Monthly Archives: August 2020

2020-08-25: News Headlines

Helen Yaffe (2020-08-25). With COVID-19 Under Control, Cuba Launches New Economic Battle. counterpunch.org The exemplary domestic and international response of socialist Cuba to the global SARS-CoV2 pandemic has been recognised worldwide. By late July, authorities had the virus under control; 87 people had died, none of them children or healthcare workers, and Cuba was entering phase three of post-Covid-19 recovery. While Cuba's public health response protected the population,

RT (2020-08-25). Fauci argues against potential emergency approval for Covid-19 vaccine, says it'll put other vaccines at disadvantage. rt.com Anthony Fauci, a top federal health expert, has warned that rolling out a coronavirus vaccine under an emergency approval could make testing for other immunizations "impossible," arguing it might rob the trials of participants. | Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told Reuters in an interview on Monday that a vaccine should not be given an emergency use authorization (EUA) "before you have a signal of efficacy," saying it could jeopardize the other various vaccines under testing. | "One of the potential dangers if you prematurely let a vaccine out is that it would…

RT (2020-08-25). Washington Post does about-face on Covid-19 plasma treatment the moment Trump comes out in favor. rt.com Media coverage of a promising Covid-19 treatment has flipped from supportive to negative, a US health official has revealed, suggesting the president's praise of the treatment might relate to it falling out of favor. | The Washington Post's outlook on using blood plasma from recovered Covid-19 patients to treat the sick has flipped from optimistic to skeptical following a Sunday announcement from US President Donald Trump that the treatment has received emergency approval by the Food and Drug Administration. The switch in coverage was noted by the spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services on Mo…

The Canary (2020-08-25). Johnson dismisses rumours he will quit due to ill health as absolute nonsense. thecanary.co Boris Johnson has dismissed as "absolute nonsense" a suggestion that he will quit early next year.Speculation about the prime minister's future was fuelled after the father-in-law of his senior aide Dominic Cummings reportedly said Johnson was struggling with his health and would leave Number 10 in six months' time.But during a visit to Devon, Johnson, who spent time in intensive care with coronavirus in April, said he was feeling "far better", partly due to losing weight.Prime minister Boris Johnson during his visit to Appledore Shipyard in Devon (Ben Birchall/PA)Johnson was forced to address questions about his…

Kuehn BM. (2020-08-25). Lung Diseases Affecting US Workers Cost Billions Annually. jamanetwork.com Annual expenditures for US workers totaled $7 billion for asthma care and $5 billion for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) care between 2011 and 2015, according to CDC researchers.

Wiersinga W, Prescott HC. (2020-08-25). Patient Information: COVID-19. jamanetwork.com This JAMA Patient Page provides an overview of COVID-19 transmission, symptoms, diagnosis, disease course, and treatment.

Wiersinga W, Rhodes A, Cheng AC, et al. (2020-08-25). Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)—Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment. jamanetwork.com This narrative review discusses what is currently known about the pathophysiology, epidemiology, diagnosis, management, prognosis, and prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Palmqvist S, Janelidze S, Quiroz YT, et al. (2020-08-25). Accuracy of Plasma P-tau217 for Distinguishing Alzheimer Disease From Other Neurodegenerative Disorders. jamanetwork.com This cross-sectional study compares the accuracy of plasma tau phosphorylated at threonine 217 (P-tau217) levels vs other plasma-, MRI-, CSF-, and PET-based markers for distinguishing Alzheimer from other neurodegenerative diseases in 3 cohorts in Arizona, Sweden, and Columbia with or at risk for dementia.

Pereira NL, Farkouh ME, So D, et al. (2020-08-25). Effect of Genotype-Guided Oral P2Y12 Inhibitor Selection vs Clopidogrel on Ischemic Outcomes After PCI. jamanetwork.com This open-label randomized trial compares the effect of a genotype-guided oral P2Y12 inhibitor selection strategy vs conventional clopidogrel prescribing on 12-month ischemic outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in CYP2C19*2/CYP2C19*3 loss-of-function allele carriers with acute coronary syndromes and stable cardiovascular disease.

Donohue JM, Hernandez I, Hershey T. (2020-08-25). Drug Shortages and Group Purchasing Organizations—Reply. jamanetwork.com In Reply We agree with Ms Calleja that GPOs play an important role in the supply of health care products, including pharmaceuticals. The need for a high-functioning supply chain for health care products has never been more salient than now, during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Mello MM, Greene JA, Sharfstein JM. (2020-08-25). Attacks on Public Health Officials During COVID-19. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint discusses ongoing harassment and threats against US public health officials who propose or take steps to protect communities from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and it proposes possible responses, including a call to elected leaders to implement protection of the officials from illegal harassment, assault, and violence.

jamanetwork (2020-08-25). Experts Discuss COVID-19—Remdesivir, Vaccines, and More. jamanetwork.com This JAMA Live Highlights feature provides comments about the coronavirus 2019 pandemic from experts in clinical medicine, public health, and health policy expressed during livestream interviews with JAMA Network Editor in Chief Howard Bauchner, MD.

