(2020-05-02). Remember the "Fake" 2009 H1N1 Swine Flu Pandemic: Manipulating the Data to Justify a Worldwide Public Health Emergency. globalresearch.ca A Worldwide public health emergency is unfolding, 4.9 billion doses of H1N1 swine flu vaccine are envisaged by the WHO.
(2020-05-02). [Perspectives] Death of a courtier. thelancet.com A plague sweeps the nation, the head of state's health is threatened, and the business of government is rendered fragile and unsteady. It has been over a decade since Hilary Mantel began her Thomas Cromwell trilogy with Wolf Hall in 2009, and 8 years since 2012's Bring Up the Bodies, but what felt like an arduous wait now seems like nothing but impeccable timing. Cromwell even ends the novel under his own version of lockdown as a prisoner in the Tower of London. The world has been uncannily prepared for The Mirror & the Light.
(2020-05-02). [Comment] Offline: A global health crisis? No, something far worse. thelancet.com Every evening we scour those graphs looking for signs that the epidemic is in retreat. New cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). People in hospital with COVID-19. Critical care beds with COVID-19 patients. Daily COVID-19 deaths in hospital. And then the final and bluntly worded "global death comparison". Those with responsibility for leading us through this emergency have called it "a once in a century global health crisis". This statement is incorrect on two grounds. First, because we cannot know what the rest of the century will bring.
(2020-05-02). [Perspectives] Society and the slow burn of inequality. thelancet.com On June 14, 2017, Grenfell Tower, a high-rise housing block in the Royal London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, UK, went up in flames. 72 people died, among the poorest and most marginalised in society. A dramatic conflagration such as this could teach us two kinds of lessons, if we were but open to receiving them. This event exposed underlying problems in society and it showed us that we have to do things differently. In the case of Grenfell, the underlying societal problem was deep-seated and enduring social inequalities and resultant health inequalities.
(2020-05-02). [World Report] Prisons are "in no way equipped" to deal with COVID-19. thelancet.com Prisons are a hotspot for COVID-19. In theory, prisoners have the same right to health as anyone else, but the reality is very different. Talha Burki reports.
(2020-05-02). [Editorial] COVID-19: remaking the social contract. thelancet.com "Allegiance, after all, has to work two ways; and one can grow weary of an allegiance which is not reciprocal." The British playwright David Hare quoted this line by the American writer James Baldwin in his recent reflections on the UK Government's response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Baldwin's reminder and warning in the context of civil rights in the mid-20th century USA speak now in the pandemic to communities the world over who are unsure of their governments' allegiances to them.
(2020-05-02). Buffalo, N.Y., banner drop on May Day 2020. workers.org In honor of International Workers Day, Buffalo, N.Y., activists adorned several overpasses with radical demands on behalf of the working class, including calls for rent cancellation and universal healthcare. Credit: Oscar Elliot |
(2020-05-02). 'There Are People Dying and Suffering Because They Can't Get Healthcare' – CounterSpin interview with Diana Archer on Medicare for All. fair.org 
The Media…
(2020-05-02). Russia sees surge in new Covid-19 cases with almost 10,000 cases recorded in one day. rt.com 
Russian health officials on Saturday reported 9,623 new cases of coronavirus in a single day, significantly more than the 7,933 rise during the previous 24 hours. The nation's Covid-19 caseload now stands at 124,054. | The surge may reflect a recent increase in testing in Moscow, which is the part of Russia worst affected by the epidemic. A total of 5,358 new cases were reported in the Russian capital on Saturday, compared to 3,561 on Friday. | Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said on Saturday that the city has "radically improved" its screening protocols during the past week, putting Moscow among the world leaders in th…
(2020-05-02). France extends health emergency until July 24 as Europe mulls lifting lockdown restrictions. rt.com 
France's minister of health has announced an extension of the public health state of emergency until July 24. The country was placed under emergency on March 24 due the Covid-19 outbreak. | The move was announced by Olivier Veran on Saturday, following an emergency meeting of the Council of Ministers. | While the state of health emergency was expected to be lifted on May 23, doing so was deemed to be "premature" and carrying risk of the "epidemic resurgence," the draft bill reads as quoted by local media. | The government's decision to extend the emergency is set be submitted to the country's legislature for f…
