Monthly Archives: November 2020

2020-11-10: News Headlines

David Gamble (2020-11-10). White Supremacy Sanctions Internal and External Colonialism. dissidentvoice.org Introduction Regularly, the media has reported the dire effects of European dominance on the communities of a disenfranchised minority: the public execution of African-Americans by police, the epidemic of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) in Canada, the shadow of residential schools in North America, the legacy of red-lining, the impact of the …

Staff (2020-11-10). "We Are Committing Mass Suicide": Laurie Garrett on Danger of Overturning ACA During Pandemic. democracynow.org Today, the Supreme Court is hearing arguments in a case seeking to overturn the Affordable Care Act, and millions of Americans could lose their healthcare in the middle of a pandemic. "In a way, we're committing mass suicide," says science journalist Laurie Garrett, who says scrapping the landmark Obama-era healthcare law would leave people "to potentially carry disease forward into the community, into their workplaces, and so on, without any treatment, any help, any assistance. That's just insane."

Ragip Soylu (2020-11-10). Covid-19: Turkey to be prioritised in receiving vaccine, official says. middleeasteye.net Covid-19: Turkey to be prioritised in receiving vaccine, official says | BioNTech founder says vaccine could be given to Turkish citizens in the first three months of 2021 | Tue, 11/10/2020 – 15: 12 | Vials carrying a potential vaccine against coronavirus (Reuters) | Turkey will be among the first countries to receive the experimental vaccine that is proven to be 90 percent effective in preventing Covid-…

MEE staff (2020-11-10). Saeb Erekat, chief Palestinian negotiator, dies after contracting Covid-19. middleeasteye.net Saeb Erekat, chief Palestinian negotiator, dies after contracting Covid-19 | The 65-year-old senior Palestine Liberation Organisation official was being treated for the disease in a Jerusalem hospital | Tue, 11/10/2020 – 09: 12 | Saeb Erekat, Chief Palestinian negotiator, speaking to reporters in 2014 (AFP) | Saeb Erekat, chief Palestinian negotiator and senior Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) official,…

Staff (2020-11-10). As U.S. Faces Out-of-Control Pandemic, Pfizer Raises Hope for Vaccine, But Many Questions Remain. democracynow.org Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has announced that a Phase 3, late-stage study found their potential COVID-19 vaccine showed more than 90% effectiveness. The two-dose vaccine still faces several challenges, including how to store and transport it, since it must be refrigerated at subzero temperatures. Pulitzer Prize-winning science journalist Laurie Garrett says the news is hopeful, but urges caution. "There's been no scientific release. There's no published data," she says. "We don't have anything to go with except what the lawyers at Pfizer massaged carefully into a single-page press release. So, we have to take th…

The Canary (2020-11-10). Matt Hancock suggests vaccine will be rolled out from December, but not for everyone. thecanary.co The military and NHS staff are on standby to roll out a coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine across the UK from the start of December, according to the health secretary.Matt Hancock said there were many hurdles to overcome before the "vast task" of vaccination could begin. These include regulatory approval of the new Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and assessment of its safety data.No escaping second wave: On Monday 9 November, England's deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam told the Downing Street press conference he was "hopeful" there would be "some vaccine by Christmas". But he also urged caution.H…

news.un (2020-11-10). UN agency for Palestine refugees runs out of money as COVID-19 spreads. news.un.org The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNWRA) has run out of cash on hand to keep vital services going amid the worsening health emergency, UNRWA spokesperson Tamara Alrifai told a regular UN press briefing in Geneva on Tuesday.

Health Care Voter (2020-11-10). Tuesday 11/10: #SaveTheACA Rally at Supreme Court w/ Health Care Voter (livestream). indybay.org Livestream recording of protest rally…

Dr. Binoy Kampmark (2020-11-10). Viral Optimism: The Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine. globalresearch.ca The announcement that Pfizer Inc., along with its collaborative partner BioNTech SE, had come up with a successful vaccine candidate to combat the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2

Staff (2020-11-10). Headlines for November 10, 2020. democracynow.org William Barr Says Prosecutors Can Probe Voter Fraud Claims, as GOP Backs Trump Refusal to Concede, GA Republican Senators Call for Sec. of State to Step Down After They Fail to Win Their Races, Joe Biden Pleads for Use of Face Masks as U.S. Cases Top 10 Million, Saeb Erekat, Chief Palestinian Negotiator, Dies After Contracting COVID-19, Trump Fires Defense Secretary Mark Esper, SCOTUS Hearing Arguments in GOP Attack on Obamacare, Which Could Strip Healthcare for Millions, Evo Morales Returns to Bolivia, One Year After Coup That Ousted Him, Peru Removes President Vizcarra in Impeachment Trial, Protests Erupt in Ar…

Barnett ML, Joynt Maddox KE, Orav E, et al. (2020-11-10). Skilled Nursing Facilities and a Bundled Payment Model for Joint Replacement Surgery. jamanetwork.com This study compares mean levels of institutional spending for Medicare beneficiaries after lower extremity joint replacement at skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) participating vs not participating in Medicare's bundled payment program, before vs after implementation of the program.