Rodgers GP, Collins FS. (2020-08-25). Precision Nutrition—the Answer to "What to Eat to Stay Healthy" jamanetwork.com In this Viewpoint directors of the NIH and NIDDK summarize the agency's 2020-2030 Strategic Plan for NIH Nutrition Research, a roadmap to establish a science of nutrition as a means to prevent and treat illness and to develop actionable, evidence-based dietary recommendations across cultures and settings.

teleSUR (2020-08-25). Chile Can Hold a Safe Electoral Process, UNDP Assures. telesurenglish.net The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Monday assured that Chile can hold safe elections in October if the authorities take the appropriate health protocols. | RELATED: | "It is possible to hold elections without putting in danger more people. However, this is a complex process that requires a lot of planning," UNDP Assistant Resident Representative Marcela Rios said. | She mentioned that health measures should…

news.un (2020-08-25). 'Momentous milestone' as Africa eradicates wild poliovirus. news.un.org The wild poliovirus has been eradicated in Africa, health officials announced on Tuesday, calling it a "momentous milestone" for the continent.

Slomski A. (2020-08-25). Aspirin Fails to Prevent Depression in Older Adults. jamanetwork.com Low-dose aspirin did not reduce the risk of depression in healthy older adults, a trial in JAMA Psychiatry reported. Depression is associated with elevated markers of inflammation, which may occur before symptoms arise, particularly in older people.

Calleja K. (2020-08-25). Drug Shortages and Group Purchasing Organizations. jamanetwork.com To the Editor Health care group purchasing organizations (GPOs) play an important role in helping to deliver a safe and reliable supply of products to health care clinicians. Unfortunately, a recent Viewpoint on drug shortages misrepresented key aspects regarding GPOs.

news.un (2020-08-25). COVID-19 reinfection seems not to be a 'regular event', says UN health agency. news.un.org There is likely only a slim possibility of people being reinfected with COVID-19, the UN health agency said on Tuesday, following reports in Hong Kong that a man had contracted new coronavirus for a second time after an interval of more than four months.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-25). Iran COVID-19 update: 125 deaths, 2,213 cases in 24 hours. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 25 (MNA) — The Iranian Health Ministry has confirmed 2,213 COVID-19 infections and 125 deaths due to the disease in the past 24 hours.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-25). 5th night of Muharram mourning in Zanjan. en.mehrnews.com ZANJAN, Aug. 25 (MNA) — The mourning ceremonies on the fifth night of Muharram in Zanjan Province, west of Iran, were held preserving the anti-coronavirus health and social-distancing protocols.

Jean Twenge (2020-08-25). Video: The Narcissism Epidemic, 1 hour. indybay.org In this BookTV presentation from May 4, 2009, Jean Twenge explains how narcissism thought to be the ladder of success can lead to anti-social behavior and collective paralysis.

Olga Fajardo (2020-08-25). Schools Is In and Education is Back in Tampa Bay. indybay.org Despite all the adversity and all the state ordinances to handle these imposed health protocols, placed to create a safe environment during the Coronavirus pandemic.

yenisafak (2020-08-25). Turkey reports 1,500-plus coronavirus cases in a day. yenisafak.com Turkey on Tuesday confirmed 1,502 new cases of the novel coronavirus, while the number of tests conducted exceeded 6.5 million.On Twitter, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said 887 patients recovered from COVID-19 over the past day, pushing the total count of recoveries to 238,795.Meanwhile, the death toll in the country reached 6,163, as 24 more people lost their lives.Health care professionals run 98,231 more tests to diagnose the disease over the last 24 hours, pushing the tally beyond 6.5 million.Since it originated in China last December, the coronavirus has claimed around 814,500 lives in 188 countries and re…

yenisafak (2020-08-25). Russia parliament orders probe into possible foreign link to alleged Navalny poisoning. yenisafak.com The speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament on Tuesday ordered one of its committees to probe whether foreign forces were behind the alleged poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny in a bid to fuel tensions in Russia."The State Duma security committee will be instructed to analyse what happened in order to understand whether this was an attempt on the part of foreign states to harm the health of a Russian citizen to fuel tensions inside Russia, as well as to formulate fresh accusations against our country," speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said in a statement.The Kremlin said earlier on Tuesday it saw no need…

yenisafak (2020-08-25). Virus claims 77 more lives in Iraq, 31 in Saudi Arabia. yenisafak.com Health authorities in Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait confirmed more fatalities and infections related to the novel coronavirus on Tuesday.The Iraqi Health Ministry said 77 people died from COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, pushing the nationwide death toll to 6,596.The virus has also sickened 3,962 more people, bringing the total cases to 211,947, including 153,761 recoveries.In Saudi Arabia, the Health Ministry recorded 31 more deaths and 1,114 new cases over the past day.The kingdom's count now stands at 3,722 deaths and 309,768 infections as well as 283,932 recoveries.Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti Health Ministry regis…

Lisa Newcomb, staff writer (2020-08-24). Progressives Call on Democrats to 'Do the Opposite' as Rahm Emanuel Advises Biden to Shun Medicare for All and Green New Deal. commondreams.org The two policies are popular with the American public, but the Democratic Party refused to embrace them in its 2020 platform. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Liberation Staff (2020-08-24). Boston Teachers Union car rally demands a safe reopening. liberationnews.org "Until we address the public health emergency we are still in, we aren't going to be able to safely reopen schools."

