(2021-04-17). [Editorial] The ACT Accelerator: heading in the right direction? thelancet.com April 24, 2021, marks 1 year since the formation of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A) partnership. Its mission is to accelerate the development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines, which is central to ending the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the pandemic still raging, has ACT-A been successful so far? And what does the future hold?
(2021-04-17). [Correspondence] Institutional racism and national lockdowns. thelancet.com Soham Bandyopadhyay1 claimed that the UK Government's national lockdown, announced in November, 2020, to control COVID-19, was an institutionally racist policy. Claims of institutional racism are serious allegations and thus warrant critical appraisal. I therefore raise three points.
(2021-04-17). [World Report] Brazilian ICUs short of drugs and beds amid COVID-19 surge. thelancet.com Doctors are reporting shortages of critical drugs and the need to ration care, pointing to public health failures. Lise Alves reports from Sà£o Paulo.
(2021-04-17). [Perspectives] Dawn Edge: advancing inclusivity in mental health services. thelancet.com In the mid-1990s, Dawn Edge was intrigued by the lack of data on mental health among Black women in the UK, given the volume of research on Black men's increased risk of diagnosis with serious mental illness. It was an observation that influenced her PhD on depression during pregnancy and…
(2021-04-16). Safe Ballpark? SF Giants Demanded "Release of Liability" for COVID Infection from Food Service Workers. dissidentvoice.org 
The San Francisco Giants Opening Day was Friday, April 9. The Giants had been doing a full court press (sorry to mix in basketball metaphors) for days on end about how safe the stadium would be for the fans' first game back to the stadium since the COVID-19 pandemic began. But, on Wednesday evening, the …
(2021-04-16). Making Sense of a Viral Military: The Pentagon's Flawed Response to the Pandemic. juancole.com 
By Andrea Mazzarino | — ( Tomdispatch.com) — Herd immunity? Don't count on it. Not if that "herd" is the U.S. military. According to news reports, at least a third of active-duty military personnel or those in the National Guard have opted out of getting the coronavirus vaccine. That figure, by the way, doesn't even …
(2021-04-16). With coronavirus surging, Brazil tells women not to get pregnant until a 'better moment'. rt.com 
Brazil has asked women to "delay pregnancy" until the Covid-19 pandemic subsides, citing the threat of a coronavirus variant plaguing the country. Between new variants and vaccine risks, now is not a good time to be expecting. | "If it's possible, delay pregnancy a little until a better moment," Health Ministry official Raphael Parente said during a news conference on Friday, warning that the P1 variant of the coronavirus prevalent in Brazil "acts more aggressively in pregnant women." | Brazil has become one of the world's coronavirus epicenters lately, with 13.7 million cases of Covid-19 recorded and 365,000…
(2021-04-16). COVID-19 May Fade, But Will the Tracking Tools Built to Fight It? aclu.org At the start of the pandemic, technologists and policymakers touted the promise of technology to track and warn individuals of potential COVID-19 exposure and high-risk areas. But whether due to overburdened contact tracers or the lack of early and coordinated adoption, those technologies never became a central part of the public health effort against the disease. | With attention now on various schemes for "vaccine passports," a concept
(2021-04-16). The 'wellness' industry is no substitute for real mental health care. peoplesworld.org 
DETROIT—Sara, a part-time community organizer for a non-profit here, often treats her depressive symptoms—intense sadness and anxiety, insomnia, irritability, and decreased interest in her prior hobbies—as well as her head and stomach aches with incense, crystals, herbal teas, bath bombs, and meditation. Sara had a lot of past trauma, which often manifests itself in thoughts …