Kuehn BM. (2020-11-10). COVID-19 Deaths Among US Clinicians. jamanetwork.com More than 100‚ÄØ000 US health care personnel have contracted coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) since February and at least 641 have died, according to a report by health officials from the CDC and several states.

news.un (2020-11-10). Can 'Open Science' speed up the search for a COVID-19 vaccine? 5 things you need to know. news.un.org The UN is calling for authoritative scientific information and research to be made freely available, to accelerate research into an effective vaccine against the COVID-19 virus, help counter misinformation, and "unlock the full potential of science".

Gostin LO. (2020-11-10). The Great Coronavirus Pandemic of 2020—7 Critical Lessons. jamanetwork.com The world is experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, causing untold human suffering and death, unraveling of social relationships, and robbing individuals of livelihoods and countries of prosperity. The coronavirus pandemic has strained health systems, revealed unconscionable inequalities, and upended international institutions. Here are 7 critical lessons.

teleSUR (2020-11-10). Sinovac Rejects Halt of its COVID-19 Vaccine's Trials in Brazil. telesurenglish.net Chinese vaccine developer Sinovac Biotech reaffirmed that its COVID-19 vaccine candidate CoronaVac is safe, following the announcement by Brazil's National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) over the suspension of clinical trials in the country on Tuesday. | RELATED: | "After communicating with our Brazilian partner, the Butantan Institute, we learned that their board believes that this serious adverse event is not r…

Verghese P, Matossian D. (2020-11-10). The US Preventive Task Force Recommendation on Screening for Blood Pressure in Children. jamanetwork.com In this issue of JAMA the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) updates its 2013 report on screening of blood pressure in children and adolescents with a new recommendation statement and updated evidence report and systematic review. After reviewing publications since the earlier report, the USPSTF again concludes that, while there is evidence of tracking of blood pressure between childhood and adulthood and some evidence of a relation to subclinical cardiovascular disease, overall there was insufficient evidence to make a recommndation for or against screening for high blood pressure in children and adolesc…

Claudio Rivera, Stephanie Knezz Shawn Smith (2020-11-10). Students Push to Remove Police. University President Doubles Down Instead. zcomm.org We know policing has negative health implications on young people, especially for Black people who are disproportionately affected…

Jasmine Norden (2020-11-10). The second lockdown will highlight the need for mental health service reform more than anything before it. thecanary.co The UK is now in its second national lockdown in an attempt to curb the still rising coronavirus (Covid-19) case numbers. While sorely needed, this lockdown could worsen the negative psychological effects of the first. | This is particularly evident in terms of mental health. Countless academics and charities have already warned about the mental health crisis facing the UK. The Centre for Mental Health The…

Kuehn BM. (2020-11-10). COVID-19 Poses Pregnancy Risks. jamanetwork.com Preventing and identifying coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in pregnant women is essential, as new data suggest some are at risk of severe illness or pregnancy loss.

Antonucci E, Giovini M, Dell'Anna A. (2020-11-10). Noninvasive Oxygenation Strategies for Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure. jamanetwork.com To the Editor The systematic review and network meta-analysis by Dr Ferreyro and colleagues found that noninvasive oxygenation strategies (ie, helmet or face mask noninvasive ventilation; high-flow nasal oxygenation) were associated with a lower risk of mortality and endotracheal intubation compared with standard low-flow oxygen therapy in adult patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. This study could support wider use of noninvasive ventilation during the current coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, especially if the availability of ventilators is limited. However, some issues should be discussed furthe…

Becker C. (2020-11-10). Relationships Between Academic Medicine Leaders and Industry. jamanetwork.com In this narrative medicine essay, a Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) clinician uses the resignation of BWH's president from Moderna's board of directors after a stock sale reportedly paying her millions to question why leaders of academic medical centers are allowed to develop lucrative relationships with industry that prioritize mutual profits over patient well-being and public health.

Mehr News Agency (2020-11-10). Iran's COVID-19 cases surpass 700,000. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 10 (MNA) — The Iranian Health Ministry has confirmed 10,339 COVID-19 infections in the past 24 hours, bringing the total cases in the country to 703,288.

Staff (2020-11-10). Consumer Advocates Warn Pfizer Data Is Incomplete — Vaccine Is Still Months Away. truthout.org As the United States shatters global records for COVID-19 infections, news on Monday of early trial data suggesting that a potential vaccine for the virus is 90 percent effective provided a brief sense of relief. | However,

Mehr News Agency (2020-11-10). FAO, WHO recommend five steps to ensure food safety. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 10 (MNA) — The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization have provided five steps to ensure food safety.