Peoples Dispatch (2020-08-24). Cuba's vaccine candidate "Sovereign" is all set to enter clinical trials. mronline.org Cuba's vaccine candidate is the first from the Latin America and the Caribbean region and marks a continuation of its pioneering work in combating COVID-19 across the world.

Eds. (2020-08-24). What media moguls don't want you to know: Youtube and Google attack Cuba and Venezuela. mronline.org On Aug. 20, just ahead of programming about the start of clinical trials for Cuba's COVID-19 vaccine, Soberana-01, YouTube management disabled Mesa Redonda's channel. Mesa Redonda (Roundtable) airs Monday through Friday evenings on Cuban national television.

RT (2020-08-24). 'You only know how to do evil': Brazil's Bolsonaro calls journalists 'wimps,' says they are less likely to endure Covid-19. rt.com Crediting his athleticism for his recovery from coronavirus, Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has argued that reporters that have been grilling him on the pandemic response have fewer chances to beat the disease. | Bolsonaro, who tested positive for the virus last month and received his first negative result after over two weeks battling the disease, has been heavily criticized for his skepticism about Covid-19. | Media has taken him to task for his vocal opposition to lockdowns and going out in public without a mask. Brazil's media association even threatened to sue Bolsonaro after he removed the mask at a p…

The Canary (2020-08-24). How does the Covid-19 vaccine work? thecanary.co President Donald Trump's administration is considering fast-tracking an experimental coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine from the UK for use in America ahead of the presidential election, it has been reported.Human trials of the coronavirus vaccine candidate being developed at the University of Oxford suggest it is safe and induces an immune response to Covid-19.Early results indicate the jab could provide double protection — generating an immune response which stimulates the body to produce both an antibody and T-cell response. | But what is the US president considering, what does the vaccine do and how does it…

Zero Hedge (2020-08-24). Virginia Plans Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccinations for All Residents. globalresearch.ca As Friday's hospitalization numbers across the Sun Belt appear to confirm CDC head Dr. Robert Redfield's assertion that the American COVID-19 outbreak has peaked and is starting to fade, the State of Virginia is setting a new precedent by …

Robin McCall (2020-08-24). Lawsuit Claims Merck's Gardasil Papilloma Virus Vaccine Caused Severe Injuries to Teen. globalresearch.ca It is vitally important to acknowledge that the same so-called "experts" in the medical/academic/scientific community, many of whom have serious undisclosed financial conflicts of interest at the NIH, the CDC, the NIAID, the FDA, the WHO, Medical Schools, teaching hospitals …

news.un (2020-08-24). First Person: fighting anti-vaccination rumours in Pakistan. news.un.org Polio, a deadly, debilitating, yet easily curable disease, is eradicated in most countries, but is still endemic in Pakistan, partly due to a reluctance to vaccinate amongst some parts of the population. Dennis Chimenya, a health worker with the UN Children's Fund, UNICEF, is part of a team trying to counter misconceptions, and save lives.

teleSUR (2020-08-24). Panama: Nurses on Strike To Demand Wages and Biosecurity. telesurenglish.net The National Association of Nurses of Panama (ANEP) Monday will hold a protest to denounce exhausting work hours, lack of personal protective equipment, and failure to pay salaries to professionals hired during the COVID-19 pandemic. | RELATED: | The ANAP president Ana Reyes called on citizens to support the peaceful demonstrations that will take place in different health institutions. | "Although we had meetings with the a…

teleSUR (2020-08-24). Cuba: COVID-19 Vaccine's Clinical Trials Are Underway. telesurenglish.net In Cuba, the Finlay Vaccine Institute (IFV) announced that the country has started the first phase of human trials of the COVID-19 vaccine called "Soberana 01." | RELATED: | During the first stage of this phase, scientists will adjust technical details before begin recruiting 676 individuals who will be part of the trial. | Authorities stressed that those selected will be completely healthy people between the ages of 19 and…

news.un (2020-08-24). One step at a time: UN women's health agency helping shift dangerous social norms. news.un.org One of the largest chiefdoms in Zambia's Eastern Province is challenging harmful social norms, including child marriage, risky initiation and impunity for perpetrators of sexual abuse, according to the UN women's health agency, UNFPA.

news.un (2020-08-24). WHO presses for greater investment in global COVID-19 vaccine facility. news.un.org Investing in a mechanism that will guarantee all countries have fair and timely access to a COVID-19 vaccine is the only way out of the global pandemic, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.