(2020-05-02). Russia sees Covid-19 surge with almost 10,000 cases recorded in one day, as Moscow ramps up testing. rt.com Russian health officials on Saturday reported 9,623 new cases of coronavirus in a single day, significantly more than the 7,933 rise during the previous 24 hours. The nation's Covid-19 caseload now stands at 124,054. | The surge may reflect a recent increase in testing in Moscow, which is the part of Russia worst affected by the epidemic. A total of 5,358 new cases were reported in the Russian capital on Saturday, compared to 3,561 on Friday. | Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said on Saturday that the city has "radically improved" its screening protocols during the past week, putting Moscow among the world leaders in th…
(2020-05-02). We've Seen the End of the US-China Relationship. The Rift Is Now Total. anti-empire.com 
It didn't have to end this way, but the die is now cast. After 48 years of painstaking progress, a major rupture of the US-China relationship is at hand. This is a tragic outcome for both sides — and for the world. From an unnecessary trade war to an increasingly desperate coronavirus war, two angry countries are trapped in a blame game with no easy way out. | A nationalistic American public is fed up with China. According to a
(2020-05-02). Over 240,000 Covid-19-linked deaths globally — AFP tally. rt.com 
The global coronavirus death toll is approaching the 250,000 mark, an AFP tally indicates. The disease that has threatened to bring the global economy to a standstill has infected more than 3.3 million people worldwide. | The deaths of over 240,000 people have now been tied to the novel coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China, the agency said on Saturday. More than 141,000 have died in Europe and some 65,000 in the United States. | #BREAKING More than 240,000 coronavirus deaths worldwide: AFP tally pic.twitter.com/Cej5aj3Wp8— AFP news agency (@AFP) (2020-05-02). Coronavirus, Vaccines and the Gates Foundation. globalresearch.ca First published on March 20, 2020 | Arguably, no one has been more active in promoting and funding research on vaccines aimed at dealing with coronavirus than Bill Gates and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. From sponsoring a simulation of …
(2020-05-02). Tom Watson's tweet to Matt Hancock is utterly vomit-inducing. thecanary.co On 1 May, health secretary Matt Hancock claimed that the government had reached its testing target of 100,000. Except it didn't. Or it did if you're happy with the government
(2020-05-02). AskMayoExpert's COVID-19 information made available to public. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Mayo Clinic is making parts of its AskMayoExpert clinical knowledge resource for providers available to the public to make trusted knowledge on COVID-19 easily available to other health systems and providers. AskMayoExpert, Mayo Clinic's primary clinical knowledge resource for providers at the point of care, is sharing its COVID-19 content with the public. "Mayo leadership …
(2020-05-02). Trump, Pence, G W Bush, Hannity and Sen. Rick Scott's best sheriff fried under DOJ investi. indybay.org The Justice Department and Florida Department of Health are investigating Sheriff Carmine Marceno for civil rights abuses, human rights abuses, ADA violations and felony abuse of a disabled adult.
(2020-05-02). Developing Countries Struggle with Coronavirus Health and Economic Impacts. indybay.org From Ecuador to the Dominican Republic to Ethiopia, developing countries are struggling to obtain aid and financing to address the health and economic impacts of the coronavirus.
(2020-05-02). China Registers Only One New COVID-19 Case in the Whole Country. telesurenglish.net China's National Health Commission (NHC) Friday reported one new COVID-19 case in the entire country corresponding to a traveler from abroad, which is the lowest growth rate recorded in the Asian country since the pandemic began. | RELATED: | The NHC also reported two suspected cases, both related to someone from abroad. In the last 24 hours, 43 patients were discharged and 650 of their close contacts were no longer obs…
(2020-05-02). VIDEO: N. Korea leader ends weeks of speculation over his health by appearing in public. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 02 (MNA) — After weeks of speculation over the health of Kim Jong Un, leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), he attended a ceremony marking the completion of a fertilizer factory north of Pyongyang on Friday.
