Monthly Archives: August 2020

2020-08-07: News Headlines

The Lancet (2020-08-08). [Editorial] Self-determination and Indigenous health. thelancet.com Colonisation is a fundamental determinant of Indigenous peoples' health. Indigenous is a term defined by dislocation, and the effects of that displacement are felt by Indigenous peoples around the world. Aug 9, International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, is a chance to look at the continuing effects of territorial removal, the destruction of people, culture, and languages, and the lack of self-determination (the right to determine one's own social, cultural, and economic development), and their impact on Indigenous peoples' health.

Harriet Mayanja-Kizza, Christine Sekaggya-Wiltshire, Desta Kassa (2020-08-08). [Comment] Optimal therapy for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and HIV. thelancet.com The dual epidemics of tuberculosis and HIV have had a substantial toll on health outcomes, service delivery, and economies in many countries. Additionally, diagnosis of tuberculosis remains a challenge, especially with HIV infection, where the commonly used smears are of limited benefit; compounded by limitations of detecting drug-resistant tuberculosis.1…

Dimitrios Moris, Michael Kontos (2020-08-08). [Correspondence] Recurrence of breast cancer after anaesthesia. thelancet.com Daniel Sessler and colleagues1 presented the findings from their multicentre, randomised trial that compared the effect of regional anaesthesia (paravertebral block and propofol) with general anaesthesia (sevoflurane) and opioids on breast cancer recurrence and postoperative pain after potentially curative surgery. Regional anaesthesia was reported to be equivalent to general anaesthesia regarding disease recurrence and postoperative pain.1…

Wendy Rogers (2020-08-08). [Perspectives] Moral responsibility in medicine: where are the boundaries? thelancet.com All doctors have responsibilities to protect and promote health. These responsibilities lie at the heart of medicine, providing its moral foundation. Some doctors meet their responsibilities treating individuals with diseases, some teach or do research, while others safeguard or promote the health of populations. These responsibilities arise from the social role of doctors that is enshrined—but not always clearly delineated—in social, legal, ethical, and professional standards and norms. The health and wellbeing of the patient is, according to various codes, the pre-eminent responsibility of medicine,…

David N Durrheim, Michael G Baker (2020-08-08). [Correspondence] COVID-19—a very visible pandemic. thelancet.com The COVID-19 pandemic is exacting a confronting and extraordinarily visible toll in lives and livelihoods globally. The last occasion where humanity fought a similar calamitous infectious disease threat was the 1918—19 influenza pandemic. There are many lessons from that pandemic that are still relevant. The first pandemic wave did not grant adequate herd immunity and was followed by one or more subsequent waves, with those waves being more deadly than the initial wave.1 Additionally, stringent public health measures flattened the epidemic curve, preserving hospital capacity and saving many lives.

Sharmila Devi (2020-08-08). [World Report] Egyptian health workers arrested after COVID-19 comments. thelancet.com At least seven doctors and two pharmacists have been detained for criticising the Egyptian Government's approach to the pandemic and working conditions. Sharmila Devi reports.

Staff (2020-08-07). Headlines for August 7, 2020. democracynow.org Study Predicts U.S. Coronavirus Deaths Could Reach 300,000 by December, Georgia High Schoolers Suspended for Sharing Images of Unmasked Students in Crowded Halls, India's COVID-19 Cases Top 2 Million as WHO Warns of Worsening Outbreaks in Africa, Peru's Health System in Collapse as COVID-19 Death Toll Reaches 20,000, Congressional Talks on New Coronavirus Stimulus on Brink of Collapse, "Make Billionaires Pay Act" Would Tax Richest 0.001% to Fund Healthcare for Millions, Police Fire Tear Gas at Anti-Government Protesters as Anger Rages over Beirut Blast, New York Attorney General Files Suit to Dissolve NRA over Ex…

Jeffrey St. Clair (2020-08-07). Roaming Charges: Every Which Way to Lose. counterpunch.org "And through the fog of the plague, most art withered into journalism." — Pete Hamill + Four years of Trump, the most precipitous collapse of the US economy in history and one killer pandemic later and we're right back to where we were in the late summer of 2016… Joe Biden's national polling lead is

The Canary (2020-08-07). Three in 10 people 'uncomfortable' attending A&E if advised to by doctor. thecanary.co Around three in 10 adults would not feel comfortable attending A&E for urgent care if they needed it, a survey suggests.Some 61% of adults said they would feel comfortable to attend a hospital appointment if their doctor asked them to, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.Almost a quarter (23%) said they would feel uncomfortable with this, while 29% said they would feel uncomfortable about going to hospital for emergency treatment.Just over half (55%) said they would feel comfortable about visiting the emergency department if advised.And 14% said they would not feel comfortable seeing a healthcare profes…

The Canary (2020-08-07). Record-breaking summers due to climate chaos 'a danger to human health'. thecanary.co Having record-breaking summers will become a certainty due to the climate crisis, experts have warned, as the UK begins to swelter in what could be the hottest day of the year so far.Just a week after Britain recorded the third warmest day on record on 31 July, with 37.8C (100.04F) recorded in Heathrow, Friday could see temperatures rise to — and possibly surpass — 37C (98.6F) in London and the South East.Michael Byrne, lecturer in earth and environmental sciences at the University of St Andrews, warned that two near-record temperatures so closely spaced is "unusual". | Exceptional heat in the southeast…

Stephen Lendman (2020-08-07). Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), A Cure for COVID-19: Smear Campaign against US Doctors. Promotion of Hazardous Mass-Vaxxing. globalresearch.ca Big Pharma in cahoots with Big Media and Big Government want a known COVID-19 cure suppressed. | Why? Because an effective treatment is readily available, cheap, and if widely used to treat the disease or taken prophylactically to prevent it, Big …

WSWS (2020-08-07). Health Commissioner forced out as New York City prepares to reopen schools amid national pandemic surge. wsws.org Dr. Oxiris Barbot's ouster indicates a more open return to the herd immunity strategy that guided the city's disastrous early response to the pandemic.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-08-07). Brazilian movements intensify "Out Bolsonaro" campaign. peoplesdispatch.org The authoritarian nature of the Bolsonaro government has rapidly intensified. Bolsonaro, acting against all public health specialists, as well as international entities and protocols, has denied the pandemic and adopted incorrect and disastrous measures. His grave mismanagement of the virus has made Brazil the global epicenter of COVID-19.