The Canary (2020-11-09). How do the regions of England compare for Covid-19 case rates? thecanary.co The number of new cases of Covid-19 continues to rise in most local areas of England.The overall trend masks some notable differences between the regions, however.Here is an overview of the latest case rates in each region of England, including the areas with the highest and lowest numbers.In all instances, the figures are for the week ending November 4 and have been calculated by PA using data published by Public Health England.— North-west EnglandThe highest rates of new cases of Covid-19 continue to be in north-west England.Oldham is top of the list, with 779.4 cases per 100,000 people, up from the previo…

RT (2020-11-09). Downing Street warns 'no guarantees' over Covid-19 vaccine by Christmas despite 'promising' results in Pfizer's trial. rt.com Despite 'promising' results in Pfizer's coronavirus trial, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman has warned that there are 'no guarantees' the vaccine will be approved by UK regulators. | Pfizer and their partner BioNTech have announced that their experimental Covid-19 vaccine is more than 90 percent effective in combating the virus. The statement from the pharmaceutical giant provides hope that the first coronavirus vaccine could be rolled out before Christmas. | However, dampening hopes, the UK prime minister's spokesman warned that they did not have a final date for when it would be approved and that, wh…

Seiji Yamada (2020-11-09). On Howard Waitzkin's Rinky-Dink Revolution. counterpunch.org When I was in college, I took a class in medical anthropology. One of our readings was an analysis of the U.S. health care system from a Marxist perspective by a physician sociologist, Howard Waitzkin. As a pre-med, I found this of more relevance than trying to wade through Marx's polemics from, say, the Rheinische

Mark Gruenberg (2020-11-09). SEIU brings personal stories to High Court to defend the ACA. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—If the U.S. Supreme Court's right-wing Republican majority kills the 10-year-old Affordable Care Act, Service Employees Local 503 member Cammie Hering of Portland, Ore., won't be able to afford health insurance. At that, even with "relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis" that could eventually disable her, Hering, a personal support worker who earns $15.50 an hour, might be …

RT (2020-11-09). Iran deprived of 5 million flu vaccine doses this year due to US sanctions — deputy health minister. rt.com Iran's deputy health minister has warned of the public health impact caused by US sanctions, as the government tries to import vital flu jabs to vaccinate vulnerable people ahead of the winter months. | Speaking on Monday, Iraj Harirchi said US sanctions had stopped Iran from procuring vital flu vaccine supplies this year, impacting the country's most vulnerable citizens. | Harirchi said "five million doses of purchased flu vaccine have been blocked at an airport due to the sanctions against Iran and they cannot be cleared and exported to the country." | As a result, Iran has not yet distributed the flu vacci…

RT (2020-11-09). Russia says Sputnik V vaccine equally as effective as US pharma giant Pfizer's newly unveiled Covid-19 formula. rt.com Over 90 per cent of those given the Russian-developed Sputnik V vaccine are thought to have developed immunity to coronavirus, matching estimates for an alternative US-developed formula, the Ministry of Health said on Monday. | Oksana Drapkina, of the ministry's National Medical Research Center for Preventive Medicine, told journalists, "We are monitoring the effectiveness of the Sputnik V vaccine in those who have been vaccinated as part of civilian circulation. According to our observations, [its success rate] is also more than 90 per cent." | The news comes as US drug manufacturer Pfizer released figures o…

Binoy Kampmark (2020-11-09). Fur Trades and Pandemics: Coronavirus and Denmark's Great Mink Massacre. counterpunch.org "The worst case scenario is a new pandemic, starting all over again out of Denmark," came the words of a grave Kà•re Mà∏lbak, director of the Danish health authorities, the State Serum Institute. According to the Institute, COVID-19 infections were registered on 216 mink farms on November 6. Not only had such infections been registered;

Louise Melling (2020-11-09). The Affordable Care Act — and With It, Our Civil Rights — Are Under Attack. aclu.org Ask a dozen civil rights lawyers to name the great civil rights laws of the last 100 years, and you'll get a dozen answers. Some might name the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the landmark law which ended segregation in public places and barred discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, or national origin at work and in other public places. Others might point to the Fair Housing Act, which took aim at dismantling entrenched residential segregation and fighting housing discrimination. Still others might highlight the Americans with Disabilities Act, which paved the way for a more accessible world., ,…

teleSUR (2020-11-09). Haiti: Over 160.000 People Suffer From HIV/Aids. telesurenglish.net About 160.000 people live with HIV/AIDS in Haiti, according to the latest data published by the Ministry of Health, which aims to reduce the number of infections by 2030 considerably. | RELATED: | The Ministry reported that the prevalence of this deathly disease among the population is estimated at 2 percent, and women are noticeably more affected than men. | Likewise, among people aged 15 to 24, girls get infected at a 1.1 percent…