(2020-05-02). Matt Hancock must support NHS staff as many 'break down' on frontline. thecanary.co NHS staff are "breaking down" on the frontline tackling coronavirus and their mental health must be made a priority now rather than when the crisis is over, Labour has warned. | Shadow mental health minister and A&E doctor Rosena Allin-Khan has written to the health secretary Matt Hancock to seek assurances that medics are getting the support they need. | In the letter, she said the fear of spreading the virus to patients and loved ones, a lack of PPE, an increased workload and witnessing more patients die were taking their toll. | Allin-Khan asked Hancock to outline what provisions are in place to support the me…
(2020-05-02). Iran coronavirus update: Over 77,000 patients recover. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 02 (MNA) — Over 77,400 patients diagnosed with the novel coronavirus (COVID_19) in Iran have fully recovered from the disease as of Saturday, says the Health Ministry's spokesman.
(2020-05-02). Betsy DeVos Sued for Garnishing Wages of 285,000 Student Borrowers Amid Pandemic. truthout.org A home health aide who earns just under $13 per hour is the lead plaintiff in a The CARES Act, which was signed into law in late March, pro…
(2020-05-02). COVID-19 death toll hits 239,602 worldwide: WHO. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 02 (MNA) — In its latest report, World Health Organization (WHO) put the current number of death toll caused by coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, at 239,602.
(2020-05-02). Mayo Clinic expert talks social distancing. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org The need for?social distancing?will continue into the summer as an important public health tool to reduce the spread of?COVID-19. ?Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases specialist at Mayo Clinic acknowledges the hardships of public safety measures and says they are important. "The nature of social distancing, isolating ourselves, and shelter-in-place has been tremendous hardships from …
(2020-05-02). To impose further sanctions on Iran, the US rewrites history and engages in semantic gymnastics. thealtworld.com On May 8, 2018, President Trump withdrew from the Iran Nuclear deal. In an effort to enact crippling "snap-back" sanctions, his administration is now pretending it did no such thing. | "All our words", the American-Lebanese poet-philosopher Kahlil Gibran observed, "are but crumbs that fall down from the feast of the mind." If words are judged by their intellectual weight and adherence to integrity, the statements issued by the Trump administration in relation to its standing as a "participating nation" in the context of the agreement (known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA,) is more famine than…
(2020-05-02). Are pets at risk of getting, spreading COVID-19? newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Recent reports of cats and dogs becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to update its guidelines for pets. According to the CDC, two pet cats in New York City became the first domestic animals in the U.S. to test positive for the …
(2020-05-02). Vaccines Neither Vegetarian Nor Vegan. indybay.org Vaccines are developed using animal blood, gelatin, eggs, and countless other ingredients…
(2020-05-02). Infographic: Informed but not overwhelmed. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org For the latest updates on the COVID-19 pandemic, check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. For more information and COVID-19 coverage, go to the Mayo Clinic News Network and mayoclinic.org.
