Daily Archives: May 19, 2020

2020-05-19: News Headlines

Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers (2020-05-19). We Don't Have To Choose Between Our Health And The Economy. dissidentvoice.org The United States is at a critical moment in the COVID-crisis. This week, the nation is likely to surpass 100,000 deaths and new hotspots in the south and midwest are developing. Forty-two states have either started "reopening" their economies or imminently plan to do so without putting in place essential public health measures to prevent the spread …

Mark Gruenberg (2020-05-19). AFL-CIO sues Trump's OSHA to force firms to protect workers from virus. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—Fed up with the Trump government's refusal to force firms to protect workers from the coronavirus, the AFL-CIO is suing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to force it to do so. The suit, filed May 18, in the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for D.C., which handles most cases involving federal agencies and their …

Sam Pizzigati (2020-05-19). Civil Disobedience, Billionaire-Style. counterpunch.org Last week, billionaire Elon Musk defied local public health officials and reopened his flagship Tesla auto assembly plant in Fremont, California. Public safety officials had ordered that plant shut down — over Musk's fierce opposition — almost two months earlier. "Dumb" concern about the coronavirus, Musk had ragedwith that shutdown impending, had morphed into a

David Trujillo, Ismael Parra (2020-05-19). Socialist lessons learned: The political shifts brought by the coronavirus. peoplesworld.org Rev. Dr. William Barber of the New Poor People's Campaign has been preaching: "This virus is teaching us that from now on, living wages, guaranteed health care for all, unemployment and labor rights are not far-left issues but issues of right vs. wrong and life vs. death." Expanding on those truths, here are some more …

Media Lens (2020-05-19). An Illusion Of Protection: The Pandemic, The "Criminal" Government And Public Distrust of The Media. dissidentvoice.org Any notion that the UK government actually considers that its primary responsibility is to protect the health and security of the country's population ought to have been demolished in 2020. The appalling death toll that continues to mount during the coronavirus pandemic is largely rooted, not merely in government 'incompetence', but in criminal dereliction of …

F. William Engdahl (2020-05-19). The Warp Speed Push for Coronavirus Vaccines. globalresearch.ca The US White House has appointed a coronavirus "Vaccine Czar" from Big Pharma to oversee something dubbed Operation Warp Speed. The goal is to create and produce 300 million doses of a new vaccine to supposedly immunize the entire US …

Stephen Lendman (2020-05-19). The Myth of a COVID-19 Vaccine to the Rescue. globalresearch.ca Aided by establishment media fear-mongering, the public mind is being manipulated to support COVID-19 mass vaxxing as a way to protect against coronavirus infections. | Unmentioned is that all vaccines are toxic and hazardous to human health. | Taking them risks contracting …

graham (2020-05-19). Private healthcare hospitals poised to cash in on exploding surgery waiting list. truepublica.org.uk The COVID-19 crisis caused NHS Doctors to postponed more than 2million operations after non-emergency surgery was cancelled for at least three months to free up beds for coronavirus patients. This number was just less than eight weeks of booked operations that currently costs the NHS £1billion a month. "We have to do a really major …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-19). Mayo Clinic expands in-person care on all campuses. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Mayo Clinic will expand in-person care on all of its campuses as COVID-19 executive orders are lifted for elective procedures by governors in Arizona, Florida, Minnesota and Wisconsin. "Our patients' health and safety is always our top priority," says Amy Williams, M.D., Mayo Clinic Executive Dean for Practice. "We have taken several extra precautions to …

Massoud Nayeri (2020-05-19). Poverty Forces Chileans to Cook in 'the Common Pot'. globalresearch.ca Capitalism is a system to accumulate capital. People are only a commodity in this system. The Coronavirus crisis has enabled the capitalists to pay less for the healthy laborers to make more profit. The rest are left to their own …

WSWS (2020-05-19). US health care system devastated by COVID-19 as the markets clamor to reopen the economy. wsws.org Health care workers throughout the US have been furloughed as health care systems are facing economic devastation caused by the pandemic. A second surge in economically hard-hit areas will confront an equally devasted health care infrastructure.