Monica Piccinini (2020-11-09). The Other Global Health Crisis: Highly Hazardous Pesticides. globalresearch.ca COVID-19 isn't the only global health crisis occurring right now. There is another crisis, propagated by a global industry, that is entirely man made. | The world's five largest agrochemical companies: Bayer, BASF, Sygenta, Corteva and FMC — members of Croplife …

news.un (2020-11-09). Independent UN experts decry COVID vaccine hoarding: 'No one is secure until all of us are'. news.un.org The only way to fight the COVID-19 crisis is to make affordable vaccines available to everyone, independent UN human rights experts said on Monday, underscoring that in an interconnected and interdependent world, "no one is secure until all of us are secure".

commondreams (2020-11-09). Disseminating Preliminary, Incomplete COVID-19 Vaccine Study Results by Press Release Represents Bad Science. commondreams.org ______________________________…

commondreams (2020-11-09). Suspend Patents on Pfizer's COVID-19 Vaccine, Say Campaigners. commondreams.org ______________________________…

Julia Conley, staff writer (2020-11-09). With Covid-19 Cases Surging, Experts Urge US Public to Re-Double Efforts to Stop Spread—and Temper Expectations for Pfizer's Vaccine. commondreams.org "The public needs to know that the best way to prepare for this vaccine is to wear a mask." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-11-09). 'We Need a #PeoplesVaccine': After Hopeful Findings From Pfizer, Campaigners Demand Suspension of Patents. commondreams.org "This is a race against time and we cannot allow the pursuit of profit to triumph over human need," said Heidi Chow of Global Justice Now. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

sputniknews (2020-11-09). Election 2020: This Is Ourselves Under Pressure. sputniknews.com On today's episode of The Backstory, host Lee Stranahan discussed current events, including 10 million COVID-19 cases, Pfizer announcing 90% efficacy on their vaccine for COVID-19, and Joe Biden announcing his COVID-19 advisors.

Jasmine Norden (2020-11-09). Gordon Brown's praise of Joe Biden is no surprise given their bloody history. thecanary.co Gordon Brown has Discussing Biden on Radio 4, Brown said there could be a trade deal between the US and UK in the long-term. He went on to discuss Biden cooperating internationally as he works on security, the environment and health. | Brown said: Joe Biden has always been a great friend of Great Britain. | I think he wants to be a friend of Britain. I think he plans, from what I know, to…

Dr. Hisako Sakiyama (2020-11-09). Health Effects of Fukushima Nuclear Disaster. globalresearch.ca Introduction | Hisako Sakiyama has a PhD in Medicine and is a Member of the Takagi School of Alternative Scientists, a Japanese NGO established in 1998 to study the environment, nuclear issues, human rights, and other issues in modern society from …

sputniknews (2020-11-09). US Underwent Record Amount of Wildfires, 'Historic' Hurricanes in October – NOAA. sputniknews.com Extreme weather plagued the US in October, with the nation seeing wildfires, hurricanes and record snowfall, according to a recent analysis conducted by the US' National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

teleSUR (2020-11-09). Argentina: Buenos Aires to Ease Its COVID-19 Measures. telesurenglish.net Argentina's government has approved the Preventive and obligatory social distancing (DISPO) phase in the capital Buenos Aires and 35 surrounding districts starting on Monday, thus replacing the Preventive and obligatory social isolation (ASPO) imposed in March. | RELATED: | The DISPO implies that most economic and social activities are allowed in observance of health protocols established by each jurisdiction to c…

The Canary (2020-11-08). Indian capital struggles with surge in coronavirus cases. thecanary.co India has reported 45,674 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, with the capital coping with a sharp surge of nearly 7,000 cases a day this week.India's tally of confirmed cases — currently the second largest in the world behind the United States — has exceeded 8.5 million.The Health Ministry also reported 559 deaths in the past 24 hours, taking total fatalities to 126,121.Coronavirus testing in New Delhi (Manish Swarup/AP)India has seen an overall steady dip in new cases after touching nearly 100,000 a day in mid-September.However, the tally in New Delhi continues to hover around 7,000 a d…

National Equality Action Team (2020-11-08). Tuesday 11/10: #ODIC Virtual Town Hall: SCOTUS Hearing on Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act. indybay.org Online town hall…

news.un (2020-11-08). Myanmar's farmers battle climate and health uncertainty. news.un.org For farmers in Myanmar, the COVID-19 pandemic is adding to growing unpredictability, in a sector already struggling to cope with the effects of climate change. The UN is working closely with the country's government to help them to adapt and thrive.

