(2020-06-09). We're Working to Safeguard Our Democracy and Our Health. aclu.org 
No one should have to choose between their health and their vote, but during the Wisconsin primary, an estimated
(2020-06-09). CoronaShock: The Greatest Crisis in the History of Capitalism. zcomm.org "Will there be massive spending in public health? That's the very first thing that is necessary. There is no public discussion about this at all."
(2020-06-09). Immunization Against Plague. jamanetwork.com The reiterated plea of scientists for accurately controlled experiments in the determination of the value of measures adopted against disease may seem to some physicians to be somewhat too emphatic. Again and again, however, the disinterested scientist is compelled to protest against the use of statistics and experiments by those commercially interested and by overenthusiastic advocates of the prophylactic use of certain products. How difficult it really is to arrive at definite conclusions relative to the efficacy of many such preventive measures is pointed out by Flu, in a recent discussion of experiments on im…
(2020-06-09). USPSTF Recommendation: Screening for Unhealthy Drug Use. jamanetwork.com This 2020 US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement recommends screening for unhealthy drug use in adults 18 years or older when services for diagnosis, treatment, and care can be offered or referred (B recommendation) and concludes that evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for unhealthy drug use in adolescents (I statement).
(2020-06-09). Screening for Unhealthy Drug Use in Adults and Adolescents. jamanetwork.com This JAMA Patient Page summarizes the US Preventive Services Task Force's 2020 recommendations on screening for unhealthy drug use in adults and adolescents.
(2020-06-09). FROM THE FIELD: The UN's mission to transform agriculture, for people and planet. news.un.org How can agriculture become better able to resist major international shocks such as climate change, and health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic?>
(2020-06-09). Public health expert who slammed government coronavirus response speaks out against antisemitism attacks. thecanary.co A public health expert has come under attack, accused of "radical leftism" and antisemitism. | Professor John Ashton was
(2020-06-09). Accuracy of the PHQ-2 Alone and in Combination With the PHQ-9 for Screening to Detect Major Depression. jamanetwork.com This meta-analysis uses individual participant data from diagnostic accuracy studies to estimate the accuracy of the Patient Health Questionnaire—2 (PHQ-2) alone and combined with the PHQ-9 for detecting major depression.
(2020-06-09). Screening for Unhealthy Drug Use. jamanetwork.com In this issue of JAMA, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) presents a Recommendation Statement and an accompanying Evidence Review on screening for unhealthy drug use. "Unhealthy drug use" refers to drugs that are illegal or medications not used for medical purposes, including cannabis, but not including alcohol, nicotine, or tobacco. Unlike alcohol screening, drug screening approaches aim to capture any drug use and are not restricted to a specific substance; they capture the full spectrum of unhealthy use, from any use through a drug use disorder.
(2020-06-09). Prioritizing Physician Mental Health as COVID-19 Marches On. jamanetwork.com This Medical News article is an interview with the University of New Mexico's Eileen Barrett, MD, MPH, about the pandemic's mental toll on health care workers—and how they and their employers can safeguard their emotional well-being.
(2020-06-09). The Health Risks of 5G Radiofrequency Radiation Technology. globalresearch.ca Inroduction | This short critical review explores the findings of extant research on the health risks posed by 5G technologies that emit radiofrequency radiation (RFR)1. It also provides evidence that the processes by which policy decisions have been made concerning the …
(2020-06-09). How Will COVID-19 Affect the Health Care Economy? jamanetwork.com Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has created an economic crisis alongside a health care crisis. During the 2 weeks ending on March 28, nearly 10 million people filed for unemployment insurance, dwarfing any previous monthly numbers. Estimates suggest that the US economy will contract by 10% to 25% during the second quarter. The US has entered a COVID-19 recession.
(2020-06-09). Association of Migraine With Aura and Other Risk Factors With Cardiovascular Disease in Women. jamanetwork.com This cohort study uses Women's Health Study data to compare the association of migraine with aura vs other major vascular risk factors (diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking, BMI, CVD family history) with incidence of cardiovascular disease.
(2020-06-09). Workers Can Refuse Unsafe Conditions. progressive.org Workers asked to work in situations that present a danger to their health and safety have rights, and they should not be afraid to assert them.
(2020-06-09). Can the Russian Health Care System Cope With the Coronavirus? thenation.com Can the Russian Health Care System Cope With the Coronavirus?
(2020-06-09). USPSTF Report: Screening for Unhealthy Drug Use. jamanetwork.com This systematic review to support the 2020 US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement on screening for unhealthy drug use including nonmedical use of prescription drugs in adolescents and adults summarizes published evidence on the benefits and harms of primary care—based screening.