(2021-04-16). Dorothy A. Brown and Amy Hanauer on Tax Unfairness. fair.org 
(cc photo: John Morgan) | This week on CounterSpin: Taxes, the concept of taxation, does a lot of work in US public discourse, though the role is not consistent: When reporting on a wished-for social good, like universal healthcare or improved infrastructure, the "cost to taxpayers" is presented as central; "raising taxes" is a synonym for increasing hardship on working people, and unironically offered as the reason those same people can't have nice things, like healthcare and infrastructure. At the same time, but on a different page, we read that corporations like Zoom, Amazon and Netflix are super-successful,…
(2021-04-16). Life After Covid, as the U.S. Competes with China. counterpunch.org 
Who can doubt that if Trump had won reelection, the numbers of people vaccinated against covid would be in the thousands, instead of Biden's nearly 100 million? Who can doubt that the daily death rate would stand above 3000, as MAGA morons went about their business maskless and as it was when Trump left office
(2021-04-16). Al-Qaeda's Cyber Allies Call For Killing Of Western Police Officers. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | Al-Qaeda affiliate the al-Malahem Electronic Army (aka al-Malahem Cyber Army) released its new issue of "The Wolves of Manhattan" magazine, that supports terrorism. | It is released in Arabic, French and English, the magazine is described as 'a guide for lone wolves in the Crusaders' land.' | The previous issues had tips on how to exploit the COVID-19 measures to get opportunity for attacks and so on. | pic.twitter.com/BbQgMBEi…
(2021-04-16). COVID-19 Facts April 2021 Updates. southfront.org 
Illustrative image | The material was originally published on Overview: | Lethality: According to the latest immunological studies,…
(2021-04-16). Vaccination Plan Advances: Venezuela Receives Fourth Shipment of Sputnik-V. orinocotribune.com 
Early in the morning of Thursday, April 15, the fourth shipment of the Russian Sputnik-V vaccine arrived in Venezuela. These vaccines will be used to carry forward the Venezuelan immunization plan initiated on February 18. | The shipment was dispatched from Moscow, capital of the Russian Federation, and was carried by the Russian airline Azur Air. | To date, Venezuela has received 300,000 doses of the Sputnik-V vaccine, considered to be the most efficient vaccine in the world against COVID-19. | Moreover, Venezuela has included other COVID-19 vaccines in its vaccination plan, namely the Russian EpiVacCorona and t…
(2021-04-16). Mandatory vaccinations for care home workers — a slippery slope? ukhumanrightsblog.com 
Or, as Andrew Neil put it on the Spectator TV News Channel this week, "A Dripping Roast For Lawyers". To be fair, Neil was referring to the patchwork of mandatory vaccines across the United States. But with the publication yesterday of the Government's consultation paper on vaccine requirements for all staff deployed in a care …
(2021-04-16). Blood-clotting illness PVT 30x more prevalent in Moderna, Pfizer Covid-19 recipients than AstraZeneca — Oxford researchers. rt.com 
A potentially fatal blood-clotting disease is 30 times more common among people who have received the Covid-19 vaccines produced by Moderna and Pfizer than those given the troubled AstraZeneca jab, researchers have found. | A team of scientists from the University of Oxford has found that after vaccination, Vaxzevria (formerly AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine) recipients were less likely to suffer portal vein thrombosis (PVT) — blood clots in the artery from the intestines to the liver. | For recipients of the viral vector Vaxzevria vaccine, the incidence rate for splanchnic thrombosis — clotting in the…
(2021-04-16). Students Bashed In Battle Over Mumia Abu-Jamal's Healthcare. indybay.org The author Linn Washington Jr. of ThisCantBeHappening.net has given the Jamal Journal permission to reprint this April 16 article.