Dr. Gary G. Kohls (2020-11-08). Wisdom from Courageous — and Silenced — Whistle-blowing "Vaccine Skeptics" globalresearch.ca "Mercury/thimerosal and lead (and aluminum) are extremely neurotoxic and cytotoxic, but their combined synergistic effect is much worse. | A dose of mercury sufficient to kill 1% of tested rats, when combined with a dose of lead sufficient to kill less …

Dr. Robert Kluger (2020-11-08). German Doctors Letter to Chancellor Merkel, Put an End to the Covid "Fear Machine" globalresearch.ca Dear Chancellor Dr. Merkel, | We, the signatories, are doctors from all areas of healthcare, who have been serving people in practices and clinics for decades. During this time, we have witnessed more than one seasonal infection in Germany, most of …

UC Hastings Law School of SF (2020-11-08). Tuesday 11/10: Post-Election Implications for USA: Health Care, Racial Justice, SCOTUS and more. indybay.org Online via YouTube…

2020-11-09: News Headlines

Seiji Yamada (2020-11-09). On Howard Waitzkin's Rinky-Dink Revolution. counterpunch.org When I was in college, I took a class in medical anthropology. One of our readings was an analysis of the U.S. health care system from a Marxist perspective by a physician sociologist, Howard Waitzkin. As a pre-med, I found this of more relevance than trying to wade through Marx's polemics from, say, the Rheinische

Mark Gruenberg (2020-11-09). SEIU brings personal stories to High Court to defend the ACA. peoplesworld.org WASHINGTON—If the U.S. Supreme Court's right-wing Republican majority kills the 10-year-old Affordable Care Act, Service Employees Local 503 member Cammie Hering of Portland, Ore., won't be able to afford health insurance. At that, even with "relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis" that could eventually disable her, Hering, a personal support worker who earns $15.50 an hour, might be …

The Canary (2020-11-09). How do the regions of England compare for Covid-19 case rates? thecanary.co The number of new cases of Covid-19 continues to rise in most local areas of England.The overall trend masks some notable differences between the regions, however.Here is an overview of the latest case rates in each region of England, including the areas with the highest and lowest numbers.In all instances, the figures are for the week ending November 4 and have been calculated by PA using data published by Public Health England.— North-west EnglandThe highest rates of new cases of Covid-19 continue to be in north-west England.Oldham is top of the list, with 779.4 cases per 100,000 people, up from the previo…

Binoy Kampmark (2020-11-09). Fur Trades and Pandemics: Coronavirus and Denmark's Great Mink Massacre. counterpunch.org "The worst case scenario is a new pandemic, starting all over again out of Denmark," came the words of a grave Kà•re Mà∏lbak, director of the Danish health authorities, the State Serum Institute. According to the Institute, COVID-19 infections were registered on 216 mink farms on November 6. Not only had such infections been registered;

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-11-09). 'We Need a #PeoplesVaccine': After Hopeful Findings From Pfizer, Campaigners Demand Suspension of Patents. commondreams.org "This is a race against time and we cannot allow the pursuit of profit to triumph over human need," said Heidi Chow of Global Justice Now. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Jasmine Norden (2020-11-09). Gordon Brown's praise of Joe Biden is no surprise given their bloody history. thecanary.co Gordon Brown has Discussing Biden on Radio 4, Brown said there could be a trade deal between the US and UK in the long-term. He went on to discuss Biden cooperating internationally as he works on security, the environment and health. | Brown said: Joe Biden has always been a great friend of Great Britain. | I think he wants to be a friend of Britain. I think he plans, from what I know, to…

Dr. Hisako Sakiyama (2020-11-09). Health Effects of Fukushima Nuclear Disaster. globalresearch.ca Introduction | Hisako Sakiyama has a PhD in Medicine and is a Member of the Takagi School of Alternative Scientists, a Japanese NGO established in 1998 to study the environment, nuclear issues, human rights, and other issues in modern society from …

Monica Piccinini (2020-11-09). The Other Global Health Crisis: Highly Hazardous Pesticides. globalresearch.ca COVID-19 isn't the only global health crisis occurring right now. There is another crisis, propagated by a global industry, that is entirely man made. | The world's five largest agrochemical companies: Bayer, BASF, Sygenta, Corteva and FMC — members of Croplife …

commondreams (2020-11-09). Suspend Patents on Pfizer's COVID-19 Vaccine, Say Campaigners. commondreams.org ______________________________…

commondreams (2020-11-09). Disseminating Preliminary, Incomplete COVID-19 Vaccine Study Results by Press Release Represents Bad Science. commondreams.org ______________________________…

The Canary (2020-11-08). Indian capital struggles with surge in coronavirus cases. thecanary.co India has reported 45,674 new coronavirus infections over the past 24 hours, with the capital coping with a sharp surge of nearly 7,000 cases a day this week.India's tally of confirmed cases — currently the second largest in the world behind the United States — has exceeded 8.5 million.The Health Ministry also reported 559 deaths in the past 24 hours, taking total fatalities to 126,121.Coronavirus testing in New Delhi (Manish Swarup/AP)India has seen an overall steady dip in new cases after touching nearly 100,000 a day in mid-September.However, the tally in New Delhi continues to hover around 7,000 a d…

National Equality Action Team (2020-11-08). Tuesday 11/10: #ODIC Virtual Town Hall: SCOTUS Hearing on Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act. indybay.org Online town hall…