(2020-05-02). Symptom list for COVID-19 expanded. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, affects people in many ways. Early symptoms have included fever, cough and chills. The list of symptoms in people with confirmed COVID-19 disease has expanded since early reports of the disease. "We're learning more about the virus and more about the syndrome that it causes as people …
(2020-05-02). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Respiratory therapists play critical role in treating COVID-19 patients. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org COVID-19 was first identified late last year with a cluster of pneumonia cases caused by a new coronavirus. The COVID-19 disease process heavily affects the respiratory system, and patients often need oxygen support. The respiratory therapist plays a critical role in managing oxygen levels, placing breathing tubes, and managing the mechanical ventilator, when necessary. On …
(2020-05-02). Physicians, scientists and physician-scientists connect dots between heart disease, potential for worse COVID-19 outcomes. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org ROCHESTER, Minn. ? People with certain heart diseases may be more susceptible to worse outcomes with COVID-19, but the reason why has remained unknown. New research from Mayo Clinic indicates that in patients with one specific type of heart disease ? obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) ? the heart increases production of the ACE2 RNA transcript …
(2020-05-02). Israel: Coronavirus death toll up to 227. yenisafak.com Israel confirmed two more fatalities from the coronavirus on Saturday, taking the death toll to 277.The Health Ministry said 51 new cases were reported in the country over the past 24 hours, raising the total to 16,152.It said 107 patients remain in critical condition, while at least 9,400 have recovered and been discharged from hospitals so far.Israel started taking measures to stem the spread of coronavirus in late February, initially barring non-residents arriving from virus hotspots and gradually imposing a near-total air travel ban.It also closed all educational institutions and prohibited citizens from leav…
(2020-05-02). Belgium: Virus cases near 50,000 as deaths drop. yenisafak.com The number of coronavirus cases in Belgium moved close to 50,000 on Saturday, with nearly 8,000 deaths.The Federal Public Health Service recorded 485 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, raising the total to 49,517.The death toll rose to 7,765 with 82 more fatalities, the first time since March 29 that fewer than 100 patients have died in a day.Following 128 additions on Friday, a total of 3,111 patients are currently in hospital, with the number in intensive care down by 60 to 689.Recoveries since March 15 reached 12,211 after 319 more patients were discharged from hospitals over the past 24 hours.More tha…
(2020-05-02). NBA delays 2020 draft lottery, combine over virus. yenisafak.com With the future of pro basketball uncertain in the shadow of coronavirus, the NBA has postponed its annual draft lottery and draft combine.The draft lottery was to be held this month in Chicago, while the draft combine was set for May 19-24."More information on each event will be shared at a later date as the NBA continues to closely monitor the coronavirus pandemic and consult with infectious disease specialists, public health experts and government officials," said a NBA statement.The 2019-20 NBA season has been suspended since March 11 and there has been no decision yet on its resumption.On Monday, the NBA ann…
(2020-05-02). Spain's streets come to life as deaths top 25,000. yenisafak.com As outdoor exercise was permitted for the first time in 48 days, Spain's Health Ministry on Saturday reported 276 more COVID-19 deaths and 1,147 new infections.Both numbers were down slightly from Friday and far below the peak in early April. In total, at least 25,100 people have lost their lives to COVID-19 in Spain and more than 216,500 cases have been confirmed.Of the confirmed cases, 117,248 people have recovered — up 2,572 people from Friday.Under one of the world's strictest lockdowns since March 14, Spain has managed to flatten the curve of the contagion. On Friday, health authorities closed the coun…
(2020-05-02). France Prolongs Public Health Emergency Until 24 July. sputniknews.com A public health emergency was established in France on 24 March, as the country was coping with the coronavirus pandemic that, according to the WHO, has infected 128,121 people as of 2 May.
(2020-05-02). 'Once Upon a Virus': China Releases a Bizarre Lego-Like Cartoon Mocking US COVID-19 Response. sputniknews.com US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised Beijing for its allegedly poor handling of the health crisis, accusing China of concealing vital data about the pandemic during its initial stage. He also ordered an investigation into reports that COVID-19 had been caused by an accident at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
(2020-05-02). Race Against Time: Producers Rush to Find COVID-19 Vaccine as Global Infections Pass 3.3Mln. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Numerous biotech and pharmaceutical companies are working around the clock, conducting preclinical and clinical trials to find the ultimate weapon against the coronavirus — a vaccine — that will be able to end the current pandemic.
(2020-05-01). US Deportations Add Extra Risk to Global Public Health. telesurenglish.net In the name of protecting U.S. citizens against COVID-19, Washington has recently stepped up the deportation of illegal immigrants from Mexico and Central American nations. | RELATED: | The U.S. authorities seem to have paid no regard that such moves at the time of a ravaging pandemic may overwhelm the often vulnerable public health systems in the recipient countries and thus pose a grave danger to the global an…
(2020-05-01). Farewell to the god of plague. mronline.org 
The Communists were determined to eradicate disease. In the 1930s, Mao joined the Chinese Communist Party's Public Health Commission; in 1934, when he was in the Jiangxi Soviet, Mao placed public health at the top of the list for party work.