Children's Health Defense (2020-08-07). Impacts of 5G Wireless Radiation on Children's Health: CHD Law Suit against FCC. globalresearch.ca What we put in our bodies and our children's developing bodies is the most important and most personal choice we make as human beings. But when it comes to damaging levels of radiation, that right to choose has been stolen …

Chuck Collins — Helen Flannery (2020-08-07). Time for an Emergency Charity Stimulus. counterpunch.org We are living through a time of unprecedented challenges: a major public health crisis and a deepening recession. Congress has already authorized trillions in stimulus funds. But millions of Americans are still relying on the support of local nonprofits such as food banks and human services. These nonprofits are going to need major infusions of

Marlee Kokotovic (2020-08-07). Sanders' Make Billionaires Pay Act would help cover medical expenses for every American for a whole year. nationofchange.org Over 5.4 million-Americans have lost health insurance during this time while billionaires are profiting off of the pandemic.

teleSUR (2020-08-07). Trump Predicts Massive Use of COVID-19 Vaccine Before November. telesurenglish.net President Donald Trump Friday trusts that a vaccine to treat COVID-19 will be released before the elections and boost his presidential campaign. | RELATED: | He talks about a possible vaccine several times a day and assures his people that up to 500 million individual doses will be available very soon. | "I'm optimistic that it'll be probably around that date. I believe we'll have the vaccine befo…

imperial.ac.uk (2020-08-07). COVID-19 recovery choices will shape the future climate as well as economy. imperial.ac.uk While a pollution-free period hasn't averted climate change, the recovery offers a chance for health and nature, a study reveals…

_____ (2020-08-07). Professor Mounts High-Altitude Protest Against Pipeline. popularresistance.org Tim Takaro is by himself but insists he isn't alone. | Takaro, 63, is protesting the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project by camping out in a cluster of trees in Burnaby, B.C. | Takaro is a professor of health sciences and environmental health at Simon Fraser University and a former physician, having retired from clinical medicine in December 2019. | He and other environmental activists say trees along the Brunette River near the boundary between Burnaby and New Westminster are slated to be felled between now and Sept. 15 as part of pipeline construction.

_____ (2020-08-07). War and Pandemic Journalism: The Truth Can Disappear Fast. strategic-culture.org The polio epidemic in Cork supposedly ended abruptly in mid-September 1956 when the local press stopped reporting on it, but that was at least two weeks before many children like me caught it. In a similar fashion, right now, wars in the Middle East and north Africa like the ongoing disasters in Libya and Syria that once got significant coverage now barely get a mention much of the time.

yenisafak (2020-08-07). Coronavirus cases in Africa surpass 1 million mark. yenisafak.com Coronavirus cases in Africa exceeded the 1 million mark on Friday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday, as the continent recorded 14,656 new cases over the last 24 hours.The death toll from the virus in Africa reached 22,066, while recoveries rose to 690,436.Southern Africa has confirmed a total of 565,100 cases, of which South Africa alone took by far the greater proportion that stood at 538,200.North Africa has 170,200 cases, West Africa 136,800, East Africa 85,600 and Central Africa 49,600.At least 10,200 people lost their lives to the virus in Southern Africa, 7,000 in North A…

yenisafak (2020-08-07). What you need to know about the coronavirus right now. yenisafak.com Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now: Grim forecast for U.S.Nearly 300,000 Americans could be dead from COVID-19 by Dec. 1, University of Washington health experts forecast, although they said 70,000 lives could be saved if people were scrupulous about wearing masks.The latest predictions from the university's widely cited Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) came as top White House infectious disease advisers warned that major U.S. cities could erupt as new coronavirus hot spots if officials there were not vigilant with counter-measures."We're seeing a rollercoaste…

yenisafak (2020-08-07). Beirut port blast: Death toll rises to 154, nearly 5,000 wounded. yenisafak.com The death toll from Tuesday's huge blast in Lebanon rose to 154, the country's health minister confirmed on Friday.Hamad Hasan told the state-run National News Agency that around 5,000 people were injured in the blast at the Port of Beirut, with 20% of them in need of medical treatment in hospitals.He also said that 120 of injured are currently in critical condition and many others require delicate surgeries.A fire at a warehouse at the Port of Beirut led to a huge blast on Tuesday causing massive material damage in several neighborhoods of the capital.The Lebanese government announced the formation of an investi…

yenisafak (2020-08-07). Russia offers to supply Philippines with COVID-19 vaccine. yenisafak.com Russia is willing to supply a coronavirus vaccine to the Philippines, or team up with a local firm to mass produce it, its ambassador to Manila said on Friday, as infections in the Southeast Asian nation surge.Russia is expecting regulatory approval for its first potential COVID-19 vaccine this month, with doses to be administered to frontline health workers first.But the frenetic race globally to develop a COVID-19 vaccine is raising some concern that speed could compromise safety and that some countries could be putting national prestige before solid science."We are ready to supply vaccines to the Philippines,"

yenisafak (2020-08-07). WHO appeals for $15 million aid for Lebanon after Beirut blast. yenisafak.com The blast, which killed more than 150 and injured more than 5,000, also destroyed 17 containers holding WHO medical supplies including personal protective equipment, the agency's regional office for the Middle East said in a statement late on Thursday.Five hospitals in the area affected by Tuesday's blast are either not functioning or partially functioning, and early reports indicate that many health centres and primary care facilities are also damaged or out of action, it said.Up to 300,000 people have been displaced from their homes and need food or shelter, which "also risks accelerating the spread of COVID-19…