(2020-06-09). Spike in Poison Control Calls Related to Disinfectant Exposures. jamanetwork.com Calls to US poison control centers regarding exposures to cleaning products and disinfectants increased by more than 20% during the first quarter of 2020 compared with 2019, according to a CDC analysis posted online on April 20.
(2020-06-09). Homeless Shelters Face High COVID-19 Risks. jamanetwork.com The CDC has recommended steps that homeless shelters should take to prevent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission after studying outbreaks at several facilities across the United States.
(2020-06-09). Existing Drugs Might Treat COVID-19. jamanetwork.com Drugs already marketed for conditions including schizophrenia might have potential as treatments for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a NatureÔªø study suggests.
(2020-06-08). White coats for Black lives: Healthcare workers' solidarity with the uprising. liberationnews.org 
Healthcare workers are standing up to say they want systemic change to foster health and wellbeing by ending institutional racism and police violence.
(2020-06-08). White coats for Black lives: Health care workers' solidarity with the uprising. liberationnews.org Healthcare workers are standing up to say they want systemic change to foster health and wellbeing by ending institutional racism and police violence.
(2020-06-08). Conn. health workers demand PPE, honor their lost. peoplesworld.org 
NEW LONDON, Conn. — Over 200 health care workers, family members and supporters rallied across from Lawrence Memorial Hospital May 30, "for safety, protection and respect in the workplace and raising awareness of health care professionals' concerns that without proper personal protective equipment (PPE), communities are at risk." The rally, addressed by Teachers' President Randi …
(2020-06-09). The Brexit Crisis Led to Totally Incompetent Leadership at a Time of Unprecedented Calamity. Now We are Paying for It. counterpunch.org 
Britain is failing to cope with the Covid-19 epidemic as well as other countries in Europe and East Asia have. Out of 62,000 excess deaths in the UK, says former chief scientific officer Sir David King, "40,000 excess deaths could have been avoided if government had acted responsibly". The failure is devastating: on a single
(2020-06-08). Couldn't Bury Your Father Because of Lockdown? Public Health Experts Have a New Exciting Message for You: "ACAB!" anti-empire.com 
For months, public health experts have urged Americans to take every precaution to stop the spread of Covid-19—stay at home, steer clear of friends and extended family, and absolutely avoid large gatherings. | Now some of those experts are broadcasting a new message: It's time to get out of the house and join the mass protests against racism. | "We should always evaluate the risks and benefits of efforts to control the virus," Jennifer Nuzzo, a Johns Hopkins epidemiologist, tweeted on Tuesday. "In this moment the public health risks of not protesting to demand an end to systemic racism greatly exceed the ha…
(2020-06-08). COVID-19, Antifa, and Black Lives Matter: The Battle for Control of the Internet. ahtribune.com 
Many observers have noted that the time through which we are living now seems unprecedented. We are all experiencing an amazing convergence of so many monumental developments that combine into a fast-moving narrative. In recent days the focus suddenly shifted from COVID-19 and compulsory vaccines to insurrection and anarchy from within. Suddenly the vaccine czar, Bill Gates, has been swept from the center stage of current events. Suddenly multi-billionaire Gates has been upstaged by multi-billionaire George Soros. | What is going on? What are the themes of continuity and disjuncture that characterize the stran…
(2020-06-09). Wednesday 6/17: Community Resilience Project: Housing is Healthcare. indybay.org Online…
(2020-06-09). Nature-friendly farming delivers for wildlife, climate and profits, charity says. thecanary.co 
Nature-friendly farming can deliver for wildlife, carbon storage and profits, the National Trust has said after an audit of a farm run by the conservation charity.Wimpole Home Farm is a 1,419-acre mixed arable and livestock farm near Cambridge, which has been run using organic, wildlife friendly and sustainable farming methods for the past 12 years, the Trust said.A full "health check" of Wimpole's wildlife and how it is storing carbon has revealed benefits for the environment, as well as public access through a network of footpaths and financial returns from growing food, the charity said.The findings are publis…
(2020-06-09). Iran records 2,095 new COVID-19 infections, 74 deaths. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jun. 09 (MNA) — The Iranian Health Ministry announced 2,095 new cases of infection with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the past 24 hours, putting the total number of cases in the country at 175,927.