The BMJ (2020-05-19). COVID-19: Testing Testing. globalresearch.ca The following article published by the British Medical Journal provides a critical perspective on the health impacts and political implications of the Lockdown. | Lockdown is a crude instrument. On its own it can't eliminate covid-19, but it buys a …

Newsclick (2020-05-19). Global north has forgotten that private sector wants ill-health. peoplesdispatch.org The increasing corporatisation of the health sector has meant that private interests not only play a huge role in determining policy, but also control licensing. This is a threat for countries like India.

Joshua K. Leon (2020-05-19). Nations Fight Extreme Patenting to Ensure Access to COVID-19 Relief. progressive.org The pandemic is spurring fresh efforts to rein in the ability of Big Pharma to put profits over public health.

Ashley Curtin (2020-05-19). 5G Wireless Radiation: Scientists Warn Harmful Biologic, Health Effects. "We Are Flying Blindly" globalresearch.ca New 5G cellular wireless technology is already rolling out in some states. But as a country, there is little to no research on the health effects of the new technology. As one United States' senator put it, we are "flying …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-19). FDA issues emergency use authorization for algorithm designed to improve detection of heart failure during COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org The FDA granted Emergency Use Authorization to Eko, a digital health company, for the heart screening algorithm developed by Mayo Clinic. The AI-driven algorithm can detect weak heart pump, which is commonly detected by echocardiogram, a test that is not normally conducted during a physical exam, requires specially trained technicians to record, and requires prolonged contact with …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-19). Mayo Clinic Minute: Health benefits of gardening. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Practicing social distancing means more time spent at home. And many people use this time to start a garden in their backyard. There's a saying that you reap what you sow. And in the case of a vegetable garden, a rich harvest may bring more than dinner. Anya Guy, a Mayo Clinic dietitian, says gardening …

Staff (2020-05-19). Harvard Doctor: As States Rush to Reopen, Lack of COVID-19 Testing Is "Achilles Heel" for U.S. democracynow.org President Trump claimed Monday he's been taking the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine, even though multiple studies show the drug can be dangerous and is not an effective treatment for COVID-19. This comes as the U.S. COVID-19 death count tops 90,000 and all 50 U.S. states prepare to partially reopen by Memorial Day. We speak with Dr. Ashish Jha, the director of Harvard University's Global Health Institute, who says that testing needs to vastly improve in order for widespread reopenings. He calls the lack of accurate tests in the U.S. the nation's "Achilles heel," saying, "The testing saga will go down as one…

Staff (2020-05-19). Headlines for May 19, 2020. democracynow.org Trump Claims He Is Taking Hydroxychloroquine Despite FDA Warnings, Navajo Nation Has Highest Coronavirus Infection Rate in the U.S., 60-Year-Old Burmese Refugee Becomes Eighth COVID-19 Victim at Colorado Meat Plant, 74-Year-Old Man at California ICE Prison Dies of Suicide, Trump Attacks WHO as U.S. and China Trade Barbs over Pandemic Response, Early COVID Vaccine Trials Show Positive Results, Outbreak at Refugee Center in Germany Infects at Least 70 people, France and Germany Propose 500 Billion-Euro Coronavirus Assistance Fund for EU, Sà£o Paulo's Hospitals "Near Collapse" as Brazil Becomes Third Most Infe…

The Canary (2020-05-19). Scientists dismiss claims 'mega doses' of vitamin D can protect against Covid-19. thecanary.co Scientists have dismissed "very misleading" social media reports that so-called "mega doses" of vitamin D can protect against coronavirus.Some articles have claimed that the vitamin can act as a protective measure — which scientists say is "not true" and prompted an urgent need to inform the public.However, they have emphasised the importance of maintaining a healthy level of vitamin D in the body.Professor Colin Smith, the University of Brighton's professor of functional genomics, said: "There are currently some very misleading articles doing the rounds on social media about mega doses of vitamin D as a Cov…