_____ (2020-11-08). U.S. Foreign Policy Is a Failure, Whoever's President. strategic-culture.org Eve OTTENBERG | The world recognizes what U.S. elites don't: the utter, total American failure to contain Covid-19 has damaged U.S. standing and will do so until the virus is controlled. Meanwhile, regional powers, China and Russia, cooperate and share resources, particularly vaccines. Cuba provides treatments, but the U.S. turns up its nose at Cuban medicine, even if it means more American covid patients die — this, though Cuba's pharmacopeia for this plague appears superior. China sends doctors and medicines across the globe. Russia opts for sane herd immunity — through vaccination. These countries…

news.un (2020-11-08). Myanmar's farmers battle climate and health uncertainty. news.un.org For farmers in Myanmar, the COVID-19 pandemic is adding to growing unpredictability, in a sector already struggling to cope with the effects of climate change. The UN is working closely with the country's government to help them to adapt and thrive.

UC Hastings Law School of SF (2020-11-08). Tuesday 11/10: Post-Election Implications for USA: Health Care, Racial Justice, SCOTUS and more. indybay.org Online via YouTube…

Dr. Robert Kluger (2020-11-08). German Doctors Letter to Chancellor Merkel, Put an End to the Covid "Fear Machine" globalresearch.ca Dear Chancellor Dr. Merkel, | We, the signatories, are doctors from all areas of healthcare, who have been serving people in practices and clinics for decades. During this time, we have witnessed more than one seasonal infection in Germany, most of …

John C. A. Manley (2020-11-08). Government's Corona Response Is "a Psyche War" Against Citizens: Constitutional Lawyer Rocco Galati. globalresearch.ca "Bill Gates, the CDC, Gavi… want to steamroll their [COVID-19] agenda of self-interest on behalf of these billionaires and corporate oligarchs," said constitutional lawyer Rocco Galati in a

Dr. Gary G. Kohls (2020-11-08). Wisdom from Courageous — and Silenced — Whistle-blowing "Vaccine Skeptics" globalresearch.ca "Mercury/thimerosal and lead (and aluminum) are extremely neurotoxic and cytotoxic, but their combined synergistic effect is much worse. | A dose of mercury sufficient to kill 1% of tested rats, when combined with a dose of lead sufficient to kill less …

Workers World Philadelphia bureau (2020-11-07). Philadelphia: 'As nurses, we demand justice!'. workers.org Workers World Party Philadelphia joined National Nurses United and the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP) in holding a vigil on Oct. 29 for healthcare workers who have died as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Marie Kelly speaks at healthcare worker vigil, Oct. 29. WW Photo: . . . |

The Lancet (2020-11-07). [Editorial] COVID-19 in Latin America: a humanitarian crisis. thelancet.com Latin America has some of the highest COVID-19 death rates in the world. Why? For outsiders, much of the discussion of COVID-19 in Latin America has focused on Brazil and the errors of President Jair Bolsonaro. But the region as a whole is facing a humanitarian crisis borne out of political instability, corruption, social unrest, fragile health systems, and perhaps most importantly, longstanding and pervasive inequality—in income, health care, and education—which has been woven into the social and economic fabric of the region.

Anil Chauhan, Amit Agarwal, Nishant Jaiswal, Meenu Singh (2020-11-07). [Correspondence] ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine for SARS-CoV-2. thelancet.com The ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), described by Pedro Folegatti and colleagues,1 was an important milestone in vaccine development to contain the ongoing pandemic. The vaccine is one of several SARS-CoV-2 vaccines that have entered the human trial phase, and the phase 1/2 trial showed encouraging results. This trial has focused on the most relevant clinical outcomes of safety, reactogenicity, and immunogenicity of the vaccine. The recruited participants (ie, healthy adults aged 18—55 years who were negative for SARS-CoV-2) were randomly assigned…

Merryn Voysey, Andrew J Pollard (2020-11-07). [Correspondence] ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 — Authors' reply. thelancet.com We agree with Anil Chauhan and colleagues that recording of anaphylaxis is important when testing a new vaccine. All participants in the trial were observed in the clinic for at least 30 min after they were vaccinated, and no cases of anaphylaxis occurred.1…

Richard Horton (2020-11-07). [Comment] Offline: Managing the COVID-19 vaccine infodemic. thelancet.com If you read News Punch (aka "Where mainstream fears to tread"), you will be familiar with a series of articles about the prospects for a COVID-19 vaccine. With headlines such as "Big Pharma Exec: We Are Exempt From COVID-19 Vaccine Liability Claims", the website has published report after report casting doubt on the integrity of vaccine science and even the likelihood of a vaccine becoming available. You will find similar pieces on other websites, such as Infowars and AlterNet. The arguments these articles peddle seem deliberately designed to sow uncertainty.