teleSUR (2020-08-24). Inequality Increases Mortality From COVID-19 in Mexico. telesurenglish.net Mexico's Undersecretary for Health Prevention and Promotion Hugo Lopez-Gatell said that high mortality from COVID-19 is explained by such factors as social inequality, poor nutrition, limited health capacity, and corruption. | RELATED: | "The mortality rate of a country depends a lot on its social reality, and our society's structural inequality has grown exponentially over the past 40 years," Lopez-Gatell sai…

Mondialisation (2020-08-24). Video: The Face Mask Imposed by France's Police State. Breathing is a Fundamental Human Right. globalresearch.ca Numerous scientific studies reveal that the face mask is detrimental to a person's health. | According to Dr. Russell Blaylock: by wearing a face mask, "the exhaled viruses will not be able to escape and will concentrate in the nasal passages, …

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-24). Muharram mourning in Jami' Mosque of Gorgan under pandemic. en.mehrnews.com GORGAN, Aug. 24 (MNA) — Preserving anti-coronavirus health protocols, people held the mourning ceremonies on the fourth night of Muharram in the Jami' Mosque of Gorgan, the capital of Golestan Province, northeast of Iran.

_____ (2020-08-24). Disastrous US School Openings Lead To 2,500 Infections Across 44 States. popularresistance.org Within weeks, the reopening of schools across the United States has already become a complete catastrophe. Outside of the mobilization of educators, parents and the broader working class to halt this homicidal policy, there will be rapid acceleration of the spread of the deadly COVID-19 disease throughout every region of the country. | Because no government agency at the local, state or federal level is systematically tracking work-related COVID-19 cases and deaths, Kansas teacher Alisha Morris took it upon herself to begin compiling this data in a spreadsheet. The list, which is now curated by roughly 35 people,…

_____ (2020-08-24). People Who Are in Denial About Coronavirus. strategic-culture.org There are basically two different policy-approaches to the coronavirus problem: One is the passive approach, waiting for 'herd immunity' to develop naturally. And the other is the active approach, in which the Government does take action — not just wait while the most-vulnerable individuals die off from the disease. The "herd immunity" approach is libertarian; it assumes that "let nature take its course" is always best; it is "laissez faire." The "take action" approach is the exact opposite — very restrictive (including strong disincentives — "punishment" — for individuals' misbehaviors th…

The Canary (2020-08-24). Deputy chief medical officer calls for 'fair distribution' of a Covid-19 vaccine. thecanary.co England's deputy chief medical officer has advocated for "fair distribution" of any Covid-19 vaccine after it was According to reports, the White House is considering granting emergency authorisation for a vaccine being developed by Oxford University and pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca. | Meanwhile Trump also announced the emergency authorisation of convalescent plasma for Covid-19 patients…

Staff (2020-08-24). Black Workers Face Higher Joblessness, But Are Less Likely to Get Unemployment. truthout.org Record numbers of Americans are receiving unemployment insurance during the pandemic. That's because of the enormous scale of jobs lost — but also because Congress greatly expanded the number of workers eligible for benefits. For the first time, thanks to the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, part-timers, independent contractors and gig workers qualify for unemployment payments. Black workers are overrepresented in these nontraditional positions, which in the past has contribut…

Staff (2020-08-24). Pelosi Warns Trump Against "Cutting Corners" on New Unproven Vaccine From UK. truthout.org A new report suggests President Donald Trump may push for an unproven vaccine for coronavirus from the United Kingdom to be made available in the United States just one month before voters are set to decide if he deserves another term in office. |

teleSUR (2020-08-24). Paraguay: Vice Minister of Health Resigns Due To Scandal. telesurenglish.net Paraguay's Health Health Vice Minister Carlos Portillo Sunday resigned after a video posted on social networks evidenced his participation in a party in which all COVID-19 protocols were not observed. | RELATED: | "I have made a mistake and I assume the consequences of my actions… I apologize to the citizens for the wrong message I have conveyed," Portillo said. | The video showed Portill…

yenisafak (2020-08-24). Pandemic claims more lives in Libya, Oman, Qatar. yenisafak.com Local health authorities in Libya, Oman and Qatar on Monday confirmed additional fatalities due to the coronavirus pandemic, while the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported only fresh infections. | In a statement, Libya's National Center for Disease Control said 11 people had died from COVID-19 and 572 others tested positive, while 11 patients had recovered. | The country's tally now rose to 11,009 confirmed cases, including 199 deaths, and 1,096 recoveries. | In Oman, 28 deaths and 740 infections were recorded as well as 526 recoveries over the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said in a statement. | The Gulf sta…

yenisafak (2020-08-24). Italy begins testing potential COVID-19 vaccine on volunteers. yenisafak.com Italy kicked off human trials of a potential COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, joining a global effort to develop a response to the virus which has shown signs of resurging in Europe.Rome's Lazzaro Spallanzani institute, a hospital specializing in infectious diseases will conduct trials on 90 volunteers over the coming weeks, with the hope a vaccine may be available by spring of next year.Francesco Vaia, health director of the Spallanzani hospital, told Reuters the first patient will be monitored for four hours before being allowed to go home where he will be kept under observation for 12 weeks."We will see if it produ…

yenisafak (2020-08-24). France reports highest daily rise in coronavirus cases. yenisafak.com France confirmed on Monday a spike of 4,897 new coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours, the highest single-day figure since the start of the outbreak.The death toll in France currently stands at 30,513 with overall cases at 242,899, according to the Health Ministry.A total of 4,709 people remain in hospital — 383 of those in intensive care.Health Minister Olivier Veran said in a statement that France has achieved the ability to test 700,000 people per week — roughly 1% of the French population."We have just exceeded our objective of 700,000 tests carried out each week, precisely 725,000," Veran told Le Journa…