The Canary (2020-05-19). IT experts unconvinced on effectiveness of Covid-19 contact tracing app. thecanary.co Less than a quarter of IT experts believe the UK's coronavirus (Covid-19) contact tracing app will be effective, according to a survey.Just under half (45%) said they were undecided about it, while almost a third (32%) believe the tool will not be useful in helping to contain Covid-19.The app is currently being trialled on the Isle of Wight as part of the government's "test, track and trace" strategy to ease the country out of lockdown.Health secretary Matt Hancock had indicated that a roll-out across the rest of England was on the cards for mid-May, but Downing Street has said the aim is to launch more widely in…

RT (2020-05-19). WHO member states agree to independent investigation of agency's coronavirus response. rt.com Member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) agreed on Tuesday to an independent probe into the UN agency's coronavirus response. Countries taking part in the WHO's annual assembly adopted a resolution by consensus urging a joint response to the crisis. The event was held virtually for the first time. | The resolution was tabled by the European Union and called for an "impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation" of the international response to the pandemic, which has so far infected more than 4.8 million people and killed over 318,000, AFP said. | The investigation should include a probe into…

RT (2020-05-19). Czech authorities cite biggest jump in coronavirus cases in 4 weeks as they begin reopening economy. rt.com The number of new coronavirus cases in the Czech Republic showed its biggest daily rise in four weeks and climbed above 100 for the first time this month, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday. | It said that 111 new cases were recorded on Monday, bringing the total in the central European country to 8,586. The ministry reported no new deaths, leaving the toll at 297, Reuters said. | Authorities have been reopening the economy in recent weeks by getting most shops back up and running along with cinemas, theatres and outdoor dining places. There are plans to let restaurants open indoor areas next week. | The gove…

RT (2020-05-19). Study Trump cited in his latest attack on WHO does NOT EXIST, says editor-in-chief of prestigious medical journal. rt.com US President Donald Trump cited a study supposedly published in the Lancet medical journal as he once again accused the WHO of ignoring early Covid-19 warnings. Now, the Lancet chief editor says there has been no such publication. | "Dear President Trump, you cite the Lancet in your attack on WHO. Please let me correct the record," Dr. Richard Horton, the editor-in-chief of the prestigious British medical journal, wrote on Twitter on Monday. Trump referred to the outlet in his latest letter to the World Health Organization head, Director General Tedros Ghebreyesus, in which he warned that Washington would perm…

RT (2020-05-19). WATCH: UK Speaker of the House shows zero tolerance for Tory MP struggling with Zoom video call. rt.com The Speaker of the UK's House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, showed little sympathy for a Conservative lawmaker struggling to be heard at her home via Zoom — not once, but twice — during a parliamentary session in Westminster. | During questions put to Health and Social Care Minister Matt Hancock regarding the issue of coronavirus and care homes on Tuesday, Hoyle called on Jane Stevenson, the Tory MP for Wolverhampton North East, to make her contribution via Zoom. | Stevenson is then seen staring quite blankly at her screen and speaking for a few brief moments before realising that she was muted and so…

RT (2020-05-19). 'Fat shaming is cool now?' Pelosi's jab at Trump's weight sends #MorbidlyObese trending & the 'Resistance' can't get enough. rt.com US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was cheered by President Donald Trump's critics after dubbing him "morbidly obese," even making the phrase trend online, but many have condemned what they see as a double standard over "fat shaming." | Pelosi's comment came during an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper on Monday, telling the pundit she was concerned about the president's health after he said he was taking hydroxychloroquine — a controversial treatment for Covid-19 which Trump says he's taking as a preventative measure. Speaking on air, Pelosi "diagnosed" the US leader as "morbidly obese." | "I would rather h…

RT (2020-05-19). 'No time to waste': Trump gives WHO 30 days to make 'major improvements' before US PERMANENTLY freezes funding. rt.com US President Donald Trump has threatened to halt American funding for the World Health Organization (WHO) for good, giving the agency 30 days to clean up its act while insisting it mishandled the Covid-19 pandemic. | This is the letter sent to Dr. Tedros of the World Health Organization. It is self-explanatory! In a scathing letter addressed to WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom on Monday night…