Mark Gruenberg (2020-08-06). Progressives score big wins in Missouri and Michigan. peoplesworld.org ST. LOUIS—Progressive candidates, running on causes such as Medicare For All, the $15 minimum wage, workers' rights, and the Green New Deal, scored impressive wins in the August 4 Democratic primaries in Missouri and Michigan. Next battle up: Minnesota. The biggest win came in St. Louis, where Cori Bush, in her second try for the …

RT (2020-08-06). 'Virtue signaling her way to reelection': Michigan governor roasted online after declaring racism 'PUBLIC HEALTH crisis'. rt.com Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer was accused of pandering to those engaged in identity politics, after she declared racism a "public health crisis" and said that everyone is plagued by unconscious bias. | The executive order signed by Whitmer on Wednesday mandates implicit bias training for all state employees. The ultimate goal is to build "a more inclusive and unbiased state that works for everyone," the Democrat governor said. | Implicit, unconscious bias exists within each of us, and, as public servants, we have a duty to understand how our bias can impact the lives of others. | Another measure rolled ou…

RT (2020-08-06). 'You're breaking the law!' LA mayor vows to CUT WATER & POWER to homes that host 'large parties'. rt.com LA Mayor Eric Garcetti has warned that residents hosting large home gatherings can expect their water and power utilities to be cut, a sharp escalation of the city's strict Covid-19 measures amid a series of recent house parties. | Starting on Friday, Garcetti said that the city's Department of Water and Power (DWP) would shut off service to properties where there are "egregious" violations of local health orders, pointing to house parties in the Hollywood Hills and Calabasas in recent weeks, which he said were held in "flagrant" defiance of the law. | "While we have already closed all bars and nightclubs, the…

RT (2020-08-06). October surprise? Trump says Covid-19 vaccine possible before Election Day. rt.com US President Donald Trump has stepped up the already-improbable timetable on a potential coronavirus vaccine, hinting one might be ready "much sooner" than the end of the year – even before Election Day in November. | Asked by radio host Geraldo Rivera when the much-hyped Covid-19 jab will be available to Americans, Trump promised "Sooner than the end of the year, could be much sooner" on Thursday's show. | Also on rt.com | | When R…

The Canary (2020-08-06). Thousands of NHS workers to protest this weekend over pay. thecanary.co Thousands of NHS workers are expected to take to the streets this weekend demanding a pay rise.Unite, which has 100,000 members in the health service, said it is supporting those wishing to attend the socially-distanced protests so that the government can see the depth of discontent and frustration among NHS staff.A demonstration is organised in London on Saturday morning, while protests will also take place in other towns and cities across the UK.NHS workers march from St Thomas' Hospital to Downing Street to demand a pay rise on 29 July (Yui Mok/PA)Health workers are in the final year of a three-year deal and a…

WSWS (2020-08-06). Altered CDC guidelines provide unscientific basis for reopening schools. wsws.org The CDC guidelines were adjusted in mid-July to suit the demands of the Trump administration that schools reopen, as part the broader campaign to reopen the economy.

teleSUR (2020-08-06). Bangladesh: Monsoon Season Widens Fear of New Disease Outbreaks. telesurenglish.net Bangladesh's Emergency Health Operations Control Room Spokesman Ayesha Akther said that at least 145 people have died and over five million have been affected in flood-related incidents since June 30. | RELATED: | The current situation increases the risk of causing outbreaks of deadly diseases and threaten to worsen the COVID-19 pandemic | "These are the longest floods we have seen in years, but the water has already re…

news.un (2020-08-06). Global cooperation is our only choice against COVID-19, says WHO chief. news.un.org With more than 18.5 million cases of COVID-19 reported worldwide as of Thursday, and 700,000 deaths, the UN's top health official again appealed to countries to unite in the fight against the disease…

Paul Buhle (2020-08-06). What We Can Learn from Cuban Health Care. progressive.org Though it has had its fair share of failures, the country's approach to world health proves to be successful, especially as a response to COVID-19.

Priyanka Singh — Sujeet Singh (2020-08-06). Time to Empower the Invisibles: India Awaits a Mental Health Revolution. counterpunch.org Mental health is an inherent and the most paramount aspect of our well being, without it a qualitative life is barren to imagine. These 'Covidnary Times' are extremely turbulent, where 'Normality' will be more sidelined with 'Abnormality.' The side-effects of Covid-19 will keep hunting our World for ages to come. Surging mass layoffs, transcendental change

Azhar Azam (2020-08-06). Huawei and 5G Technology. US-China Confrontation. globalresearch.ca This informative article focusses on the China-US confrontation regarding 5G. it does not address the impacts of 5G on health. | *** | First-generation mobile technology

teleSUR (2020-08-06). DR Congo: Ebola Cases Raise to 74. telesurenglish.net The World Health Organization (WHO) Thursday announced that 74 Ebola virus cases have been recorded in the latest outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). | RELATED: | On June 25, DRC authorities announced the end of the tenth Ebola outbreak, which had been hitting the North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri provinces since August 2018. | In those territories, the WHO registered 3,463…