(2020-05-01). Nurses in South Africa protest demanding PPE, income tax breaks and Danger Allowance. peoplesdispatch.org The protests were organized by the Young Nurses Indaba Trade Union. Other demands included the immediate and periodic testing of all healthcare workers and compulsory, conducive, decent and habitable accommodation for essential staff…
(2020-05-01). Armed Gunmen Enter Michigan Capitol Demanding End to COVID-19 Lockdown. truthout.org The right-wing movement against public health measures designed to stave off the coronavirus pandemic escalated on Thursday as armed gunmen were among those who stormed the Michigan state house and tried to enter the legislative chamber. | The protesters
(2020-05-01). Target, Amazon, Instacart Workers Demand Safe Conditions and Pandemic Relief. truthout.org This May Day, an unprecedented coalition of essential workers from Amazon, Instacart, Whole Foods, Walmart, Target and FedEx are calling out sick or walking out during their lunch break to demand better health and safety conditions, along with hazard pay. Others are joining them for May Day actions that include rent strikes, car caravan protests and online organizing calling for a "People's Bailout" and economic recovery plan that prioritizes workers. We speak with Kali Akuno, co-founder and co-di…
(2020-05-01). CROWDS of Californians protest governor's order to close BEACHES over coronavirus fears (VIDEOS). rt.com 
Residents in Orange County, California turned out by the hundreds to protest Governor Gavin Newsom's order to close all beaches, in the latest outburst of frustration with Covid-19 lockdowns now entering week seven. | Newsom ordered a "hard close" of state and local beaches on Thursday, arguing that people from outside the area were coming to congregate there, posing a risk to public health. Huntington Beach, located south of Los Angeles and known as "Surf City," said it would resist. | Before the city fathers could sue, however, local residents gathered on the beach to confront mounted and heavily armed polic…
(2020-05-01). May Day People's Strike! Target, Amazon, Instacart Workers Demand Safe Conditions & Pandemic Relief. democracynow.org 
This May Day, an unprecedented coalition of essential workers from Amazon, Instacart, Whole Foods, Walmart, Target and FedEx are calling out sick or walking out during their lunch break to demand better health and safety conditions, along with hazard pay. Others are joining them for May Day actions that include rent strikes, car caravan protests and online organizing calling for a "People's Bailout" and economic recovery plan that prioritizes workers. We speak with Kali Akuno, co-founder and co-director of Cooperation Jackson, which issued a call for a people's strike starting May 1. "The corporations and the gov…
(2020-05-01). First Official Cases of Coronavirus and Deadly Flooding Mark Ramadan in Yemen. mintpressnews.com 
Health officials tell MintPress that flooding has impeded coronavirus prevention measures in a country already devastated from five years of Saudi bombing that has left 70 percent of its health facilities destroyed.
(2020-05-01). Ireland extends coronavirus lockdown to May 18 as PM gives first details for easing restrictions. rt.com 
The Irish government on Friday announced a further extension to the country's lockdown measures, with Prime Minister Leo Varadkar saying they would remain in place until May 18; then first steps to ease restrictions will be made. | Varadkar said the Irish economy would reopen in five stages, with each successive easing dependent on the level of coronavirus infections being kept under control. The current travel limit for personal exercise will be extended from two to five kilometers from Tuesday, while people aged over 70 — who have been advised since late March by government health officials to 'cocoon'
(2020-05-01). Experts slam Tories for NHS cuts and systematic failures in coronavirus testing. thecanary.co 
A public health professor has claimed Conservative government cuts have "emaciated" the testing system and made the ability to track down coronavirus (Covid-19) cases more difficult.Gabriel Scally, a former regional director of public health, said he was "very worried" about the country's ability to get to the levels of contact tracers needed. Scally said 10 years ago it would have been possible — but cuts have damaged this.His anger was in response to Conservative former Cabinet minister David Gauke's defence of reductions in public spending. Gauke warned of an "even more difficult situation" without auster…
(2020-05-01). Hasidic Jews Defy New York's Lockdown. thealtworld.com 
When does religious observance override community health? | Last Tuesday an estimated 2,500 male