(2021-04-16). Medical Oxygen Plant Reactivated in Venezuela to Tackle COVID-19 Spike. orinocotribune.com The company Oxígenos del Centro CA (Oxicentro), was reactivated by government authorities and the healthcare staff in the municipality of Independencia (Santa Teresa del Tuy), Miranda state, with the goal of helping to provide oxygen to healthcare centers in the region. The privately owned industrial and medicinal oxygen plant had been inoperative for more than eight years. | The facilities were supervised and refurbished by officials from the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC), the scientific-technological council of Miranda, and the mayor's offices of the municipalities Independencia (Santa Ter…
(2021-04-16). The Country Moves Forward, Education Falls Back. popularresistance.org There's hope in the air, a scent of spring, anticipation of change, democracy may pull through. Why, then, with K-12 public schools, the broken promise, the dismay? | Biden raised hopes when he promised, Dec 16, 2019, that he'd "commit to ending the use of standardized testing in public schools," saying (rightly) that "teaching to a test underestimates and discounts the things that are most important for students to know." Yet on Feb 22, his Department of Education did an about-face, announcing, "we need to understand the impact COVID-19 has had on learning …parents need information on how their children are do…
(2021-04-16). COVID-19 mortality rates linked to poor air quality: UCLA research. ecns.cn A research project led by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) found that neighborhoods in Los Angeles County with poor air quality had the highest death rates from the coronavirus.
(2021-04-16). COVID-19 diagnosis by antibodies only applies to unvaccinated population: NHC. ecns.cn China's National Health Commission (NHC) has updated its rules on the diagnosis of COVID-19 cases, stating that diagnosis based on the presence of antibodies only applies to those who have not yet been vaccinated.
(2021-04-16). India registers record high of over 200,000 new COVID-19 cases, tally surpasses 14 mln. ecns.cn India's COVID-19 surge continues as a fresh high of 200,739 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours, taking the total tally to 14,074,564, said the latest data released by the federal health ministry on Thursday.
(2021-04-16). COVID-safe swimming and artificial cells: News from the College. imperial.ac.uk Here's a batch of fresh news and announcements from across Imperial.
(2021-04-16). [Research Paper] A systematic review and meta-analysis of discharged COVID-19 patients retesting positive for RT-PCR. thelancet.com To date, the causes and risk factors of RP result in discharged patients are not fully understood. High-quality etiological and clinical studies are needed to investigate these issues to further help us to make strategies to control and prevent its occurrence.
(2021-04-16). Beware of Covid PCR Testing and the Relentless "Vaccinate Vaccinate Vaccinate" Campaign. globalresearch.ca The validity of the PCR test has been questioned for months, …
(2021-04-16). 12.5 mln people in Beijing vaccinated against COVID-19. ecns.cn Beijing has administered more than 20 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines as of 12 p.m. Thursday, according to the municipal government.
(2021-04-16). National Security Education Day events kick off in HK. ecns.cn A worker performs a quality check in the packaging facility of Chinese vaccine maker Sinovac Biotech in Beijing on Sept 24, 2020.BEIJING – China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine produced by Chinese company Sinovac Biotech works well with clinical coronavirus symptoms, especially in moderate-to-severe cases, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday.
