(2020-05-21). How the United States Government Failed to Prepare for the Global Pandemic. counterpunch.org 
There were two immediate reasons for the U.S. to blame China for the novel coronavirus global pandemic. First, it was a convenient way to divert attention from the fact that the U.S. government had done nothing—despite months of notice—to effectively prepare for the arrival of the virus. Second, it was a necessary way to undermine the remarkable way China had been able to tackle the epidemic, with massive infusions of personnel and equipment as well as relief into Wuhan and Hubei province. U.S. President Donald Trump's attack on China is explained not as the rant of an unstable individual, but as part…
(2020-05-21). Organizing health care for patients, not profits. workers.org 
This is a slightly edited version of a talk given during the"What Road To Socialism?" webinar held by Workers World Party on May 16. I appreciate being given the chance to speak on such a critical topic as health care in the so-called United States. Many comrades have already spoken . . . |
(2020-05-21). From Plague to a Livable World. counterpunch.org 
The 2020 corona virus pandemic is not merely killing countless people. It is also having invisible but deleterious effects: psychological, political, and intellectual. Some people cannot cope with the severe economic effects of the plague, the constant barrage of bad news, and of being alone and isolated. They probably commit suicide. Others enter realms of fantasy and conspiracy. And still others, who know how to oil the wheels of power and influence, are taking advantage of America's corrupt Trump administration.
(2020-05-21). New Family of Synthetic Refrigerant Gases Poses Potential Dangers to Human Health and the Environment. globalresearch.ca Hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) are being promoted as sustainable alternatives to climate-wrecking hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are widely used in refrigeration and air-conditioning and are currently being phased down under the Montreal Protocol. | HFOs are the next generation of synthetic chemicals being promoted …
(2020-05-21). Coronavirus infections surging in German refugee shelters. wsws.org The forced placement of refugees in large communal accommodation facilities exposes many people whose health is weakened to a deadly risk.
(2020-05-21). Pandemic Capitalism's Cruel Absurdity. zcomm.org Under conditions of a public health emergency, the venality at the core of the capitalist way of life is now exposed for the acute threat to life it actually is…
(2020-05-21). COVID-19 Hits Hard, but Challenges BRICS. globalresearch.ca By and large, the coronavirus pandemic has taken a huge toll on Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) since it was declared late January by the World Health Organization (WHO). It allegedly originated (yet to be proved) from …
(2020-05-21). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Ethnic disparities and COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org As COVID-19 continues to take hundreds of lives each day in the U.S., public health officials say minorities are being affected disproportionately. Early data shows that African Americans and other U.S. ethnic minorities have contracted COVID-19 at a higher rate and experience greater sickness and a higher death rate than other Americans. On the Mayo …
(2020-05-21). 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 …
(2020-05-21). 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 …
(2020-05-21). 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 …
(2020-05-21). Mayo researchers, minority communities team up to combat COVID-19 health disparities. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Rochester, Minn.
(2020-05-21). The Trump administration makes Taiwan latest front in anti-China campaign. wsws.org The US has provocatively hailed the re-election of Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen and pressed Taiwan's case at the annual World Health Organisation (WHO) ministerial assembly.
(2020-05-21). World Health Organisation warns pandemic could "turn the clock back" on other killer diseases in Africa. wsws.org The WHO has predicted that some quarter of a billion Africans will become infected with COVID-19 and as many as 190,000 will die within the first year of the pandemic.
(2020-05-21). 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 …
(2020-05-21). Australian government falsely claims credit for global COVID-19 inquiry. wsws.org Australia's push was obviously part of a US drive to demonise China and the World Health Organisation.
(2020-05-21). Build rank-and-file factory and workplace committees to prevent transmission of the COVID-19 virus and save lives! wsws.org The government and corporations are demanding a return to work in the midst of a pandemic, which is claiming thousands of lives every week. Their drive for profits takes priority over the health and safety of workers and their families.