2020-08-24: News Headlines

Staff (2020-08-24). Steve Bannon, Former Trump Adviser, Allegedly Stole Funds for Private Border Wall Plagued by Erosion. democracynow.org President Trump's former campaign CEO and White House adviser, Steve Bannon, is his sixth close associate to face criminal charges by the Department of Justice. Bannon and three others are accused of defrauding donors to We Build the Wall, a private effort to build a wall along the Mexican border, and redirecting funds to fund their own lavish lifestyles. We follow the money and look at how an investigation last month showed a private wall project the funds were used for is already eroding and could be in danger of falling into the river. We speak with Perla Trevizo and Lexi Churchill, two reporters at the ProPub…

Lisa Newcomb, staff writer (2020-08-24). Progressives Call on Democrats to 'Do the Opposite' as Rahm Emanuel Advises Biden to Shun Medicare for All and Green New Deal. commondreams.org The two policies are popular with the American public, but the Democratic Party refused to embrace them in its 2020 platform. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Liberation Staff (2020-08-24). Boston Teachers Union car rally demands a safe reopening. liberationnews.org "Until we address the public health emergency we are still in, we aren't going to be able to safely reopen schools."

Aaron Arabian (2020-08-24). Raging wildfires worsen crisis in California. liberationnews.org Image from Wikimedia.org As of Aug. 24, 650 wildfires are raging across California, with over a million acres having burned in just the last month. Millions have been forced to breathe polluted air, combining with the threat posed by COVID-19 of respiratory damage and other negative health effects. Around 250,000 people have either been evacuated …

Eds. (2020-08-24). What media moguls don't want you to know: Youtube and Google attack Cuba and Venezuela. mronline.org On Aug. 20, just ahead of programming about the start of clinical trials for Cuba's COVID-19 vaccine, Soberana-01, YouTube management disabled Mesa Redonda's channel. Mesa Redonda (Roundtable) airs Monday through Friday evenings on Cuban national television.

Peoples Dispatch (2020-08-24). Cuba's vaccine candidate "Sovereign" is all set to enter clinical trials. mronline.org Cuba's vaccine candidate is the first from the Latin America and the Caribbean region and marks a continuation of its pioneering work in combating COVID-19 across the world.

The Canary (2020-08-24). How does the Covid-19 vaccine work? thecanary.co President Donald Trump's administration is considering fast-tracking an experimental coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine from the UK for use in America ahead of the presidential election, it has been reported.Human trials of the coronavirus vaccine candidate being developed at the University of Oxford suggest it is safe and induces an immune response to Covid-19.Early results indicate the jab could provide double protection — generating an immune response which stimulates the body to produce both an antibody and T-cell response. | But what is the US president considering, what does the vaccine do and how does it…

Zero Hedge (2020-08-24). Virginia Plans Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccinations for All Residents. globalresearch.ca As Friday's hospitalization numbers across the Sun Belt appear to confirm CDC head Dr. Robert Redfield's assertion that the American COVID-19 outbreak has peaked and is starting to fade, the State of Virginia is setting a new precedent by …

Robin McCall (2020-08-24). Lawsuit Claims Merck's Gardasil Papilloma Virus Vaccine Caused Severe Injuries to Teen. globalresearch.ca It is vitally important to acknowledge that the same so-called "experts" in the medical/academic/scientific community, many of whom have serious undisclosed financial conflicts of interest at the NIH, the CDC, the NIAID, the FDA, the WHO, Medical Schools, teaching hospitals …

news.un (2020-08-24). First Person: fighting anti-vaccination rumours in Pakistan. news.un.org Polio, a deadly, debilitating, yet easily curable disease, is eradicated in most countries, but is still endemic in Pakistan, partly due to a reluctance to vaccinate amongst some parts of the population. Dennis Chimenya, a health worker with the UN Children's Fund, UNICEF, is part of a team trying to counter misconceptions, and save lives.

news.un (2020-08-24). One step at a time: UN women's health agency helping shift dangerous social norms. news.un.org One of the largest chiefdoms in Zambia's Eastern Province is challenging harmful social norms, including child marriage, risky initiation and impunity for perpetrators of sexual abuse, according to the UN women's health agency, UNFPA.