(2020-06-09). Healthcare Workers: From 'Heroes' To Targets Of Police Repression. popularresistance.org We healthcare workers were arrested and prevented from assessing many protesters with serious injuries who were cuffed on the ground crying for help, some visibly bleeding. Police informed us they had their own medics but had only two FDNY EMTs to triage a crowd of more than a hundred people. Police also refused to allow us to help people whose hands were zip-tied and visibly purple, only loosening ties on one protester, borrowing our shears. After detainees — who were prevented from even shouting their names and identifying information to legal observers nearby — were packed into jail cells scattered…
(2020-06-09). The Rest Of The World Sees Uprisings, Not Riots. popularresistance.org U.S. officials, whether Democrat or Republican, pretend that only other countries violate human rights. Every year, the State Department issues a report on worldwide human rights with the heaviest criticism aimed at enemies du jour such as China, Russia, and Iran. | Human rights, as defined by U.S. officials, include freedom of the press, maintaining an independent judiciary, and civil rights. But most of the world, the United Nations included, goes further, saying human rights include the right to a job, health care, and housing, among other things. | Not surprisingly, U.S. leaders never mention authoritative in…
(2020-06-08). New Zealand eradicates coronavirus. thecanary.co 
New Zealand has eradicated the coronavirus from its shores after health officials reported on Monday that the final person known to have been infected had recovered.The news swiftly led to the country's government announcing all forms of public events can again take place without limitations or social distancing guidelines.It has been 17 days since the last new case was reported in New Zealand, and Monday also marked the first time since late February there had been no active cases.Health officials caution that new cases could be imported into the country, which has closed its borders to everybody but citizens an…
(2020-06-08). Isn't that racist? Kentucky governor vows to 'prioritize' free healthcare for African Americans. rt.com 
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear intends to 'put dollars' into ensuring all of the state's African-American residents have healthcare, citing 'inequalities' in Covid-19 treatment — which was fully funded by the federal government. | "I believe health care is a basic human right," Beshear, a Democrat, said on Monday at a press conference in Frankfort. While he campaigned on providing it to everyone, "as I've been trying to hear from those who have been giving voice on in inequality… it's time to give prioritization in black and African-American communities, so we are going to do that. | "We are gonna begi…
(2020-06-08). Isn't that racist? Kentucky governor vows to 'prioritize' free healthcare for African-Amerians. rt.com Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear intends to 'put dollars' into ensuring all of the state's African-American residents have healthcare, citing 'inequalities' in Covid-19 treatment — which was fully funded by the federal government. | "I believe health care is a basic human right," Beshear, a Democrat, said on Monday at a press conference in Frankfort. While he campaigned on providing it to everyone, "as I've been trying to hear from those who have been giving voice on in inequality …it's time to give prioritization in black and African-American communities, so we are going to do that." | "We are gonna beg…
(2020-06-08). WHO urges states to press on with efforts to contain pandemic and prevent second peaks. rt.com 
The World Health Organization (WHO) urged countries on Monday to press on with efforts to contain the coronovirus, saying the pandemic was worsening globally and has not peaked in Central America. | "More than six months into the pandemic, this is not the time for any country to take its foot off the pedal," WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told an online briefing in Geneva. | The top emergencies expert, Mike Ryan, said cases of infection in Central American countries were still on the rise. He called for international support for the region. | Ryan also said the need now was to focus on prevent…
(2020-06-08). WHO warns of Covid-19 rebound risk, says pandemic is 'WORSENING' globally. rt.com 
Now is not the time to become complacent and drop our guard about the coronavirus as the pandemic is still growing globally, World Health Organization officials have warned. | Despite some improvements in infection rates in Europe, the global Covid-19 situation is "worsening" yet again, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday during an online press briefing. Sunday, June 7, had most reported cases in a single day so far of the outbreak, he added. | According to Tedros, active surveillance and contact tracing are still essential to ensure the virus doesn't rebound. "More than six months i…
(2020-06-08). Tunisian president ends coronavirus curfew. rt.com 
Tunisia on Monday ordered an end to a curfew imposed in March to help slow the spread of coronavirus. Announcing President Kais Saied's decision, his office cited success in controlling the disease. | Shops, businesses, mosques, cafes and hotels in the country had already been reopened after the government locked down nearly all ordinary business for months. | The country has recorded 1,048 cases of Covid-19 and 48 deaths, compared with nearly 10,000 cases in neighboring Algeria, Reuters reported. | Tunisians returned to mosques and cafes on June 4, and international borders will reopen fully by the end of the…
(2020-06-08). Dr Bouthaina Shaaban speaks to Vanessa Beeley, Damascus. thealtworld.com Dr Bouthaina Shaaban on the hybrid war strategy being waged by the West, Israel, Turkey, Gulf States against Syria and her allies. | We had a meeting, during which we discussed most aspects of the maximum pressure campaign the sado-barbaric US Coalition is imposing upon Syria and all the nations who would defend her or provide economic support, trade and military collaboration. | Covid19 was discussed and the deliberate westernization of this alleged "pandemic" to further tighten the screws on an already economically devastated country that has endured 10 years of war, plagued by the various terrorist gangs cr…
(2020-06-08). Health care workers join mass protests against racism and police violence, and explain why. wsws.org The WSWS spoke to health care workers in Illinois and Kentucky who have joined the protests or are working to organizing protests themselves.