Pavan Kulkarni (2020-08-06). Seafarers face a tough challenge amid COVID-19. peoplesdispatch.org The worsening morale and mental health of hundreds of thousands of seafarers stranded aboard ships across the globe due to COVID-19- related lockdowns has been described as a "ticking time bomb." This might lead to dangerous consequences if not immediately addressed. | As per a

teleSUR (2020-08-06). Beirut Blast: Authorities Confirm 137 Dead, Over 5,000 Injured. telesurenglish.net Lebanon's Health Minister Hamad Hasan confirmed that the explosion in downtown Beirut on Tuesday has caused 137 deaths and over 5,000 injuries so far. | RELATED: | His government, which is coordinating with Arab and European countries to ensure medical aid, continues to search for survivors among the rubble. | On Tuesday, in a warehouse in the port of Beirut, 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate generated an explosion…

teleSUR (2020-08-06). Black Healthcare Workers More Vulnerable to COVID, Study Says. telesurenglish.net U.S. and U.K. black healthcare workers are more vulnerable to COVID-19 and more likely to die due to the virus than their non-black colleagues and patients, according to a Harvard Medical School study. | RELATED: | "If you think to yourself, 'Healthcare workers should be on equal footing in the workplace,' our study really showed that's definitely not the case," Harvard professor and study author Dr. Andrew Chan said. | Th…

Katherine Eban (2020-08-06). Public Health vs. Politics. zcomm.org White House Scrapped Nationwide COVID-19 Testing Plan to Hurt Blue States…

Ashley Curtin (2020-08-06). New legislation to ban toxic pesticides helps protect children's health. nationofchange.org "The federal pesticide policy is in urgent need of reform."

teleSUR (2020-08-06). Bolivia: Senate Legalizes Chlorine Dioxide as COVID Treatment. telesurenglish.net Bolivia's Senate has passed a bill that includes chlorine dioxide in the COVID-19 treatment protocol on Wednesday, despite World Health Organization warnings. | RELATED: | The bill allows public and privately owned labs to produce a chlorine dioxide solution, under pharmaceutical quality regulations. | Besides, physicians can administrate the drug with the consent of the patients or sufferer's relatives. According to the no…

The Canary (2020-08-06). 50 million face masks bought by government in £252m deal cannot be used by NHS. thecanary.co Fifty million face masks bought by the government as part of a £252m contract will not be used in the NHS due to safety concerns. | The masks, ordered from Ayanda Capital, have ear loops rather than head loops, and there are concerns over whether they are adequate. | The government has confirmed in court papers that the masks, which are now in the Department of Health and Social Care's (DHSC) logistic chain, will not be used in the NHS. | The Good Law Project and EveryDoctor, which are suing the government over its Ayanda contract, estimate the 50 million masks would have cost more than £150m. | Gover…

Staff (2020-08-06). New Sanders Bill Would Tax "Obscene" Pandemic Windfall of Billionaires. truthout.org Sen. Bernie Sanders plans to introduce legislation Thursday that would heavily tax the "obscene wealth gains" America's billionaires have accumulated during the Covid-19 crisis to help fund the U.S. recovery from the pandemic and resulting economic collapse. | In a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday, Sanders said "if we taxed 60 percent of the windfall gains these billionaires made from March 18th until August 3rd, we could raise over $420 billion." | "That's enough revenue to allow Medicare to pay…

yenisafak (2020-08-06). Ebola cases in DR Congo rise to 74 in latest outbreak. yenisafak.com At least 74 Ebola virus cases have been recorded in the latest outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the World Health Organization announced Thursday.So far there are 74 cases, with 70 confirmed and four probable, 32 deaths and 28 recoveries from the 11th Ebola virus outbreak in Mbandaka, Equateur province, the WHO African Region tweeted.For several months, the DRC has been battling with several diseasing including, Cholera, Ebola, Measles.Last month the WHO office in the Central African country said that a total of 12,959 people have been vaccinated since the start of the 11th Ebola outbreak in ear…

yenisafak (2020-08-06). Plane with 20 tons of supplies lands in Beirut: WHO. yenisafak.com A plane carrying 20 tons of World Health Organization health supplies has landed in Beirut to support the treatment of patients injured by the massive explosion that rocked the city, the WHO said Thursday."The supplies will cover 1,000 trauma interventions and 1,000 surgical interventions for people suffering from injuries and burns resulting from the blast," the WHO said.Beirut and its surrounding suburbs were rocked Tuesday by a massive blast that left at least 135 people dead and nearly 5,000 injured.In health emergency response, WHO's logistics hub in Dubai airlifted the shipment."We are working closely with…

yenisafak (2020-08-06). Coronavirus claims another 174 lives in Iran. yenisafak.com A total of 2,634 people tested positive for COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, raising the tally to 320,117, according to ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari.She said more than 277,000 patients have recovered so far, while 4,156 are still hospitalized in critical condition. "Over 2.6 million tests have been conducted in Iran to date," Lari added.The surge in daily fatalities has increased the fears of a collapse of Iran's already overwhelmed health care system.Since appearing in China last December, the virus has spread to at least 188 countries and regions, according to figures compiled by the US' Johns Hopkins U…

WSWS (2020-08-06). Australia: Victorian hospital admissions soar amid warnings COVID-19 surge will continue for weeks. wsws.org It is clear that the Victorian government only introduced sharper lockdown measures, after the state was already on the precipice of a healthcare catastrophe.

commondreams (2020-08-06). Sen. Sanders' Bill Would Tax Billionaires' Pandemic Wealth Gains to Fund Healthcare. commondreams.org ______________________________…