Mondialisation (2020-08-24). Video: The Face Mask Imposed by France's Police State. Breathing is a Fundamental Human Right. globalresearch.ca Numerous scientific studies reveal that the face mask is detrimental to a person's health. | According to Dr. Russell Blaylock: by wearing a face mask, "the exhaled viruses will not be able to escape and will concentrate in the nasal passages, …

news.un (2020-08-24). WHO presses for greater investment in global COVID-19 vaccine facility. news.un.org Investing in a mechanism that will guarantee all countries have fair and timely access to a COVID-19 vaccine is the only way out of the global pandemic, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-24). Muharram mourning in Jami' Mosque of Gorgan under pandemic. en.mehrnews.com GORGAN, Aug. 24 (MNA) — Preserving anti-coronavirus health protocols, people held the mourning ceremonies on the fourth night of Muharram in the Jami' Mosque of Gorgan, the capital of Golestan Province, northeast of Iran.

Jean Twenge (2020-08-24). Video: The Narcissism Epidemic, 1 hour. indybay.org In this BookTV presentation from May 4, 2009, Jean Twenge explains how narcissism thought to be the ladder of success can lead to anti-social behavior and collective paralysis.

_____ (2020-08-24). People Who Are in Denial About Coronavirus. strategic-culture.org There are basically two different policy-approaches to the coronavirus problem: One is the passive approach, waiting for 'herd immunity' to develop naturally. And the other is the active approach, in which the Government does take action — not just wait while the most-vulnerable individuals die off from the disease. The "herd immunity" approach is libertarian; it assumes that "let nature take its course" is always best; it is "laissez faire." The "take action" approach is the exact opposite — very restrictive (including strong disincentives — "punishment" — for individuals' misbehaviors th…

The Canary (2020-08-24). Deputy chief medical officer calls for 'fair distribution' of a Covid-19 vaccine. thecanary.co England's deputy chief medical officer has advocated for "fair distribution" of any Covid-19 vaccine after it was According to reports, the White House is considering granting emergency authorisation for a vaccine being developed by Oxford University and pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca. | Meanwhile Trump also announced the emergency authorisation of convalescent plasma for Covid-19 patients…

Staff (2020-08-24). Black Workers Face Higher Joblessness, But Are Less Likely to Get Unemployment. truthout.org Record numbers of Americans are receiving unemployment insurance during the pandemic. That's because of the enormous scale of jobs lost — but also because Congress greatly expanded the number of workers eligible for benefits. For the first time, thanks to the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, part-timers, independent contractors and gig workers qualify for unemployment payments. Black workers are overrepresented in these nontraditional positions, which in the past has contribut…

Staff (2020-08-24). Pelosi Warns Trump Against "Cutting Corners" on New Unproven Vaccine From UK. truthout.org A new report suggests President Donald Trump may push for an unproven vaccine for coronavirus from the United Kingdom to be made available in the United States just one month before voters are set to decide if he deserves another term in office. |

yenisafak (2020-08-24). Pandemic claims more lives in Libya, Oman, Qatar. yenisafak.com Local health authorities in Libya, Oman and Qatar on Monday confirmed additional fatalities due to the coronavirus pandemic, while the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported only fresh infections. | In a statement, Libya's National Center for Disease Control said 11 people had died from COVID-19 and 572 others tested positive, while 11 patients had recovered. | The country's tally now rose to 11,009 confirmed cases, including 199 deaths, and 1,096 recoveries. | In Oman, 28 deaths and 740 infections were recorded as well as 526 recoveries over the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry said in a statement. | The Gulf sta…

yenisafak (2020-08-24). Italy begins testing potential COVID-19 vaccine on volunteers. yenisafak.com Italy kicked off human trials of a potential COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, joining a global effort to develop a response to the virus which has shown signs of resurging in Europe.Rome's Lazzaro Spallanzani institute, a hospital specializing in infectious diseases will conduct trials on 90 volunteers over the coming weeks, with the hope a vaccine may be available by spring of next year.Francesco Vaia, health director of the Spallanzani hospital, told Reuters the first patient will be monitored for four hours before being allowed to go home where he will be kept under observation for 12 weeks."We will see if it produ…

yenisafak (2020-08-24). WHO urges countries to join forces in vaccine plan. yenisafak.com The World Health Organization on Monday urged countries to join its plan to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines so they can work together in a coordinated manner.Bruce Aylward, senior adviser to the WHO director-general, told a news briefing that "the critical thing is to ensure that some vaccine gets to all countries as early as possible".