Aarathi Prasad (2020-11-07). [Perspectives] Roopa Dhatt: advancing gender equality in global health leadership. thelancet.com When Roopa Dhatt was 9 years old, she went into septic shock as a result of appendicitis. Her grandparents rushed her to a local hospital in India. Far from her home in the USA and apart from her émigré parents, who could not afford to join her, the experience is etched in Dhatt's memory. "In the early 1990s", she says, "the health system infrastructure [in India] was so weak, and so under-resourced, I was really fortunate that there was a paediatric surgeon in the city I was in, who was able to operate safely".

Marina Pollán, Beatriz Pérez-Gómez, Roberto Pastor-Barriuso, Jesús Oteo, Mayte Pérez-Olmeda, Raquel Yotti, ENE-COVID Study Group (2020-11-07). [Correspondence] SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in Spain — Authors' reply. thelancet.com We thank Christian Hoffmann and Eva Wolf for pointing out the contradiction of similar severe acute respiratory syndrome corona ≠virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) seroprevalence figures between men and women in our nationwide study,1 compared with the distribution of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the most severely affected countries. Following their suggestion, we provide seroprevalence data stratified by age and sex (appendix) to show that infection rates were similar in men and women during the first epidemic wave in Spain.

Mehr News Agency (2020-11-07). Iran to produce three new human vaccines by yearend: official. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 07 (MNA) — The Secretary of Biotechnology Development Headquarters of the Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology said that three new human vaccines will be produced in the country by yearend (March 20).

Susan M Sawyer (2020-11-07). [Comment] Global growth trends in school-aged children and adolescents. thelancet.com Despite declining rates over the past few decades, stunting continues to affect over 30% of children younger than 5 years in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, south Asia, and the Pacific.1 The extent to which stunting and underweight in early childhood are associated with premature death and disease explains why global nutrition policy, practice, and research have overwhelmingly focused on very young children. Yet, the rapid expansion of obesogenic environments, including in resource-poor countries, requires policy responses to address a more complex and dynamic nutritional landscape.

Mohammad Ersan (2020-11-06). Covid tears through Jordan on eve of parliamentary elections. middleeasteye.net Covid tears through Jordan on eve of parliamentary elections | After managing to keep a lid on coronavirus for months, the kingdom's healthcare system is overwhelmed and a senior official is being treated in Jerusalem | Fri, 11/06/2020 – 14: 58 | A man walks past a poster of one of the candidates ahead of parliamentary elections on 10 November, amid a second wave of the coronavirus (Reuters) | O…

Eve Ottenberg (2020-11-06). U.S. Foreign Policy is a Failure, Whoever's President. counterpunch.org The world recognizes what U.S. elites don't: the utter, total American failure to contain Covid-19 has damaged U.S. standing and will do so until the virus is controlled. Meanwhile, regional powers, China and Russia, cooperate and share resources, particularly vaccines. Cuba provides treatments, but the U.S. turns up its nose at Cuban medicine, even if it means more American covid patients die — this, though Cuba's pharmacopeia for this plague appears superior. China sends doctors and medicines across the globe. Russia opts for sane herd immunity — through vaccination. These countries act like adults.

G. Dunkel (2020-11-06). How COVID-19 reveals inequalities in the U.S. economy. workers.org The Trump administration has admitted it has no plan to get COVID-19 under control. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told CNN Oct. 25 that "We are not going to control the pandemic. We are going to control the fact that we get vaccines, therapeutics and other mitigation areas." . . . |

RT (2020-11-06). Budapest & Brussels on potential collision course as Hungary says it will import Russian Covid-19 vaccine despite EU objections. rt.com Hungary announced it will purchase Russia's Sputnik-V coronavirus vaccine for research and licensing purposes, in a move that risks creating tensions with EU authorities who insist only formulas made in the bloc should be used. | Foreign Minister Peter Sijarto said on Thursday that Budapest will place an order for the vaccine. "Russia will start supplying small batches in December to complete clinical trials and research here," he told journalists. | Russia became the first country in the world to approve a jab for Covid-19 in September. It drew criticism from some international commentators for the speed of t…

RT (2020-11-06). Pay people to take Covid-19 vaccine argues leading ethicist, though others warn it would set 'dangerous precedent'. rt.com A leading ethicist has proposed financial and other incentives to increase coronavirus vaccination rates, though many of his contemporaries fear this would set a dangerous precedent with potentially disastrous consequences. | This week, Oxford University Professor Julian Savulescu proposed the idea that a financial incentive could persuade those hesitant to take a Covid-19 vaccine. He also suggested exemption from the wearing of face masks and social distancing as possible alternatives to payment. | Savulescu argues that voluntary vaccination wouldn't guarantee a high enough percentage of the population would…

Daniel Beaumont (2020-11-06). Prison, the Plague, Writing and Exile: an Interview With Aslı Erdogan. counterpunch.org This interview with the Turkish author Aslı Erdogan was conducted by mail in recent weeks. She is a renowned author in Turkey, and well known in Europe where works have been translated into English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and possibly some other languages. Her works have won numerous international literary prizes. She is also

news.un (2020-11-06). Aid agencies call for urgent action to prevent famine in hunger hotspots. news.un.org People in four food insecurity "hotspots" inside Burkina Faso, northeastern Nigeria, South Sudan and Yemen, need help urgently to avoid sliding into famine, UN humanitarians said on Friday.

news.un (2020-11-06). 'Emergency action' needed to prevent major polio, measles epidemics. news.un.org Globally, millions of children are at a heightened risk of polio and measles — dangerous but preventable diseases — amid disruptions to vital immunization programmes due to the coronavirus pandemic, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organization (WHO) have said.

