(2020-06-24). "No Layoffs" "Stop The Greed" Frontline UCSF Workers Protest Cutbacks In Middle Of Covid. indybay.org UCSF AFSCME 3299 Frontline healthcare workers and other union members from UC rallied and protested against the 3,000 cutbacks by UC management and regents. These cutbacks in the midst of a major pandemic will not only threaten the workers the care of the patients and the public.
(2020-06-24). [Research Paper] COVID-19 in Wuhan: Sociodemographic characteristics and hospital support measures associated with the immediate psychological impact on healthcare workers. thelancet.com Women and those who have more than 10 years of working, concomitant chronic diseases, history of mental disorders, and family members or relatives confirmed or suspected are susceptible to stress, depression and anxiety among HWs during the pandemic. In addition, since HWs often have a greater stigma against mental problems than the general public, it is worthwhile to address the needs of the HWs during this pandemic and to provide appropriate psychological supports for those people at high risk of mental problems.
(2020-06-24). [Letter] Whistleblowing and patient safety during COVID-19. thelancet.com It has been rightly noted that health workers globally must be able to speak out during COVID-19, allowing them to draw public attention to inadequate PPE supplies and unsafe working conditions, while being protected from censorship, attack, government intimidation, harassment, and arrest [1]. But such systemic failure to provide health workers with the resources they need represents only one of numerous situations in which clinicians may consider raising the alarm. Health service whistleblowing procedures that are secure and robust are of paramount importance to patient safety, and must be strengthened and prote…
(2020-06-24). The Heat: China-EU relations. america.cgtn.com 
Chinese and European Union officials meet to boost economic ties amid a global health crisis.
(2020-06-24). Health leaders say UK must start preparing for second Covid-19 wave. thecanary.co 
Health leaders are calling for an urgent review to ensure Britain is properly prepared for the "real risk" of a second wave of coronavirus.Ministers have been warned that urgent action is needed to prevent further loss of life and to protect the economy amid growing fears of a renewed outbreak over the winter.The appeal is backed by the presidents of the Royal Colleges of Physicians, Surgeons, GPs and Nursing — as well as the chair of the British Medical Association.It comes after Tuesday's announcement by Boris Johnson of the biggest easing to date of the coronavirus lockdown in England.Boris Johnson announ…
(2020-06-24). As the UK heads into a heatwave Siberia is going off the charts. thecanary.co 
Scientists have expressed concerns about the implications for the rest of the world after a heatwave in Russia's Siberia region.On Saturday, the thermometer hit a likely record of 38C — or 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit — in the Siberian town of Verkhoyansk in Russia's Sakha Republic.The World Meteorological Organisation said it is looking to verify the temperature reading, which would be a record for the region north of the Arctic Circle.The increasing temperatures in Siberia have been linked to wildfires that grow bigger and more severe every year, as well as the thawing of the permafrost.Scientists are ala…
(2020-06-24). Twitter Censors Trump for 'Threat of Harm', Has No Problem With Threats to Bomb Foreigners. strategic-culture.org 
Power is the ability to control what happens. Absolute power is the ability to control what people think about what happens. Our world does not widely understand this, and it is ruled by people who do. We're going to have to change this if we're to begin moving collectively toward health and harmony.
(2020-06-24). The Next AOC? Progressive Insurgent Jamaal Bowman Takes Big Lead Over Rep. Eliot Engel in NY Primary. democracynow.org 
In what could be one of the biggest progressive upsets of the year, Jamaal Bowman, an African American former middle school principal, appears headed to victory over 16-term Democratic Congressmember Eliot Engel in Tuesday's New York primary election. The race has not been called, but Bowman has a large lead over Engel, the powerful chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee known for his support of Israel. Bowman supports a Green New Deal, Medicare for All and defunding the police. We air his remarks from a campaign party late Tuesday.