yenisafak (2020-08-24). What you need to know about the coronavirus right now. yenisafak.com Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now: Plasma treatment authorisedU.S. President Donald Trump hailed the Food & Drug Administration's authorisation of a coronavirus treatment that uses blood plasma from recovered patients, a day after accusing the agency of impeding the roll-out of vaccines and therapeutics for political reasons.The FDA, explaining its decision, cited early evidence suggesting blood plasma can decrease mortality and improve the health of patients when administered in the first three days of their hospitalization.Equity markets gained for a second straight session on Monday a…

yenisafak (2020-08-24). France reports highest daily rise in coronavirus cases. yenisafak.com France confirmed on Monday a spike of 4,897 new coronavirus cases over the last 24 hours, the highest single-day figure since the start of the outbreak.The death toll in France currently stands at 30,513 with overall cases at 242,899, according to the Health Ministry.A total of 4,709 people remain in hospital — 383 of those in intensive care.Health Minister Olivier Veran said in a statement that France has achieved the ability to test 700,000 people per week — roughly 1% of the French population."We have just exceeded our objective of 700,000 tests carried out each week, precisely 725,000," Veran told Le Journa…

yenisafak (2020-08-24). Putin, Lukashenko discussed Belarus crisis on phone. yenisafak.com Russian President Vladmir Putin and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko spoke by telephone on Monday and discussed the situation in Belarus, the Belta news agency reported.The Belarusian state-run agency also reported the two leaders had agreed that Belarusians would take part in Phase Three trials of Russia's coronavirus vaccine.Belarus would be the first foreign country to receive deliveries of the vaccine, Belta added.

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-08-24). Public Health Experts Watch 'In Horror' as FDA Approves Narrowly Tested Covid-19 Treatment Amid Pressure From Trump. commondreams.org Public health experts on Monday raised alarm over President Donald Trump's overstating of the efficacy of convalescent plasma and his suggestion that the Food and Drug Administration purposefully held up approval of the potential Covid-19 treatment just before the agency authorized its expanded use. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Paul Craig Roberts (2020-08-24). Where Is #MeToo when All of Us Are About to Be Raped by Forced Vaccination? thealtworld.com The United States and the Western World fared poorly in responding to Covid for two main reasons. One reason is Big Pharma and associated public health organizations such as NIH saw big profits in the virus. The response to the virus was not to protect public health but to create a mass market for a profitable vaccine. | The other reason is that liability and sanctions have stopped most doctors from thinking on their own when the safest course is to follow officially approved treatments. Those few who did think discovered that the combination of HCQ/azithromycin/zinc dramatically reduced the death rate and severi…

news.un (2020-08-23). Protecting people from conflict, cyclones and COVID-19 in Mozambique: a UN Resident Coordinator blog. news.un.org The COVID-19 disease has added to longstanding challenges in Mozambique which have threatened the southern African country's most vulnerable people. In this blog, the UN Resident Coordinator Myrta Kaulard, with IOM Chief of Mission, Laura Tomm-Bonde, and Samuel Chakwera, UNHCR Resident Representative, explain how the United Nations is supporting national efforts to protect the people of Mozambique from multiple threats…

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-23). Iran registers 2,113 COVID-19 cases in 24 hours. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 23 (MNA) — The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has infected 2,113 people and claimed 141 lives in Iran in the past 24 hours, a senior health official said.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-23). Muharram ceremonies in Shiraz. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 24 (MNA) — People in Shiraz hold mourning ceremonies in different parts of the city with health protocols in place.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-23). VIDEO: Muharram ceremonies in Karbala. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 23 (MNA) — Muharram mourning ceremonies are held in the holy shrine of Imam Hussein (PBUH) in accordance with health protocols.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-23). Muharram ceremonies in Shahriar. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 23 (MNA) — People held the mourning ceremonies in the second night of Muharram in Shahriar County with health protocols in place.

sputniknews (2020-08-23). Trump's Chief of Staff Says President Wants FDA to 'Feel the Heat' to Quicken Vaccine Development. sputniknews.com The US Food and Drug Administration, the government body responsible for the control and regulation of pharmaceutical drugs and medicine, is currently undergoing clinical trials for a potential vaccine for the coronavirus.

yenisafak (2020-08-23). Russia plans COVID-19 vaccine output at 6 mln doses a month. yenisafak.com Russia expects to produce between 1.5 million and 2 million doses per month of its potential COVID-19 vaccine by the year end, gradually ramping up production to 6 million doses a month, the RIA news agency cited industry minister Denis Manturov as saying on Sunday.Large-scale testing of the vaccine, developed by Moscow's Gamaleya institute, is due to start in Russia next week.

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-08-22). Global Capitalism, "World Government" and the Corona Crisis. globalresearch.ca The COVID-19 crisis is marked by a public health "emergency" under WHO auspices which is being used as a pretext and a justification to triggering a Worldwide process of economic, social and political restructuring.

Prof Michel Chossudovsky (2020-08-22). Does the Face Mask Protect You From Covid? Ask Dr. Anthony Fauci. When He Spoke against the Mask, It Was Categorized as "Fake News" globalresearch.ca Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) described as one of the world's leading experts on infectious diseases was until recently categorically against wearing the face mask. | He offered advice and provided specific …

RT (2020-08-22). 'A bit like flu': Coronavirus will stay with us 'FOREVER', British scientist says. rt.com Covid-19 will stay with humankind "forever in some form or another," a leading British scientist has predicted, advocating regular vaccinations of the population against the deadly disease. | The not-exactly-optimistic prognosis was produced by Sir Mark Walport, a member of the UK government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), on Saturday. | Unlike some other diseases, like smallpox "which could be eradicated by vaccination," Covid-19 is unlikely to be completely destroyed, the scientist told BBC Radio 4. At the same time, "global vaccination" is a must merely to contain the ongoing pandemic, h…