(2020-05-21). Doctors' Group Demands the American Hospital Association Leave Anti-Single Payer Dark-Money Organization. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-05-21). 'Humiliating women': South Korean club slapped with record fine for placing SEX DOLLS in stands. rt.com 
Angry fans have lashed out at FC Seoul and the club has received the largest fine in its history after the top-level South Korean K-League found organizers who unwittingly placed sex dolls in stadium seats guilty of misogyny. | Club officials claimed they did not know they were placing about 25 sex-dolls inside their vast stadium when they introduced the mannequins in an attempt to replicate the presence of fans prohibited from attending matches under public health guidelines aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19. | One of the dolls carried the name of an adult toy manufacturer as part of a set of banners he…
(2020-05-21). From Syria to U.S.-Mexico Border, Refugees Worldwide Face Hunger & Deprivation as COVID-19 Spreads. democracynow.org 
We look at the coronavirus threat to millions of refugees across the globe, where social distancing is often impossible and healthcare is extremely limited. We're joined by Dr. Miriam Orcutt, executive director of Lancet Migration.
(2020-05-21). Study Warns 1.1 Million Children Could Die as Pandemic Interrupts Access to Food & Medical Care. democracynow.org 
A new report finds 1.1 million children under 5 could die the next six months from secondary impacts of the pandemic, like disruptions to health services and access to food. Mothers are also imperiled. We speak with Tim Roberton, lead author of the study and assistant scientist in the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and with infectious diseases pediatrician Dr. Beate Kampmann.
(2020-05-21). Headlines for May 21, 2020. democracynow.org Global Coronavirus Cases Top 5 Million as WHO Records Record One-Day Spike, Brazilian Mayor Fears "Genocide" from COVID-19, Accuses Bolsonaro of "Crime Against Humanity", Disease Modelers Say Delays in U.S. Lockdowns Cost Tens of Thousands of Lives, Pro-Trump Doctors to Promote Reopening States Despite CDC Warnings, Millions Flee as Cyclone Batters India and Bangladesh, Dam Disaster in Michigan Threatens to Flood Toxic Sites, Trump Threatens to Cut Funding to Michigan, Nevada over Mail-in Voting, McDonald's Workers Strike to Demand Personal Protective Equipment, Striking New Orleans Sanitation Workers Replaced by…
(2020-05-21). Track and trace strategy coming late in the day, NHS leaders warn. thecanary.co 
The government has defended its position on track and trace, after NHS leaders warned that action to control the future spread of coronavirus (Covid-19) is coming late in the day.Security minister James Brokenshire said he remains "confident" that a test, track and trace system will be in place by 1 June — the earliest date by which primary schools in England and some non-essential shops could reopen.However, Brokenshire admitted the NHS app would not be ready in time and suggested "technical issues" were behind its hold-up, just over a week after health secretary Matt Hancock said it would be rolled out acr…
(2020-05-21). Paying for priority? US forks out over $1.2 billion for 300 MILLION doses of University of Oxford's Covid-19 vaccine. rt.com 
The US government has secured nearly one third of the anticipated production of a vaccine for coronavirus under development by AstraZeneca, after pledging more than $1 billion to fund the project. | The US Department of Health will dole out $1.2 billion for 300 million doses of the vaccine, which is being created in conjunction with the University of Oxford. Health Secretary Alex Azar described the deal as a "major milestone" in US President Donald Trump's program to fast-track a Covid-19 vaccine, dubbed Operation Warp Speed. | AstraZeneca, based in Cambridge, England, says it will be able to manufacture aroun…
(2020-05-21). Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov hospitalised in Moscow with suspected coronavirus – reports. rt.com 
The head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov is reportedly under medical supervision because of suspected Covid-19. Moscow news agency Interfax broke the news on Thursday afternoon, citing a source in health care circles. | Rumours of his evacuation to the Russian capital by private jet had been circulating on anonymous social media channels earlier in the day, and were picked up by several popular news outlets. "Kadyrov is suspected of having coronavirus, he is under the supervision of doctors," Interfax quoted its source as saying. | The news agency emphasised that it does not have official confirmation.