(2020-06-24). Jessy Dayane: "Bolsonaro has never tried to hide his authoritarian project" peoplesdispatch.org The coup d'état in 2016 which overthrew Dilma Rouseff of the Workers' Party of Brazil, marked a new period in Brazil characterized by the attack on democracy. The illegal maneuvering to eliminate popular leader Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva from the 2018 elections and effectively solidify the election of far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro was another step in this process. | Under the leadership of Bolsonaro, Brazilian state institutions and programs have been systematically dismantled, funding for public education and health has been cut, and tensions within Brazilian society have been heightened. | In this context, the…
(2020-06-24). Ten reasons to be concerned about 5G — and it has nothing to do with C-19. truepublica.org.uk By Annelie Fitzgerald and Tom Imber: 5G has nothing to do with the coronavirus Covid-19 but as you'll see there is a strong case for supporting legal action against it. 5G and existing wireless technologies use artificial radio-frequency radiation (RFR) that has adverse effects on health. 5G has not been safety tested. 5G is …
(2020-06-24). First Ebola, then COVID-19. The Plight of West Africa. globalresearch.ca Four years ago, New Internationalist travelled to West Africa to hear the stories of communities in recovery from the deadly Ebola epidemic. Hazel Healy gets back in touch. | *** | In early April, Sierra Leone confirmed its first case of coronavirus, …
(2020-06-24). Normal Human Virome: 2017 Study Finds HIV, Hepatitis and Many Other Viruses Present in People. globalresearch.ca Did you know the normal human virome contains a multitude of different viruses, including many strains of coronavirus? And did you know that some of these viruses sound scary — the type people normally associate with disease — even though …
(2020-06-24). Privatization And The Pandemic. popularresistance.org Unlike other epidemics or pandemics — such as tuberculosis, SARS, MERS or HIV/AIDS — COVID-19 has hit hardest at the world's wealthiest countries. As of early June 2020, the 37 industrialized countries of the OECD accounted for 59% of all cases and 78% of deaths, even though they constitute less than 18% of the total population affected. | Looking at the pandemic's effects in another way — using cases and deaths per million population — paints an even starker picture. OECD countries have a prevalence ratio of 2,890 cases per million and a mortality rate of 225 per million, compared with 86…
(2020-06-24). COVID-19 death toll rises in Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain. yenisafak.com The death toll from the novel coronavirus rose Wednesday in Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, according to health authorities in the three countries.In a statement, the Kuwaiti Health Ministry said four people had died from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, taking the nationwide death toll to 338.A further 742 cases were detected, bringing the total infections in the country to 41,775, the ministry said, adding that the number of recoveries rose to 32,809 after 505 people had recovered.In Oman, the Health Ministry confirmed two additional fatalities, pushing the death toll to 142. As many as 1,142 more cases were register…
(2020-06-24). 'Pandemic threatens future of 600M kids in South Asia'. yenisafak.com The coronavirus pandemic is profoundly impacting the future of 600 million children in South Asia, UNICEF warned in a report.The UN agency called on governments to take immediate action to protect millions of children and families in the region."The COVID-19 pandemic is unraveling decades of health, education and other advances for children across South Asia, and governments must take urgent action to prevent millions of families from slipping back into poverty," said the report.It said immunization, nutrition, and other vital health services have been severely disrupted, potentially threatening the lives of up t…
(2020-06-24). COVID-19 recovery rate at 40% in Bangladesh. yenisafak.com Bangladesh on Wednesday registered 3,462 new cases positive for coronavirus, taking the total count to 122,660 since the first case was detected in early March.Out of total infections, more than 49,500 patients have so far recovered with some 2,000 fresh recoveries in the past 24 hours.The recovery rate now stands at 40.49%, according to the Health Ministry.Meanwhile, the country witnessed the deaths of 37 people from COVID-19, virus-caused disease, rising the tally to 1,582, Nasima Sultana, a director general at the Health Ministry, told a regular online news conference.The South Asian country with a population…
(2020-06-24). Paris nears pre-pandemic air pollution levels. yenisafak.com Air pollution in Paris has more than doubled since the end of lockdown on May 11, and hit the highest level among European cities, said a new study put out on Wednesday.The Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), an independent research organization based in Helsinki, Finland, found that the level of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the atmosphere has nearly doubled since confinement was lifted. | Although the level of air pollution — which dropped by 60% during lockdown — is not presently at pre-COVID-19 level, it has risen in the capital by 120%. | COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, origina…
(2020-06-24). Social media and online harms: Imperial researchers inform policymakers. imperial.ac.uk Preventing online harms, an issue at the forefront of health and digital policymaking, was the focus of The Forum's first ever online panel event.
(2020-06-24). Scientists propose lifting lockdown for whole city to trial mass testing. thecanary.co Scientists have proposed lifting lockdown completely for a "medium-sized city" to see if coronavirus can be controlled through weekly testing of residents. | A paper published in the Royal Society Open Science journal argues that a demonstration study is needed to see if such regular testing, strict household quarantine, contact tracing and mobile phone apps could end the coronavirus (Covid-19) epidemic. | Researchers suggest large-scale testing of city residents could be done through examining saliva samples — a technique called RT-LAMP testing, which they said is cheaper and more viable than nasal or thro…
(2020-06-24). Disease, Power and Capitalism. indybay.org Have you tried DeepL.com, academia.edu, grin.com or grammarly.com? Send me your comments and/or discoveries – as we await the reopening of the libraries and the Biden landslide! Will the great comedian Stephan Colbert be the dark horse candidate at the last moment? Marc…
(2020-06-23). Bolsonaro Fraudulently Circumvented Trump's COVID-19 Immigration Ban. zcomm.org Smuggled His Scandal-Plagued Ex-Education Minister Into the U.S.