RT (2020-05-19). Paper gold trade is now bigger than ALL of Germany's reserves. rt.com The price of gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) steadied on Tuesday at the equivalent of $1,733 per ounce after retreating on the news of a potential coronavirus vaccine by drug maker Moderna. | Gold ETFs are not equal to physical gold, as they are simply securities backed by the commodity designed to track the gold price. | Gold bullion, which hit an eight-year high just before the news, lost $40 per ounce for US dollar traders by the start of Tuesday's London trade. It has also dropped over two percent from new all-time highs in British pound and euro currency terms. | "Gold sold off on upbeat trader attitude…

RT (2020-05-19). Censorship detected? Russian Embassy says NYT 'refused' to publish comparative Covid-19 death statistics in official's letter. rt.com Russia's Embassy in the US has accused the NYT of refusing to publish a comparison of the Covid-19 death rates in Moscow, London, and New York. The paper earlier accused Russia of "underreporting" the death rate from the disease. | On May 11, the New York Times ran a story which claimed to have solved the "mystery" of Russia's relatively lower death rate from Covid-19, which is below the world average. Citing official statistics, the paper noted that Moscow's number of overall deaths in April exceeded its five-year average for the same period by more than 1,700. Together with the city's official death toll fro…

RT (2020-05-19). China's provinces offer farmers cash to end exotic animal trade. rt.com Farmers in China are being offered cash to stop breeding exotic animals as pressure grows to crack down on the illegal wildlife trade that has been blamed for the coronavirus outbreak. Authorities have, for the first time, pledged to buy out breeders in an attempt to curb the practice, AFP reported on Tuesday, citing animal rights activists. | In recent months, China has banned the sale of wild animals for food, citing the risk of diseases spreading to humans. The trade remains legal for other purposes, including research and traditional medicine. | Two central provinces have outlined details of a buyout progr…

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-19). Recipe: Asparagus, tomato and red pepper French bread pizza. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Are you craving the taste of a pizza but not the guilt and all the calories?Consider trying this healthy remake of French bread pizza that could turn into your new favorite Friday night treat. It's easy, delicious and approx. 265 calories per slice. Dietitian's note: For a crispier pizza, bake on a pizza stone

Thomas Magstadt (2020-05-19). Capitalism, contagion, and moral hazard: A cure worse than the disease? nationofchange.org Experience in this unprecedented health crisis is conclusive: Absent an impartial referee there is nothing to prevent a mythical free market from decaying into crony capitalism and causing irreparable damage to society, economy, and a badly battered political system.

WSWS (2020-05-19). Millions of Americans, including front-line workers' families, face loss of employer-sponsored health insurance in pandemic. wsws.org The families of health care workers, first responders and other workers deemed essential who have died from COVID-19 now face the prospect of losing their health coverage due to the cut-off of their loved ones' employer-sponsored insurance.

WSWS (2020-05-19). The policy of "malign neglect": How the Russian oligarchy sacrifices the health and lives of the people. wsws.org The government's policy of malign neglect has provoked an initial upsurge in opposition from the working class, including Gazprom workers in Yakutia, northern Russia.

WSWS (2020-05-19). World health conference dominated by US-China conflict as coronavirus spreads across the globe. wsws.org Washington sought to turn Monday's annual conference of the World Health Organization into an arena for its relentless campaign to scapegoat China.

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-19). Spring cleaning takes on a new importance during COVID-19 pandemic. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released reopening guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting public spaces, workplaces, businesses, schools and homes. Dr. Gregory Poland, a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases expert, suggests taking a practical approach to spring cleaning. If no one in your household has been infected, he says standard spring cleaning practices …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-19). Masking your kids during COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Do you or don't you wear a mask? If you do, what material is best? And what about children? Questions around masks during the COVID-19 pandemic abound, especially in light of the recent recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that all Americans wear masks in public settings. "The direction around face masks has …

commondreams (2020-05-19). Campaigners Condemn UK for Putting Big Pharma Profits Ahead of Coronavirus Vaccine at WHO. commondreams.org ______________________________…