(2020-05-21). Number of Covid-19 cases surpasses 5 million worldwide — Johns Hopkins University. rt.com 
The number of people worldwide who have tested positive for coronavirus has passed 5 million, according to a tally maintained by Johns Hopkins University. Globally, there have been over 328,000 Covid-19 related deaths. | The widely-cited dashboard said that confirmed cases reached 5,000,038 on Thursday. | Although believed to have started in Wuhan, China, the virus spread westward, with the United States becoming the new epicenter of the health crisis. With more than 1.5 million infections, the US currently has the highest number of confirmed cases. | Russia has the second-highest number of cases, at over 308,…
(2020-05-21). N. Ireland won't use UK's contact-tracing app, will use own version to 'interact' with Republic of Ireland's one, minister says. rt.com 
The health minister for Northern Ireland has said the NHS Covid-19 tracing app is "not compulsory" to download, urging people to wait for a separate app being developed to work in conjunction with the Republic of Ireland's one. | Speaking to the Northern Ireland Assembly's Committee for Health, Robin Swann said that, since NI is part of the UK, residents will have access to the NHS app "whether we want it or not." | He did not suggest downloading it, however, as a "Northern Ireland version" is being created which "can interact with" with the Republic's one. | Northern Ireland is the only one of the UK's devolv…
(2020-05-21). 'R rate falling': Denmark opens museums and zoos weeks ahead of schedule. rt.com 
Denmark began re-opening museums and zoos ahead of schedule on Thursday as virologists said the virus epidemic was slowing despite the lifting of quarantine measures. Museums, zoos, theaters and cinemas were due to stay shut until June 8 but the Danish government has decided to accelerate the end of the lockdown. | The Danish health agency SSI said the coronavirus rate of transmission (R) had fallen to 0.6, down from 0.7 on May 7, meaning that the outbreak is slowing. An R rate of 0.6 means that 100 virus patients typically infect another 60 people, meaning that the number of cases falls over time. | Danish au…
(2020-05-21). French care homes face manslaughter investigation: Victims' lawyer tells RT details of 'scandal amid epidemic'. rt.com 
Relatives of elderly people who didn't survive the Covid-19 epidemic in France's care homes want management to be held accountable for what they say was inaction and a cover-up that saw their loved ones die, their lawyer told RT. | Several French retirees, some as old as 89 and 96, died in nursing homes in March and April, amidst the coronavirus epidemic that is still raging in France. | Now, their families have filed a lawsuit against the care facilities, accusing their staff of being appallingly slow to test and safeguard the elderly, lawyer Fabien Arakelian, who represents the plaintiffs, said on RT. | Thei…
(2020-05-21). Pursue a just cause for common good. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 21 (MNA) — On May 18, 2020, the 73rd World Health Assembly video conference opened. The world still faces a complex and severe situation caused by the COVID-19 as the pandemic is rampant and spreading around the globe. It is the focus of the international community to discuss how to deal with the most serious global public health emergency.
(2020-05-21). 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 …
(2020-05-21). Blaming Russia, China, Iran — to profit from Covid-19 vaccine. truepublica.org.uk By Craig Murray: On 5 May, the British security services released to their pet media the claim that Russia, China and Iran were attempting to hack into British research institutes conducting coronavirus research. The BBC reported it. Britain's shameful copy and paste media all, without exception, just copy and pasted the government press release. …
(2020-05-21). 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 …
(2020-05-21). 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. …
(2020-05-21). 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 …
(2020-05-21). 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…
(2020-05-21). 'This Is My Retirement': Trump's Covid-19 Vaccine Czar Refuses to Sell Stock Holdings of Major Drug Company. commondreams.org The chief adviser overseeing President Donald Trump's task force aimed at discovering a Covid-19 vaccine by the end of 2020 has refused to divest his shares in his former pharmaceutical company, GlaxoSmithKline. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-05-21). A Vaccine Might Mitigate COVID-19, but What About the Plague in Its Wake That's Not Novel and Is Spreading. strategic-culture.org RAIN | "Nobody's seen this I would say since 1917, which was the greatest of them all, the greatest of this kind of battle," the self-dubbed "wartime president" said. It's reassuring, no doubt, to a grateful nation on course to lose over 100,000 of its citizens to COVID-19 by month's end, to know that their health and wellbeing is the hands of a "wartime president" who once stated that avoiding STDs was the equivalent of the tour of duty he never did in
(2020-05-21). Lawsuit by Three Groups Challenges Contracts Imperiling Delta, Fish. indybay.org Such diversions "reduce freshwater flows through the Delta causing and worsening harmful algal blooms (HABs) which threaten the public health of those drinking, fishing in, or swimming in, Delta waters, or inhaling the air near Delta waters," the complaint states…
(2020-05-21). Sad exiled kings and health dictatorship. indybay.org Life in a "fatherless world," as the English philosopher Shaftesbury wrote around 1700, is cruel and dysfunctional because a person without a father lacks "the relationship to the whole." | A first creeping, then rapid change of values has occurred within our societies from "freedom" as the highest value to "security," the desire for controllability of the future.