(2020-06-23). Push to reopen early behind current COVID outbreak in South. peoplesworld.org 
The current coronavirus outbreak in the South and West is explained by the loosening of restrictions and lockdowns that began on the Memorial Day weekend, according to the nation's top health officials and experts. The out-of-control rise in cases in Florida, Arizona, Oregon, and many other states, they say, can be traced to what happened …
(2020-06-23). Health experts blast Trump order to cut down coronavirus testing. peoplesworld.org 
TULSA, Okla.—GOP President Donald Trump's order to cut down coronavirus testing—because, in so many words, the results would make him look bad—is drawing flak from health experts and top congressional Democrats. Trump boasted about his order at his half-filled controversial rally on June 20 in Tulsa, Okla. Health experts, both nationally and in the Sooner …
(2020-06-23). 'How is this legal?' Oregon county exempts 'people of color' from mandatory face mask rule. rt.com 
Oregon's Lincoln County has created an exception for non-white residents in a new compulsory face mask order, citing concerns over racial profiling, but puzzled observers have deemed the move discriminatory, if not illegal. | The county's public health
(2020-06-23). Virus numbers surge globally as many nations ease lockdowns. thecanary.co 
The number of global coronavirus (Covid-19) cases has continued to surge in many large countries which have been lifting lockdowns, including the US, even as new infections stabilise or drop in parts of western Europe.In the UK, Department of Health figures for 22 June
(2020-06-23). The Supreme Court upholds DACA. So what now? nationofchange.org We have to be willing to embrace new ways of thinking about creating healthy communities, in the same way we've changed our habits during the current pandemic.
(2020-06-23). After COVID-19: Thinking Differently About Running the Health Care System. jamanetwork.com Wars and other national crises force society to act differently for a while. But in doing so, they highlight organizational actions and innovations that should not end with the crisis and should be allowed to play a greater role in the future. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has similar features, and it should spur policy makers who shape the US health care system, to—as Apple Computer cofounder Steve Jobs often urged—"think different."
(2020-06-23). Quarantine bungles in New Zealand threaten new COVID-19 outbreak. wsws.org The Ardern government has placed the military in charge of quarantine hotels after health authorities allowed travellers to leave without being cleared of COVID-19.
(2020-06-23). 'Black Lives Matter' is About More than the Police. aclu.org Every time another Black person is murdered by the police, it's easy to point to a single officer as the culprit. George Floyd was killed under the knee of officer Derek Chauvin — we saw it ourselves. But Chauvin is just one officer in a culture of police violence, and policing is just one of the systems responsible for taking Black lives. COVID-19 exposed a number of the others. , , It's no coincidence that Black people, who are more likely to be killed by the police, are also dying at disproportionate rates of COVID-19. While some say it's due to the prevalence of underlying health issues like diabetes…
(2020-06-23). Plant Extracts May Relieve Hangover Symptoms, Trial Suggests. jamanetwork.com A dietary supplement drink containing plant extracts improved hangover symptoms after moderate alcohol consumption in a trial published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health.
(2020-06-23). Cultivating Laughter as an Antidote to COVID-19. jamanetwork.com In this narrative medicine essay, a physician reviews the science supporting the beneficial health effects of humor and offers tips on how to bring humor into one's everyday personal and professional life during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
(2020-06-23). Cautious and Fearful Infants Grow Into Cautious and Fearful Adults. jamanetwork.com Infants' temperament can help predict who they'll become as young adults, suggests a recent study from researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health, the University of Maryland, and the Catholic University of America.
(2020-06-23). Bolivia's de-facto president enacts law to hold general elections on September 6. peoplesdispatch.org The decision was celebrated by diverse sectors in Bolivia that have been mobilizing against de-facto government's handling of the health and economic emergencies intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic…
(2020-06-23). Pandemic Highlights Behavioral Health Disparities. jamanetwork.com Lower access to behavioral health care is among the racial and ethnic disparities highlighted by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, according to a recent report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
(2020-06-23). Ford workers express health concerns as COVID-19 pandemic spreads. wsws.org Ford workers spoke to the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter about returning to work during the pandemic.
(2020-06-23). Artificial Intelligence: Promise, Pitfalls, and Perspective. jamanetwork.com In this Medical News article, JAMA Fishbein Fellow Angel N. Desai, MD, MPH, speaks with scientist and entrepreneur Gary Marcus, PhD, about the potential of artificial intelligence in health care and the current coronavirus pandemic.