(2020-06-08). US Veterans, Including Active Duty, Reject Militarization Against Demonstrators. popularresistance.org The United States is in the midst of a mass uprising against police violence, but also a whole list of grievances such as the lack of jobs, health care, education and more. Sustained protests have been going on for two weeks defying curfews and severe repression by police. The national guard has been deployed to 23 states and President Trump threatened to deploy the military against people expressing their First Amendment rights. We speak with Danny Sjursen, a retired Major and spokesperson for About Face: Veterans Against the War, about how members of the military are responding to current events. Veterans have…
(2020-06-08). No time to take 'foot off the pedal' as coronavirus pandemic worsens: WHO. news.un.org The COVID-19 pandemic is worsening globally, with more than 136,000 cases recorded on Sunday: the highest number in a single day, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
(2020-06-08). Solidarity is the world's 'best line of defence': UN General Assembly president. news.un.org Back in September, the world committed to a landmark political declaration on universal health coverage. Now, in the throes of the COVID-19 crisis, the President of the UN General Assembly has reiterated the importance of investing in health as "an investment in human capital, social and economic development and the empowerment of all people".
(2020-06-08). Quebec unions and government conspire behind the backs of health and education workers. wsws.org Quebec's public sector unions fully accept the austerity financial framework dictated by the right-wing CAQ government and are stepping up their efforts to impose another sellout contract.
(2020-06-08). New Jersey health department whistleblowers' letter highlights criminality of state's pandemic response. wsws.org A letter by anonymous officials makes clear that thousands of deaths were the result of deliberate policy decisions.
(2020-06-08). The Enemy is Government-Granted Patent Monopolies, not the Market. cepr.net (This is the first entry in an exchange with Leigh Phillips. I am responding to a piece he wrote in Jacobin last week about the drug industry's response to the pandemic.) Leigh Phillips had a very useful piece in Jacobin on how patent protections are impeding progress in developing and distributing vaccines or treatments for …
(2020-06-08). Tuesday 6/9: No More Anti-Health Care Judges Digital Rally. indybay.org Online event…
(2020-06-08). 2,043 new coronavirus infections confirmed in Iran: spokseman. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Jun. 08 (MNA) — According to Iranian Health Ministry Spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour, 2,043 new coronavirus cases and 70 deaths have been confirmed in Iran during the past 24 hours.
(2020-06-08). Turkey introduces new regulations amid normalization. yenisafak.com Turkey revised Monday coronavirus measures for the normalization from the outbreak.An official letter by the Health Ministry, which was sent to governors' offices in 81 provinces as well as all health institutions of Turkey, said that some of the restrictions that had been implemented due to the outbreak are partially or totally lifted.According to the new rules, patient visits will be allowed for one person to meet the needs of the inpatient and the visit will be paid after working hours. Visits are not allowed in intensive and palliative care units.On condition of complying with the rules set up by the ministry…
(2020-06-08). UK reports lowest daily COVID-19 deaths. yenisafak.com Britain on Monday reported 55 new coronavirus-related deaths, the lowest since the lockdown that started on March 23. The death toll rose to 40,597.The official figures released by the Department of Health and Social Care show a total of 287,399 people have tested positive so far.The country has now reported less than 100 deaths for a second day; however, the official reported numbers have been smaller during the outbreak due to lower reporting at weekends.No new deaths have been reported at London hospitals on Monday, according to the National Health Service England.- Mandatory self-isolationThe UK began imposin…
(2020-06-08). Iran's death toll from coronavirus surpasses 8,350. yenisafak.com Iran on Monday confirmed 70 more fatalities from the novel coronavirus over the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide death toll to 8,351. | A further 2,043 people tested positive for COVID-19, raising the overall count to 173,832, Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said. | According to the spokesman, 136,360 people have recovered and been discharged from hospitals so far, while 2,619 patients remain in critical condition. | Some 1.1 million tests have been conducted in the country so far, according to the spokesman. | Iran sees an upward trend in daily infections in many provinces, especially in the s…
(2020-06-08). Turkey exported 2,000 respirators during virus pandemic. yenisafak.com During medical supply shortages in many countries worldwide amid the coronavirus pandemic, Turkey managed to manufacture and export some 2,000 life-saving mechanical ventilators around the globe, including 1,500 to Brazil, said Turkey's technology and industry minister on Monday.Turkey also developed methods to produce two different medicines which it had previously imported, Mustafa Varank told an online meeting on COVID-19 vaccine and medicine projects.With severe shortness of breath a hallmark of the novel coronavirus, ventilators have been a critical need amid the global pandemic.Numerous countries faced diff…