2020-08-06: News Headlines

RT (2020-08-06). 'You're breaking the law!' LA mayor vows to CUT WATER & POWER to homes that host 'large parties'. rt.com LA Mayor Eric Garcetti has warned that residents hosting large home gatherings can expect their water and power utilities to be cut, a sharp escalation of the city's strict Covid-19 measures amid a series of recent house parties. | Starting on Friday, Garcetti said that the city's Department of Water and Power (DWP) would shut off service to properties where there are "egregious" violations of local health orders, pointing to house parties in the Hollywood Hills and Calabasas in recent weeks, which he said were held in "flagrant" defiance of the law. | "While we have already closed all bars and nightclubs, the…

RT (2020-08-06). 'Virtue signaling her way to reelection': Michigan governor roasted online after declaring racism 'PUBLIC HEALTH crisis'. rt.com Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer was accused of pandering to those engaged in identity politics, after she declared racism a "public health crisis" and said that everyone is plagued by unconscious bias. | The executive order signed by Whitmer on Wednesday mandates implicit bias training for all state employees. The ultimate goal is to build "a more inclusive and unbiased state that works for everyone," the Democrat governor said. | Implicit, unconscious bias exists within each of us, and, as public servants, we have a duty to understand how our bias can impact the lives of others. | Another measure rolled ou…

The Canary (2020-08-06). Thousands of NHS workers to protest this weekend over pay. thecanary.co Thousands of NHS workers are expected to take to the streets this weekend demanding a pay rise.Unite, which has 100,000 members in the health service, said it is supporting those wishing to attend the socially-distanced protests so that the government can see the depth of discontent and frustration among NHS staff.A demonstration is organised in London on Saturday morning, while protests will also take place in other towns and cities across the UK.NHS workers march from St Thomas' Hospital to Downing Street to demand a pay rise on 29 July (Yui Mok/PA)Health workers are in the final year of a three-year deal and a…

Katherine Eban (2020-08-06). Public Health vs. Politics. zcomm.org White House Scrapped Nationwide COVID-19 Testing Plan to Hurt Blue States…

Azhar Azam (2020-08-06). Huawei and 5G Technology. US-China Confrontation. globalresearch.ca This informative article focusses on the China-US confrontation regarding 5G. it does not address the impacts of 5G on health. | *** | First-generation mobile technology

The Canary (2020-08-06). 50 million face masks bought by government in £252m deal cannot be used by NHS. thecanary.co Fifty million face masks bought by the government as part of a £252m contract will not be used in the NHS due to safety concerns. | The masks, ordered from Ayanda Capital, have ear loops rather than head loops, and there are concerns over whether they are adequate. | The government has confirmed in court papers that the masks, which are now in the Department of Health and Social Care's (DHSC) logistic chain, will not be used in the NHS. | The Good Law Project and EveryDoctor, which are suing the government over its Ayanda contract, estimate the 50 million masks would have cost more than £150m. | https…

yenisafak (2020-08-06). Ebola cases in DR Congo rise to 74 in latest outbreak. yenisafak.com At least 74 Ebola virus cases have been recorded in the latest outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the World Health Organization announced Thursday.So far there are 74 cases, with 70 confirmed and four probable, 32 deaths and 28 recoveries from the 11th Ebola virus outbreak in Mbandaka, Equateur province, the WHO African Region tweeted.For several months, the DRC has been battling with several diseasing including, Cholera, Ebola, Measles.Last month the WHO office in the Central African country said that a total of 12,959 people have been vaccinated since the start of the 11th Ebola outbreak in ear…

yenisafak (2020-08-06). Coronavirus claims another 174 lives in Iran. yenisafak.com A total of 2,634 people tested positive for COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, raising the tally to 320,117, according to ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari.She said more than 277,000 patients have recovered so far, while 4,156 are still hospitalized in critical condition. "Over 2.6 million tests have been conducted in Iran to date," Lari added.The surge in daily fatalities has increased the fears of a collapse of Iran's already overwhelmed health care system.Since appearing in China last December, the virus has spread to at least 188 countries and regions, according to figures compiled by the US' Johns Hopkins U…

yenisafak (2020-08-06). Plane with 20 tons of supplies lands in Beirut: WHO. yenisafak.com A plane carrying 20 tons of World Health Organization health supplies has landed in Beirut to support the treatment of patients injured by the massive explosion that rocked the city, the WHO said Thursday."The supplies will cover 1,000 trauma interventions and 1,000 surgical interventions for people suffering from injuries and burns resulting from the blast," the WHO said.Beirut and its surrounding suburbs were rocked Tuesday by a massive blast that left at least 135 people dead and nearly 5,000 injured.In health emergency response, WHO's logistics hub in Dubai airlifted the shipment."We are working closely with…

D.D. Guttenplan (2020-08-06). Biden, Just Say Yes on Medicare for All! thenation.com Biden, Just Say Yes on Medicare for All!

WSWS (2020-08-05). Amazon violates its own health and safety rules in COVID-19 coverup. wsws.org Amazon continues to withhold the number of reported coronavirus infections from its own workers and the public, placing countless lives in danger.

Staff (2020-08-05). Journalist Rami Khouri: Beirut Explosion Follows Years of Lebanese Gov't Incompetence & Corruption. democracynow.org The explosion in the port of Beirut, which killed at least 100 people and injured about 4,000 others, is the latest blow to Lebanon, which already faces an economic, political and public health crisis amid the coronavirus pandemic. The blast is believed to have been triggered by 2,700 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate inexplicably left unattended in a warehouse for six years. Journalist Rami Khouri says it's further proof of "the cumulative incompetence, corruption, lassitude, amateurism and uncaring attitude by successive Lebanese governments" that have failed the country. "It's the ruling political elit…

Makasi Motema (2020-08-05). Brazil: From pandemic to genocide. workers.org Since the pandemic began, Brazilians have suffered 93,000 deaths and 2.7 million infections — the second highest number of infections in the world after the United States. Far from marshaling his country's resources to battle the disease, Bolsonaro has intentionally sabotaged Brazil's COVID-19 response. Like his U.S. analog, the right-wing . . . |

Vijay Prashad (2020-08-05). How Trump managed to lead the World with the worst response to COVID-19 pandemic. mronline.org Six months ago, on January 30, the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, announced a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). Ten days before this, the Chinese government had said—to great alarm—that the coronavirus could be transmitted from human to human.