(2020-06-23). Feasibility of Ultra-Rapid Exome Sequencing in Critically Ill Infants and Children With Suspected Monogenic Conditions. jamanetwork.com This descriptive study characterizes time from sample receipt to sequence report as a measure of the feasibility of ultra-rapid genomic diagnosis of critically ill pediatric patients with suspected monogenic conditions in an Australian public health care system.
(2020-06-23). Government Not Doing All It Could to Recruit and Retain Scientists. jamanetwork.com The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) hasn't yet used the authority it was given more than 3 years ago to recruit and retain biomedical research scientists, according to a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report.
(2020-06-23). Hypertension Rates in Rural Areas Outpace Those in Urban Locales. jamanetwork.com Hypertension rates in rural areas are more than 10% higher than in most urban areas, according to a CDC survey.
(2020-06-23). Postpartum Depression Screening Needs More Consistency. jamanetwork.com About 13% of US women report depressive symptoms after giving birth, according to a CDC survey. Yet 1 in 8 women said they weren't asked about feeling depressed during their postpartum care.
(2020-06-23). C-Reactive Protein Test Reduces Antibiotics for COPD Flare-ups. jamanetwork.com In a recent UK trial, use of a C-reactive protein (CRP) point-of-care test to guide treatment decisions reduced antibiotic use among patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). Previous research suggests that CRP levels correlate with antibiotic efficacy among patients with AECOPD.
(2020-06-23). Clinical Genomics in Critically Ill Infants and Children. jamanetwork.com Increasing evidence indicates that many children who require neonatal or pediatric intensive care have an underlying genetic disease. However, until recently, many of these children did not receive sufficiently comprehensive or rapid genetic testing to be relevant to their acute care. With the increasing availability and affordability of whole exome or genome sequencing technology and the ability to interrogate the genome at scale within a short time frame, a number of rapid diagnostic genomic programs for critically ill infants and children have been developed and implemented, and the concomitant emerging eviden…
(2020-06-23). Dominant Global Viral Strain Found in Beijing Cases. globalresearch.ca The coronavirus mutation discovered to be currently dominating the world has been pinpointed as the cause of the latest COVID-19 outbreak in Beijing, which experts say indicates that the virus was imported from outside China. | The Chinese Center for Disease …
(2020-06-23). Trials with Oxford COVID-19 vaccine start in Brazil. yenisafak.com Trials will count on 2,000 health workers volunteers in Sao Paulo and 1,000 people in Rio de Janeiro.Brazil's health regulator Anvisa approved human clinical trials for this potential vaccine, developed by Oxford and supported by AstraZeneca Plc, earlier in June. Brazil, where the disease is still rife, is the first country outside the United Kingdom to start testing the Oxford vaccine.Researchers expect to launch the vaccine by year-end.
(2020-06-23). UK quarantine policy will be led by public health, says PM Johnson. yenisafak.com British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that any changes to the country's quarantine policy would be based on public health guidance and not a desire to open up the economy."We will have a policy on air bridges that is based on public health," he told lawmakers in parliament as he announced an easing of some lockdown measures in England on Tuesday.Britain has a 14-day quarantine policy in place for arrivals into the country from abroad, but the government has said it is looking at "air bridges" which would allow restriction-free travel between countries with low infection rates.
(2020-06-23). French StopCovid app led to 1.8 million activations as of June 22. yenisafak.com France's state-supported "StopCovid" contact-tracing app has been downloaded by 1.9 million people, roughly 2% of the population, leading to 1.8 million activations as of June 22, digital affairs minister Cedric O said on Tuesday.The "StopCovid" smartphone app, which was launched on June 2, warns users if they have come into contact with anyone infected with the coronavirus to help to contain the epidemic as France emerges from lockdown.
(2020-06-23). First volunteer receives Imperial COVID-19 vaccine. imperial.ac.uk The first healthy volunteer has now received a candidate coronavirus vaccine developed by Imperial researchers.
(2020-06-23). Parliamentarians hear of 'high chance' of coronavirus vaccine. imperial.ac.uk Two of Imperial's leading coronavirus experts gave evidence to the House of Lords about their research to tackle COVID-19…
(2020-06-23). Trump Responds to COVID-19 Spike by Cracking Down on Immigration. truthout.org The number of new COVID-19 cases are spiking in several states, but President Trump did not announce new public health responses on Monday. Instead, he issued an executive order extending and expanding suspensions of immigration and guest worker programs until the end of the year. The White House is also moving to push lower-wage workers out of the H-1B visa program, and it barred asylum seekers from gaining lawful employment for one year after filing a claim. | Meanwhile, the administration is already w…
(2020-06-23). Thursday 6/25: Our Lives on the Line: Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act Under Attack. indybay.org Online via livestream…