(2021-04-16). Majority of US population supports patent waiver for COVID-19 vaccine production. peoplesdispatch.org Citing the interests of "innovators", the US has led other rich countries in opposing the proposal for a patent waiver for COVID-19 vaccines raised by over 100 poor and developing countries in the WTO…
(2021-04-16). Headlines for April 16, 2021. democracynow.org Eight Killed After Gunman Opens Fire at Indianapolis FedEx Warehouse, 13-Year-Old Adam Toledo Had Hands Up When He Was Shot Dead by Chicago Officer, Family of Daunte Wright Demands More Serious Charges for Officer Who Fired Fatal Shot, Derek Chauvin, Accused of Murdering George Floyd, Declines to Testify in His Own Defense, Court Vindicates Buffalo Cop Fired for Stopping a Fellow Officer from Choking Handcuffed Man, Dr. Fauci Shuts Down Rep. Jim Jordan in Heated Exchange over Public Health Measures, Pfizer Says COVID-19 Booster Vaccines Likely Needed Within a Year, India Reports Record 217,000 New Cases as Millio…
(2021-04-16). New article by Dr. Ricardo Alvarez: Mumia Abu-Jamal is Scheduled for Open-Heart Surgery. indybay.org As this article goes to press today, April 15th, Mumia is now scheduled for open heart surgery tomorrow. We only know that he has severe blockages of his coronary arteries or coronary artery disease (CAD). Mumia was left incommunicado for at least 3 days prompting an international movement to barrage the governor, the secretary of the PA Department of Corrections (PA DOC) and a variety of other targets with the PA DOC. It is a basic right that a patient be allowed to seek counsel from loved ones, supporters, spiritual advisors and chosen medical counsel. There was no call to family and his medical lawyer has sugg…
(2021-04-16). Saturday 4/17: Yes on CalCare! Car Rally for Guaranteed Health Care for All Californians. indybay.org 5365 Prospect Road San Jose 95129 | MASKS and SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIRED…
(2021-04-16). British Government Shocking Report on Side Effects of Corona Vaccines: Strokes, Blindness, Miscarriages. globalresearch.ca In total, more than 30,000 vaccinees reported more than 100,000 adverse …
(2021-04-15). US Supreme Court again exempts religious gatherings from COVID-19 regulations. wsws.org For the fourth time since Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation to the Supreme Court, the new right-wing majority has ruled that local authorities cannot limit indoor religious gatherings to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
(2021-04-15). How Can Hate Speech, Conspiracy Theories, etc., be Banned on Social Media? zcomm.org As social media sites continue to ban or suspend users who are posting misinformation that endangers public health or incites violence toward others, such as hate speech, the Supreme Court is more likely to be drawn into that discussion…
(2021-04-15). A strategy to eliminate the COVID-19 virus. indybay.org Quantitative analysis expert Dr. Yaneer Bar-Yam describes how we have always had control over the spread of COVID-19 but have largely failed to understand the structural dynamics of its spread. In this thought-provoking interview with the World Socialist Web Site he explains the futility of simply increasing restrictions when cases go up and decreasing restrictions when cases go down– if our goal is to completely end the pandemic.
(2021-04-15). The "Secret Agenda" of the So-called Elite and the Covid mRNA Vaccine. globalresearch.ca Important and timely article, first published on April 10, 2020 | "The International" is the world-renowned battle song of the socialist labor movement. The English version of the original French text reads: | "Wake up, damned of this earth, who are still …
(2021-04-15). Health care calamity looms as COVID-19 cases surge across Canada. wsws.org With more contagious and deadly variants of COVID-19 becoming prevalent in Ontario, Quebec and the West, the Canadian population is facing a third wave of the pandemic that threatens to be the most lethal yet.
(2021-04-15). Protests erupt in Spanish migrant camps at PSOE-Podemos repression. wsws.org Migrants are protesting appalling living conditions, poor food and the lack of medical treatment amid the escalating global COVID-19 pandemic.
(2021-04-15). High COVID-19 infection rates in Barnsley: National disparity mirrors map of social inequality. wsws.org There is a Tale of Two Pandemics, with the lives of the working class disproportionately sacrificed and their communities bearing the brunt of economic and social hardship, while the super-rich have emerged wealthier.