Mark Gruenberg (2020-08-05). Threat of strike forces Chicago to cancel school re-opening plan. peoplesworld.org CHICAGO—The Chicago Public Schools have backed down from their plan to reopen school buildings in August despite the coronavirus pandemic. City Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the reversal in a morning press conference on August 5, citing health recommendations and parent and teacher concern as her reasons. City schools will hold remote-only classes for the first …

RT (2020-08-05). Biden backs out of attending Democratic convention on Covid-19 fears, will instead accept presidential nomination VIRTUALLY. rt.com Joe Biden won't be traveling to Milwaukee as planned to accept the Democratic presidential nomination – he and other scheduled speakers at the party's national convention will give their speeches remotely, due to Covid-19 fears. | "From the very beginning of this pandemic, we put the health and safety of the American people first," Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez said Wednesday. | "We followed the science, listened to doctors and public health experts, and we continued making adjustments to our plans in order to protect lives. That's the kind of steady and responsible leadership America deserv…

RT (2020-08-05). Poll asks whether you'd be more willing to take anti-Covid vaccine if recommended by…Oprah, LeBron, or Tom Brady. rt.com A new poll to measure people's trust in a potential Covid-19 vaccine asked respondents whether they would be more likely to take it if select celebrities and sports stars gave it their stamp of approval. | "If each of the following people or groups encouraged Americans to receive the coronavirus vaccine, would you be more or less likely to get vaccinated or would it not have an impact on your decision?" the Politico/Morning Consult

grants.gov (2020-08-05). Elimination of lymphatic filariasis and elimination and control of other neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in an effort to improve the quality and coverage of local programs. grants.gov CDC-RFA-GH21-2104 | Opportunity ID: | 327713 | Opportunity Number: | CDC-RFA-GH21-2104 | Opportunity Title: | Elimination of lymphatic filariasis and elimination and control of other neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in an effort to improve the quality and coverage of local programs. | Opportunity Category: | Discretionary | Opportunity Category Explanation: | Funding Instrument Type: | Cooperative Agreement | Category of Funding Activity: | Health | Category Explanation: | CFDA Number(s): | 93.084 | Eligible Applicants: | Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity abo…

grants.gov (2020-08-05). Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program. grants.gov CDC-RFA-DP21-2102 | Opportunity ID: | 327722 | Opportunity Number: | CDC-RFA-DP21-2102 | Opportunity Title: | Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program | Opportunity Category: | Discretionary | Opportunity Category Explanation: | Funding Instrument Type: | Cooperative Agreement | Category of Funding Activity: | Health | Category Explanation: | CFDA Number(s): | 93.810 | Eligible Applicants: | Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" | Additional Information on Eli…

H. Ealy (2020-08-05). Covid-19: Questionable Policies, Manipulated Rules of Data Collection and Reporting. Is It Safe for Students to Return to School? globalresearch.ca Article by | H. Ealy, M. McEvoy, M. Sava, S. Gupta, D. Chong, D. White, J. Nowicki, P. Anderson | *** | Key Findings For Data Through July 12th | According to the CDC, 101 children age 0 to 14 have died from influenza, …

grants.gov (2020-08-05). Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Trials for Heart, Lung, Blood, and Sleep Diseases in the Inpatient Setting (U01 – Clinical Trials Required). grants.gov RFA-HL-21-001 | Funding Opportunity ID: | 327707 | Opportunity Number: | RFA-HL-21-001 | Opportunity Title: | Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Trials for Heart, Lung, Blood, and Sleep Diseases in the Inpatient Setting (U01 – Clinical Trials Required) | Opportunity Category: | Discretionary | Opportunity Category Explanation: | Funding Instrument Type: | Cooperative Agreement | Category of Funding Activity: | Health | Category Explanation: | CFDA Number(s): | 93.233 | 93.837 | 93.838 | 93.839 | 93.840 | Eligible Applicants: | State governments | County governments | City…

David DeGraw (2020-08-05). National Security Alert: COVID Tests Scientifically Fraudulent, Epidemic of False Positives. globalresearch.ca Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests are used worldwide to "diagnose" Sars-Cov-2 infection. An in-depth investigation reveals clear scientific evidence proving that these tests are not accurate and create a statistically significant percentage of false positives. Positive results more likely …

grants.gov (2020-08-05). Early Stage Investigator HIV/AIDS Research Using Nonhuman Primate (NHP) Models (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed). grants.gov PAR-20-212 | Funding Opportunity ID: | 327727 | Opportunity Number: | PAR-20-212 | Opportunity Title: | Early Stage Investigator HIV/AIDS Research Using Nonhuman Primate (NHP) Models (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | Opportunity Category: | Discretionary | Opportunity Category Explanation: | Funding Instrument Type: | Grant | Category of Funding Activity: | Food and Nutrition | Health | Category Explanation: | CFDA Number(s): | 93.847 | Eligible Applicants: | State governments | County governments | City or township governments | Special district governments | Independent…