(2020-05-21). 2,392 new coronavirus infections confirmed in Iran: spokseman. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 21 (MNA) — According to Iranian Health Ministry Spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour, 2,392 new coronavirus cases and 66 deaths have been confirmed in Iran during the past 24 hours.
(2020-05-21). US unlawful sanctions threaten global public health: envoy. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 21 (MNA) — Iran's Permanent Representative to the UN office in Geneva said that the US unlawful sanctions threaten global public health.
(2020-05-21). #IndiansAgainstTikTok Trends on Twitter as Chinese App Faces Flak for 'Violent Content'. sputniknews.com New Delhi (Sputnik): Chinese micro-video sharing app TikTok has the highest number of users in India at 200 million. However, the app remains plagued by controversy for its content, which has been branded as culturally degrading.
(2020-05-21). Healthcare workers 'face violence' for pandemic work. yenisafak.com The International Council of Nurses (ICN) on Thursday said its global network has informed it of "highly concerning" reports of mounting violence aimed directly at nurses and other healthcare workers on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic."Violence against nurses and other healthcare workers has always been a serious issue, but it should never be accepted as part of the job," states an article published in British medical journal The Lancet.It is co-authored by ICN chief executive officer Howard Catton who told journalists covering the UN in Geneva last week that the association estimated that nearly 100,000 h…
(2020-05-21). Britain agrees deal on antibody tests, says PM's spokesman. yenisafak.com Britain has agreed a deal to acquire antibody tests, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday, saying the tests would be free and health and care workers would be prioritised."Have we now agreed a deal on the antibody testing? The answer to that is yes," the spokesman told reporters, adding that health minister Matt Hancock would offer more details later.The British government had been in talks with Roche for antibody tests.
(2020-05-21). China's Wuhan says conducted 887,321 COVID-19 tests on May 20. yenisafak.com The city of Wuhan, the original epicentre of the new coronavirus outbreak in China, conducted 887,321 nucleic acid tests on May 20, the local health authority said on Thursday, compared with 856,128 a day earlier.Wuhan kicked off a campaign on May 14 to look for asymptomatic carriers – infected people who show no outward sign of illness – after confirming on May 9-10 its first cluster of COVID-19 infections since its release from a virtual lockdown on April 8.
(2020-05-21). Eurozone PMI hits 3-month high in May amid pandemic. yenisafak.com The Eurozone Purchasing Manager Index (PMI) recorded the three-month high in May after seeing all-time low last month, according to a flash estimate on Thursday.The PMI, which dropped to 13.6 in April, rose to 30.5 this month, a report by the London-based global data firm IHS Markit said."The eurozone economy remained stuck in its deepest downturn ever recorded in May due to ongoing measures taken to control the coronavirus disease," it stated."However, the rate of decline eased as parts of the economy started to emerge from lockdowns."The report warned that social distance and other measures continue to affect s…
(2020-05-20). Headlines for May 20, 2020. democracynow.org CDC Unveils Guidance on Reopening, Excluding Advice to Houses of Worship, Florida, Georgia Accused of Manipulating Data on Coronavirus Outbreaks, Senators Grill Treasury Secretary, Fed Chair over Coronavirus Loan Programs, Trump Claims Meat Plants Are Safe Despite Surging Coronavirus Cases, Unhoused New Orleans Residents Demand Rooms in Hotels Idled by Pandemic, Federal Judge Rules Texas Must Allow Residents to Vote by Mail, Homeland Security Department Watchdog to Probe Coronavirus Response, Trump Defends Use of Unproven Antimalarial Drug Despite Medical Warnings, Brazilian President Pushes Chloroquine Use as CO…
(2020-05-20). Bending PPE rules spells death for health care workers and families. peoplesworld.org 
CHICAGO—If he could have worn a fresh N95 mask for every procedure as mandated by the Centers for Disease Control, would surgical technologist Juan Martínez be alive today? It was a tough question for a reporter to ask a grieving daughter. "We can't know, but they bent rules, and that's not how healthcare should be," …
(2020-05-20). NYC police brutality masked as 'public health' measure. liberationnews.org 
The vast majority of enforcement-related summons and arrests were disproportionately of Black and Brown people.