirus.
(2020-05-01). Criminal Big-Pharma Put in Charge of Covid-19 "Vaccine" thealtworld.com Big-Pharma — guilty of lying, cheating, stealing, bribery, and a history of exposing the public to dangerous and even deadly drugs — is being given billions to develop a Covid-19 "vaccine." Would you trust your health to these criminals? | Coronavirus Disease 2019 or
(2020-05-01). Florida governor reopening state while suppressing reporting of COVID-19 deaths. wsws.org The Florida Department of Health is blocking medical examiners from reporting the accurate number of COVID-19 deaths.
(2020-05-01). Millions spent by Trump to "salute" health care workers with military flyovers. wsws.org Vast sums of money are being spent to fly military aircraft over America's hospitals while health care workers still lack adequate protection from the coronavirus.
(2020-05-01). N. Korea leader issues new message coinciding with recent rumors. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 01 (MNA) — Kim Jong Un, leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), who has recently been rumored about his health status in the media, issued a message on the occasion of International Worker Day.
(2020-05-01). What is contact tracing, and why is it important in fight against COVID-19? newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Contact tracing is one of those terms associated with the COVID-19 pandemic that has seemingly become a part of our everyday language. But it's a public health strategy that's been used for years to combat communicable diseases. Contact tracing is the process of finding out who has recently been in close contact with a person …
(2020-05-01). COVID-19 Underscores Why We Need to Make May Day Radical Again. truthout.org Millions of Americans have lost their jobs and health care in the midst of the pandemic lockdown and people are, reasonably, looking for someone or something to blame for their hardship. Meanwhile, right-wing media, Republican politicians and their
(2020-05-01). At least 31 US states easing restrictions despite rising pandemic death toll. wsws.org Trump is promoting a reckless and criminal policy of reopening the economy, placing the health and lives of countless millions of Americans in danger.
(2020-05-01). NSAIDS and heart disease: Mayo Clinic Radio Health Minute. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org They're common over-the-counter pain medications that are used millions of times. But on this Mayo Clinic Radio Health Minute, Dr. Rekha Mankad explains why caution should be used when taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. To listen, click the link below. NSAIDS and heart disease…
(2020-05-01). Iran's judiciary express concern over health of Iranian scientist imprisoned in US. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 01 (MNA) — Iranian Judiciary's High Council for Human Rights Ali Bagheri-Kani expressed concern over the health condition of an Iranian scientist imprisoned in the United States.
(2020-05-01). Brazil: Manaus Collapses as COVID-19 Hits Indigenous People. telesurenglish.net The rising number of infections and deaths due to COVID-19 has caused a collapse in the health system in Manaus, the capital city of the Amazonas state. | RELATED: | Manaus is experiencing a very complex epidemiological emergency with 3,091 people infected, 135 of whom are in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). | Since hospitals do not have enough beds to admit critical patients, local authorities are about to open a "fie…
(2020-05-01). Iran's coronavirus death toll hits 6,091 on Fri. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 01 (MNA) — Iran's Health Ministry Spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said on Friday that 95,646 people have been infected with COVID-19 virus, of whom 6,091 have unfortunately lost their lives.
(2020-05-01). Our health over their profits: France's CGT in the thick of struggle. peoplesdispatch.org Patrick Correa of the CGT Metalworkers' union of France talks to Peoples Dispatch on the impact of COVID-19 on the workers of the country.
(2020-05-01). #PeoplesBailout May Day Actions & Livestream for COVID-19 Health & Economic Justice. indybay.org Online and actions across USA…
(2020-05-01). AskMayoExpert's COVID-19 information made available to public. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Mayo Clinic is making parts of its AskMayoExpert clinical knowledge resource for providers available to the public to make trusted knowledge on COVID-19 easily available to other health systems and providers. AskMayoExpert, Mayo Clinic's primary clinical knowledge resource for providers at the point of care, is sharing its COVID-19 content with the public. "Mayo leadership …