Third World Network (2020-08-05). COVID-19: Are We Being Misled Again by Big Pharma? globalresearch.ca In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. | This is not the first time. The WHO, in the recent past, had announced H1N1 — also known as swine flu — in June 2009, a …

grants.gov (2020-08-05). HIV/AIDS Scholars Using Nonhuman Primate (NHP) Models Program (K01 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed). grants.gov PAR-20-231 | Funding Opportunity ID: | 327728 | Opportunity Number: | PAR-20-231 | Opportunity Title: | HIV/AIDS Scholars Using Nonhuman Primate (NHP) Models Program (K01 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | Opportunity Category: | Discretionary | Opportunity Category Explanation: | Funding Instrument Type: | Grant | Category of Funding Activity: | Health | Category Explanation: | CFDA Number(s): | 93.351 | Eligible Applicants: | State governments | County governments | City or township governments | Special district governments | Independent school districts | Public…

grants.gov (2020-08-05). Epidemiologic Cohort Study of Interstitial Cystitis. grants.gov RFA-DP-21-002 | Opportunity ID: | 327721 | Opportunity Number: | RFA-DP-21-002 | Opportunity Title: | Epidemiologic Cohort Study of Interstitial Cystitis | Opportunity Category: | Discretionary | Opportunity Category Explanation: | Funding Instrument Type: | Cooperative Agreement | Category of Funding Activity: | Health | Category Explanation: | CFDA Number(s): | 93.283 | Eligible Applicants: | State governments | County governments | City or township governments | Special district governments | Independent school districts | Public and State controlled institutions of high…

grants.gov (2020-08-05). Study to Explore Early Development (SEED) Follow-up Studies. grants.gov RFA-DD-21-001 | Opportunity ID: | 327720 | Opportunity Number: | RFA-DD-21-001 | Opportunity Title: | Study to Explore Early Development (SEED) Follow-up Studies | Opportunity Category: | Discretionary | Opportunity Category Explanation: | Funding Instrument Type: | Cooperative Agreement | Category of Funding Activity: | Health | Category Explanation: | CFDA Number(s): | 93.073 | Eligible Applicants: | State governments | County governments | City or township governments | Special district governments | Independent school districts | Public and State controlled institutions…

grants.gov (2020-08-05). Behavioral Tasks Targeting Brain Systems Relevant to Anhedonia (R01 Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required). grants.gov PAR-20-235 | Funding Opportunity ID: | 327718 | Opportunity Number: | PAR-20-235 | Opportunity Title: | Behavioral Tasks Targeting Brain Systems Relevant to Anhedonia (R01 Basic Experimental Studies with Humans | Required) | Opportunity Category: | Discretionary | Opportunity Category Explanation: | Funding Instrument Type: | Grant | Category of Funding Activity: | Health | Category Explanation: | CFDA Number(s): | 93.242 | Eligible Applicants: | State governments | County governments | City or township governments | Special district governments | Independent school distric…

news.un (2020-08-05). South Africa: UN health agency sends experts to help battle against COVID-19. news.un.org new "surge team" of leading UN health experts is on its way to South Africa to ramp up the COVID-19 response there, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.

grants.gov (2020-08-05). NIA Multi-site COVID-19 Related Clinical Trial Implementation Grant on Aging-Related Topics in at-risk Older Adult Populations (R01 Clinical Trial Required). grants.gov PAR-20-234 | Funding Opportunity ID: | 327717 | Opportunity Number: | PAR-20-234 | Opportunity Title: | NIA Multi-site COVID-19 Related Clinical Trial Implementation Grant on Aging-Related Topics in at-risk Older Adult Populations (R01 Clinical Trial Required) | Opportunity Category: | Discretionary | Opportunity Category Explanation: | Funding Instrument Type: | Grant | Category of Funding Activity: | Health | Category Explanation: | CFDA Number(s): | 93.866 | Eligible Applicants: | State governments | County governments | City or township governments | Special district go…

Dean Baker (2020-08-05). An Economic Survival Package, not a Stimulus Package. zcomm.org This is really a question of life and death. Tens of millions of workers have serious health conditions that mean they would be at considerable danger if they became infected…

grants.gov (2020-08-05). Grants for Early Medical/Surgical Specialists' Transition to Aging Research (GEMSSTAR) (R03 Clinical Trial Optional). grants.gov RFA-AG-21-023 | Funding Opportunity ID: | 327708 | Opportunity Number: | RFA-AG-21-023 | Opportunity Title: | Grants for Early Medical/Surgical Specialists' Transition to Aging Research (GEMSSTAR) (R03 Clinical Trial Optional) | Opportunity Category: | Discretionary | Opportunity Category Explanation: | Funding Instrument Type: | Grant | Category of Funding Activity: | Health | Category Explanation: | CFDA Number(s): | 93.866 | Eligible Applicants: | State governments | County governments | City or township governments | Special district governments | Independent school dis…

grants.gov (2020-08-05). Interventions to Prevent Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) Use Among Adolescents (R01 – Clinical Trial Optional). grants.gov RFA-DA-21-009 | Funding Opportunity ID: | 327741 | Opportunity Number: | RFA-DA-21-009 | Opportunity Title: | Interventions to Prevent Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) Use Among Adolescents (R01 – Clinical Trial Optional) | Opportunity Category: | Discretionary | Opportunity Category Explanation: | Funding Instrument Type: | Grant | Category of Funding Activity: | Education | Health | Category Explanation: | CFDA Number(s): | 93.279 | 93.399 | Eligible Applicants: | State governments | County governments | City or township governments | Special district governmen…

WSWS (2020-08-05). From Medicare-for-All to "Masks-for-All": Bernie Sanders and the incredible shrinking "political revolution" wsws.org Under conditions of the greatest political, economic, social, and health catastrophe in US history, Sanders' proposal amounts to less than a Band-Aid for a bullet wound.