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-19). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: COVID-19 news briefing. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group, covers the latest news on the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Poland discusses how the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, is changing, and how scientists and researchers are rapidly gaining new knowledge about the virus and the disease that it …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-19). Mayo Clinic's comprehensive COVID-19 research. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org "At Mayo, we've developed a comprehensive research portfolio, or what we call a COVID-19 research task force, in order to respond to every area that we need to learn more about this virus. We have scientists doing research in epidemiology. We have people doing research in immunology and vaccine development, in virology, in translational work, in …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-19). Mayo Clinic Minute: Avoid ticks. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org If you're practicing social distancing this summer by spending some solo time outdoors, you still might not be alone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says tick bites should be top of mind. Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute youtu.be/zDfVaSUOYBc Journalists: Broadcast-quality video pkg (0: 58) is in the downloads at the end of…

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-19). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: COVID-19 research at Mayo Clinic. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Thanks to its combination of practice, education, and research, Mayo Clinic has a strong foundation to respond quickly to a medical crisis such as COVID-19. As the SARS-CoV-2 virus spread worldwide, a research task force was formed at Mayo Clinic to review and approve research proposals related to the virus and the disease it causes. …

newsnetwork.mayoclinic (2020-05-19). Mayo Clinic Q and A: COVID-19 and people with disabilities. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Dear Mayo Clinic: My father, who suffers from Lou Gehrig's disease, lives with me and my family, including three children. While my husband can work at home, I am still required to go on-site for my job. Although I practice social distancing, I am wondering if I need to do anything differently in caring for …

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-05-19). Poor New York City Neighborhoods Seeing Deaths From Covid at More Than Twice the Rate of Affluent Areas. commondreams.org New data from the New York City Health Department reveals the stark gap between the number of Covid-19 deaths in the city's poor neighborhoods and those in wealthier areas. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

United We Dream (2020-05-19). United We Dream: Immigrants, COVID-19, Jobs & Healthcare Virtual Town Hall. indybay.org Online…

Dan Bacher (2020-05-19). ExxonMobil Seeks to Restart Three Platforms Idled After Refugio Oil Spill. indybay.org "On the anniversary of this deadly oil spill, in the middle of a public health crisis, Santa Barbara should embrace a clean energy future," said Kristen Monsell, oceans legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity. "We need to end offshore drilling, not bring it back to life with another dirty oil pipeline."

Kate Zeller (2020-05-19). World Health Assembly Wrestles with Coronavirus. indybay.org As the global coronavirus death toll tops 300,000 people, the leaders of the World Health Organization (WHO) prepare to hold their leadership meetings virtually from May 18th – 19th.

Labor Video Project (2020-05-19). Jail Tesla Billionaire Elon Musk & Defend Health & Safety: Workers Speak Out At Tesla. indybay.org Workers spoke out against the bullying and intimidation of billionaire Elon Musk who has started his Tesla factory violating a shelter in place law. He challenged the Fremont police and Governor Newsom to arrest him but they are allowing him to open without any CA-OSHA inspections. Newsom has continued the destruction of CA-OSHA and there are less than 200 inspectors for the 18 million workers in California and only 1 doctor and 1 nurse at CA. OSHA.

Staff (2020-05-19). As States Rush to Reopen, Lack of COVID-19 Testing Is "Achilles Heel" for US. truthout.org President Trump claimed Monday he's been taking the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine, even though multiple studies show the drug can be dangerous and is not an effective treatment for COVID-19. This comes as the U.S. COVID-19 death count tops 90,000 and all 50 U.S. states prepare to partially reopen by Memorial Day. We speak with Dr. Ashish Jha, the director of Harvard University's Global Health Institute, who says that testing needs to vastly improve in order for widespread reopenings. He call…

Staff (2020-05-19). Trump's "VERY Promising" Vaccine Is at Least a Year Away, Leaked Memo Suggests. truthout.org A leaked memo from the Pentagon suggests the Department of Defense does not hold the same optimistic tone that President Donald Trump does when it comes to how fast a vaccine for coronavirus could be developed. | The document, which is not the official view of the Pentagon, warns of a "globally-persistent" coronavirus environment in the U.S. for some time to come, and states that a vaccine likely won't be available to the public until "at least the summer of 2021." | "We have a long path ahead,…