RT (2020-08-22). Virginia health chief says he will MANDATE coronavirus vaccine, 'strongly opposes' exemptions. rt.com Virginia's health commissioner said he will make a coronavirus vaccine legally mandatory for all state residents when one is ready, arguing it will save lives, as critics push back, demanding the right to choose for themselves. | Dr Norman Oliver, who heads up the state's department of health, said he would require all Virginians to get the jab so long as he remains health commissioner when a vaccine is available, "[Covid-19] is…

RT (2020-08-22). 'DANGEROUS statement': Pelosi slams Trump for tweet claiming 'DEEP STATE' FDA delaying Covid-19 vaccine. rt.com Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-California) has accused Donald Trump of making a "dangerous statement" by tweeting that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has hindered the US' covid-19 response, including the approval of a vaccine. | In a Saturday "The deep state, or whoever, over at the FDA is making it very difficult for dr…

RT (2020-08-22). Half of Russians don't want to take world's first Covid-19 vaccine — only 42% willing to try Sputnik V. rt.com A majority of Russians don't want to be vaccinated against coronavirus, according to a brand-new survey, which showed only 42 percent of the country wants to be immunized with the homegrown 'Sputnik V' formula, unveiled last week. | On August 11, Russia's president Vladimir Putin announced that the country had registered the world's first Covid-19 vaccine. Developed by Moscow's Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, the vaccine will be available to the general public from January 2021, but is to be offered to teachers and medical workers first. The process of creating the vaccine has bee…

teleSUR (2020-08-22). US: Top Medical Association Prohibits Use of Hydroxychloroquine. telesurenglish.net The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has revised its guidelines for the use of hydroxychloroquine advising hospitals to stop using the drug to treat COVID-19 patients. | RELATED: | On Friday, the IDSA updated its guidelines on COVID-19 patients, recommending not to use hydroxychloroquine in hospitals by itself or along with the antibiotic azithromycin. The IDSA had previously advised for a limited use of hydroxychloroqu…

WSWS (2020-08-22). Coronavirus testing remains at reduced levels in the US. wsws.org To fully map spread of the pandemic, and contain the disease, the US should be doing 6—10 million tests per day. It currently does about 700,000.

news.un (2020-08-22). First Person: Pakistan health worker commits to polio fight, despite COVID fears. news.un.org Despite suffering the after-effects of the COVID-19 virus, Husna Gul, a staff member with the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Pakistan, is committed to ensuring that as many children as possible are vaccinated against the devastating consequences of polio, which can cause muscle-wasting, paralysis and death.

teleSUR (2020-08-22). 'A Vaccine Will Not End the Pandemic on Its Own' WHO Warns. telesurenglish.net World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Friday warned that a COVID-19 vaccine creation does not mean the pandemic will end on its own. | RELATED: | "Although a vaccine will be a vital tool, we know little about the long-term effects it may have," Adhanom said. | Most countries that have reopened their economies are experiencing new outbreaks after a period of little or no transmission. "Thi…

teleSUR, ce (2020-08-22). Venezuela Receives 73 Tons of Supplies & Equipment from Europe. telesurenglish.net Seventy-three tons of donated supplies Saturday arrived in Caracas, Venezuela, from Europe to assist in the fight against COVID-19. | RELATED: | The shipment includes equipment and supplies such as medicine, vaccines, PPE, water purification equipment and family hygiene kits. | The two flights which came from Madrid, were received by Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister for Europe, Yvan Gil, in the company of Jan Harfst, representative…

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-22). Muharram mourning in Semnan. en.mehrnews.com SEMNAN, Aug. 22 (MNA) — Observing health protocols and social distancing due to coronavirus, people of the central Iranian city of Semnan attended the mourning ceremonies for Imam Hussein (PBUH) on the second night of Muharram.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-22). Rouhani thanks 'health defenders' on National Doctors Day. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 22 (MNA) — President Hassan Rouhani congratulated in a message the National Doctors Day to the "heroes who sacrificed their lives to save others".

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-22). Hosseini Infants Ceremony marked in Hazrat Masoumeh Mausoleum. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 22 (MNA) — The Hosseini Infancy Ceremony was held at the holy Mausoleum of Hazrat Masoumeh (PBUH) on Sat. on Qom province by fully observing of health protocols and guidelines due to the spread of pandemic in the country.

Mehr News Agency (2020-08-22). Iran COVID-19 update: 126 deaths, 2,028 cases in 24 hours. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Aug. 22 (MNA) — The Iranian Health Ministry announced 2,028 new cases of infection with the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, putting the total number of cases in the country at 356,792.

Labor Video Project (2020-08-22). Don't Throw Us Under The Bus! SMART 1741 SF School Bus Drivers Fight For Healthcare. indybay.org The San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Vincent Matthews and the SFUSD school board are taking away healthcare benefits from the SMART 1741 school bus drivers and union members protested on 8/20/20…