Dr. Steven Hatfill (2020-08-05). Hydroxychloroquine: An Effective COVID Treatment the Media Continues to Tag as "A Dangerous Drug" globalresearch.ca On Friday, July 31, in a column ostensibly dealing with health care "misinformation," Washington Post media critic Margaret Sullivan opened by lambasting "fringe doctors spouting dangerous falsehoods about hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19 wonder cure." | Actually, it was Sullivan who was …

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-05). 2,697 new COVID-19 cases registered in Iran. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 05 (MNA) — The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has infected 2,697 people and claimed 185 lives in Iran in the past 24 hours, a senior health official said.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-05). Survey suggests 10m infected with COVID-19 in Afghanistan. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 05 (MNA) — A survey conducted by Afghanistan's Ministry of Public Health suggests that some 10 million people may have contracted the novel coronavirus disease in the country.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-05). Hezbollah launches blood donation campaign in Lebanon. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 05 (MNA) — Hezbollah Resistance Movement has launched a blood donation campaign in all Lebanese health centers in solidarity with the wounded in the explosion.

imperial.ac.uk (2020-08-05). Project to transform understanding of effects of climate change on mental health. imperial.ac.uk A multidisciplinary team is examining the direct and indirect effects of climate change on mental health.

sputniknews (2020-08-05). Leading US Disease Expert Fauci Says He, Family Face Death Threats Over COVID-19 Advice. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – Anger over COVID-19 advice has forced Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci and his family to dodge death threats with security guards and cope with unwanted harassment, Fauci said on Wednesday.

sputniknews (2020-08-05). Millions of Americans to Suffer Severe Financial Hardship When Unemployment Aid Ends – Survey. sputniknews.com A new analysis has found that 5.4 million Americans are expected to have issues paying their bills by the end of August, following the July 31 expiration of the supplemental $600 unemployment insurance benefits provided by the US' Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

commondreams (2020-08-05). Paying Twice for a Vaccine: Moderna is Taking Taxpayers For a Ride. commondreams.org ______________________________…

grants.gov (2020-08-05). Advancing Ethiopia's Capacity to meet International Health Regulations requirements. grants.gov CDC-RFA-GH20-2112 | Funding Opportunity ID: | 327719 | Opportunity Number: | CDC-RFA-GH20-2112 | Opportunity Title: | Advancing Ethiopia's Capacity to meet International Health Regulations requirements | Opportunity Category: | Discretionary | Opportunity Category Explanation: | Funding Instrument Type: | Cooperative Agreement | Category of Funding Activity: | Health | Category Explanation: | CFDA Number(s): | 93.318 | Eligible Applicants: | Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification) | Additional Information on Eligibility:…

Andrea Mazzarino (2020-08-05). Our Government Is Prioritizing Empire Over Health. thenation.com Our Government Is Prioritizing Empire Over Health…

_____ (2020-08-04). Assange Wins Award, Appears In Court Facing New Charges. popularresistance.org WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's case management hearing yesterday continued the travesty of legal due process to which he has been subjected for more than a decade. | The journalist and publisher is fighting extradition to the United States, where he faces politically motivated frame-up charges of espionage with a combined potential sentence of 175 years. He has not attended hearings via videolink for the last three months on the advice of doctors, due to his fragile state of health and the threat of exposure to coronavirus. | At the previous hearing on June 29, District Judge Vanessa Baraitser had scolded Ass…

Staff (2020-08-04). Public Health vs. Politics: White House Scrapped Nationwide COVID-19 Testing Plan to Hurt Blue States. democracynow.org As the U.S. coronavirus death toll passes 155,000, there is still no national testing program, with widespread shortages and delays hampering efforts to contain the pandemic. This continues months after President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner launched a White House task force with the goal of establishing a national testing plan. We speak to investigative reporter Katherine Eban, whose explosive Vanity Fair report chronicles Kushner's fumbling efforts and the sudden decision to abandon the project on political grounds. "The participants expected that at any moment in early April, the plan would be announced,"

Staff (2020-08-04). Headlines for August 4, 2020. democracynow.org Concerns Mount over Politicization of COVID-19 Vaccine, as Trump Lashes Out at "Pathetic" Dr. Birx, WHO Warns There May Never Be a Coronavirus "Silver Bullet", Trump Threatens to Sue Nevada After It Expands Voter Access, Leaked Video Shows George Floyd Pleaded for His Life, Cooperated with Police, Before He Was Killed, Video Shows LAPD Shot Peaceful Protester in the Head as He Held His Arms in the Air, Prosecutor Clears Arkansas Officers Who Pushed Black Man into the Ground for 6.5 Minutes Before He Died, Census Bureau Cuts Short Collection Efforts by One Month, Mexican Man Dies After Falling from Border Wall, Me…

teleSUR (2020-08-04). US: Navajo Nation Prolongs Emergency State Due To COVID Spikes. telesurenglish.net U.S. Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez Monday urged his community to maintain precautionary measures against COVID-19 as health experts register over 462 Indigenous deaths due to the virus. | RELATED: | "Our health care experts urge everyone to continue to stay home and isolate as much as possible, wear masks in public, avoid large crowds, wash hands and practice social distancing," Nez briefed in a communiqu…

Caitlin Johnstone (2020-08-04). Shape Yourself Into The Perfect Weapon Against The Empire. thealtworld.com Do you want to win this thing? Actually win it? | By that I mean, do you actually want to create a healthy world instead of a world where we are ruled by lying, murderous, warmongering, oppressive, ecocidal, omnicidal sociopaths? Is that something you truly, deeply want? | It's okay if you don't, but be real with yourself about it. | A large percentage of the people who get involved in revolutionary political movements and criticism of establishment power structures, if they were honest with themselves, would admit that they do so not out of a sincere desire to replace the sociopathic ruling empire with something…

Staff (2020-08-04). As Prison COVID-19 Cases Rise, A Mental Health Crisis Intensifies. therealnews.com Family visits, job programs, and recreational activities have all been put on hold because of the virus.