(2021-04-15). In prison, today's pandemic and shades of yesterday's: What the fight against COVID can learn from the one against AIDS. mronline.org 
The infamous Tuskegee syphilis study on Black men is but the best known of the plethora of medical experiments on Black and Brown people in and out of prisons, and other vulnerable populations. | April 15, 2021 | Newswire…
(2021-04-15). BLS: New claims for jobless benefits fall by 20%. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—In a sign workers are finding jobs again following the year-long coronavirus-caused economic depression, new claims for state jobless benefits fell by 152,833, or 20%, in the week ending April 10, to 612,919, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Another 131,975 sought special federal pandemic jobless benefits that same week, down 20,444, or 15.5%, from …
(2021-04-15). A Third of U.S. Billionaire Wealth Gains Since 1990 Have Come During Pandemic. commondreams.org U.S. billionaire pandemic profit balloons to $4.56 trillion, a 55 percent increase. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2021-04-15). 'Humanitarian Catastrophe': Doctors Without Borders Slams Brazil's Covid-19 Response. commondreams.org "The lack of political will to adequately respond to the pandemic is killing Brazilians in their thousands," the international medical charity said. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2021-04-15). From Vaccines To V-Shaped Recovery In Europe — Analysis. eurasiareview.com One year into the pandemic, Europe finds itself at another turning point. New waves of infection are hitting the continent, requiring new lockdowns. But, unlike last year, safe and effective vaccines are now available. While the pace of vaccination is still slow, an end to the pandemic is in sight. | Reflecting the periodic infection waves and the pace of vaccinations, the economic recovery in Europe is still halting and uneven. While industrial production has returned to pre-pandemic levels, the service sector is still contracting. | However, looking ahead, we project that Europe's economic growth will reboun…
(2021-04-15). Making Sense of a Viral Military. tomdispatch.com Herd immunity? Don't count on it. Not if that "herd" is the U.S. military. According to news reports, at least a third of active-duty military personnel or those in the National Guard have opted out of getting the coronavirus vaccine. That figure, by the way, doesn't even include American troops stationed around the world, many of whom have yet to be offered the chance to be vaccinated. As a Navy spouse whose husband has moved to five separate U.S. duty stations in the decade we've been together, one thing is hard for me to imagine: an administration pledging to do everything it can to beat this pandemic has stop…
(2021-04-15). PDF of April 15 issue. workers.org 
Download the PDF. Amazon workers: The struggle has just begun Daunte Wright's life matters! Tribute to Ramsey Clark. COVID crisis: Michigan surge, Vaccines — Capitalism vs. Socialism. PRO Act: petition & editorial. Paul Robeson remembered; On the picket line; DREAMERS confront Cruz. GLOBAL: Vieques, Culebra; Greenland; Gaza; Venezuela. TEAR DOWN . . . |
(2021-04-15). Cut the Defense Budget: Rep. Khanna on Bloated Pentagon Spending, Ending War in Yemen, UAE Arms Deal. democracynow.org 
Congressmember Ro Khanna of California says hundreds of billions of dollars in annual defense spending could be better used on diplomacy, humanitarian aid, public health and other initiatives. He's one of 50 House Democrats who signed a letter to President Joe Biden in March urging a "significantly reduced" Pentagon budget, which has grown to over $700 billion. "The Pentagon increases make no sense," says Khanna. "If you're ending the forever war in Afghanistan … then why are we increasing, at the same time, the defense budget?" Khanna also discusses the Saudi-led, U.S.-backed war in Yemen, a major U.S. arms de…
(2021-04-15). Increasing Pentagon Budget as US Pulls Out of Afghanistan Makes Little Sense. truthout.org 
Congressmember Ro Khanna of California says hundreds of billions of dollars in annual defense spending could be better used on diplomacy, humanitarian aid, public health and other initiatives. He's one of 50 House Democrats who signed a letter to President Joe Biden in March urging a "significantly reduced" Pentagon budget, which has grown to over $700 billion. "The Pentagon increases make no sense," says Khanna. "If you're ending the forever war in Afghanistan … then why are we increasing, at…
(2021-04-15). Selected Articles: 7 Reasons Why a Vaccine Passport Should Give Us Pause for Thought. globalresearch.ca 
By The Eisenhower presidency would see Washington taken over by business executives, Wall Street lawyers, and investment bankers—and by a closely aligned warrior caste that …
(2021-04-15). Nobel Laureates, Ex-World Leaders Urge Biden to Back WTO Waiver for Vaccines. truthout.org 
Calling on U.S. President Joe Biden to prioritize human need over corporate greed, more than 170 Nobel laureates and former heads of state and government on Wednesday sent an