WSWS (2020-11-06). Alberta's Conservative government slashes health care amid COVID-19 pandemic. wsws.org Even as Alberta is experiencing a rapid rise in COVID-19 infections, the UCP provincial government is moving to eliminate 11,000 public health care jobs.

news.un (2020-11-06). World can save lives and 'end this pandemic, together' — WHO chief. news.un.org As the COVID-19 pandemic continues evolving, the world must "take all opportunities to learn and improve the response as we go", the UN health agency chief said on Friday.

Jessica Corbett, staff writer (2020-11-06). 'Trump Is Trying to Steal the Election and Wall Street Is Silent': Corporate Executives Urged to Condemn President's Attacks on Democracy. commondreams.org Stop the Money Pipeline coalition pressures executives at major banks, insurance companies, and asset managers to call out his behavior. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

Fight Back (2020-11-06). New Orleans protesters march to defeat Trump, defend people's freedoms. fightbacknews.org New Orleans, LA – On November 4, a coalition of progressive groups took to the streets under the slogan "Defeat Trump!" As the rally moved through the central business district, speakers highlighted local issues and areas of action in the city. | While the march came after the national election, it made broad demands. The group united around a shared progressive agenda and the need for more coalition actions. Marchers chanted, "Count the votes!" and "No justice, no peace, no racist police!" They also shouted their demands for housing, quality healthcare, economic relief, safe education, prison abolition and more.

Johanna Ross (2020-11-06). Former British Prime Minister May Leads Lockdown Rebellion as UK Struggles Against Second COVID Wave. globalresearch.ca Former Prime Minister Theresa May has led a backbench rebellion against a second lockdown, demanding the government provide more statistics on the adverse harm the first lockdown had on people's health. A total of fifty Conservative MPs rebelled against the …

Unnamed Nurse (2020-11-06). Video: British Healthcare Assistant Reveals the Lies on Covid Testing and the Lockdown. We Say No the Army and the Police. globalresearch.ca Transcript by Rawan R. Mhamsa | Oh, working as a healthcare assistant for the NHS. I don't think that the uniform to prove that I work for them, but today I'm publicly resigning. | OK, well. | I'm wearing this uniform sadly for …

Mehr News Agency (2020-11-05). COVID-19 kills almost 17 Iranians every hour. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, Nov. 05 (MNA) — According to the latest announced figures by the Iranian Health Ministry, 406 patients have succumbed to the COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.

The Canary (2020-11-05). About 30,000 health service staff off work due to coronavirus. thecanary.co Around 30,000 NHS staff are self-isolating or off work due to coronavirus (Covid-19), the organisation's chief executive has said. | Isolation: | NHS boss Simon Stevens said the numbers underlined the need to control the spread of coronavirus in order to protect the care that could be offered in the health service. Appearing at a Downing Street press conference on 5 November, he was asked if coronavirus-related restrictions could last into the new year to help keep routine NHS services going. | Simon said: This will be a function of how well we are collectively able to get the infection rate down over the…

teleSUR (2020-11-05). PAHO Praises Mexico's Handling of the COVID-19 Pandemic. telesurenglish.net The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) highlighted Thursday Mexico's progress in reconverting hospitals to treat COVID-19 cases. | RELATED: | "It was not easy, mobility was reduced in almost all states to below 60 percent, and it is thanks to that effort, which is no less, in a country where half the population has to go out to work to survive, that this has been done," said PAHO's representative in Mexico Ch…

news.un (2020-11-05). UN rights experts call for release of Saudi activist championing women's right to drive. news.un.org The deteriorating health‚ÄØof Saudi women's rights activist Loujain Al-Hathloul is‚ÄØ"deeply alarming", UN-appointed rights experts said on Wednesday, calling for her release along with "all other women human rights defenders in detention".

WSWS (2020-11-05). COVID-19 cases spike across US as health care workers struggle with understaffing in hospitals. wsws.org Nurses in California and Connecticut have held protests and strike votes to fight unsafe staffing levels as infections and hospitalizations rise across the US.

WSWS (2020-11-05). Official academics downplay the risks of school reopenings as pandemic rages across the US. wsws.org The official bourgeois academics and health experts, as evidenced by the likes of Emily Oster, Ashish Jha and Scott Atlas, place the profit interests of the ruling class above the safety and lives of the working class.