(2021-02-01). The Appointment of Samantha Power is Bad News for USAID. counterpunch.org 
For all its faults, USAID — the US Agency for International Development — will be one of the most vitally important agencies of the Biden administration. The confluence of Covid-19, global warming, famines in the Horn of Africa, forced migration and a series of unending proxy wars in the Middle East is a perfect storm that
(2021-02-01). Take Action To End The Economic War At Home And Abroad. popularresistance.org It is the same neoliberal economic system, white supremacy and disregard for human life that underlie sanctions abroad and at home. The current recession and pandemic have exposed this in a brutal way in the United States. The populations that are harmed the most are Indigenous peoples and communities of color. The United States government could have taken the effective steps of cancelling rent and debt, providing a monthly income and nationalizing healthcare that other countries took but instead passed laws that funneled wealth to the top while providing minimal relief to the majority.
(2021-02-01). Prolonged Increases in Public-Payer Spending and Prices After Unapproved Drug Initiative Approval of Colchicine. jamanetwork.com This cohort study examines national Medicaid and Medicare drug-spending data to examine colchicine prices over the period from 2008 to 2017.
(2021-02-01). The Appointment of Samantha Powers is Bad News for USAID. counterpunch.org For all its faults, USAID — the US Agency for International Development — will be one of the most vitally important agencies of the Biden administration. The confluence of Covid-19, global warming, famines in the Horn of Africa, forced migration and a series of unending proxy wars in the Middle East is a perfect storm that
(2021-02-01). Embrittlement in Nuclear Power Plants. counterpunch.org Of all the daunting tasks Joe Biden faces, especially vital is the inspection of dangerously embrittled atomic reactors still operating in the United States. A meltdown at any one of them would threaten the health and safety of millions of people while causing major impact to an already struggling economy. The COVID-19 pandemic would complicate
(2021-02-01). Madrid to relax restaurant Covid-19 rules to help businesses and push back against 'political pressure' despite high infections. rt.com 
The region of Madrid will relax some of its Covid-19 restrictions this week, the region's president announced on Monday, even though infection rates in the capital remain high and most of Spain is tightening health measures. | From Friday, the number of diners allowed per table on outdoor restaurant terraces in Madrid will be upped from four to six and the 10pm curfew on business activity will be pushed back to midnight "as soon as possible," Isabel Diaz Ayuso said. | Ayuso also announced that the use of face masks inside hospitality establishments will be made mandatory. | Those in the Spanish capital are alr…
(2021-02-01). 'Bring Sundiata home': The case for freeing elderly political prisoners. therealnews.com 
Sundiata Acoli has been locked up for 48 years. At 84 years old, and after contracting COVID-19 in prison, Acoli's health is suffering—and a coalition of friends, family, and faith leaders are calling for him to be released before it's too late.
(2021-02-01). England's health officials begin urgent tests amid fears South African Covid strain now spreading in communities. rt.com 
Urgent testing for the highly contagious South African strain of Covid has been ordered by Public Health England (PHE) as 11 cases were reported across Britain by Monday afternoon amid growing fears of community transmission. | Authorities are to step up testing for the new variant in London, the Southeast and the Midlands. So far, PHE has ordered new tests in eight separate areas of England. | Initially, PHE reported two people who had no travel links to South Africa tested positive for the mutant strain in Surrey on Monday morning. | Just like the UK mutant strain discovered in November, the South Africa var…
(2021-02-01). As EU falls behind on supplies of Covid-19 vaccines, German health minister entertains possibility of using Russia's Sputnik V. rt.com 
German Health Minister Jens Spahn has revealed that Berlin would be open to importing Covid-19 vaccines from Russia and China as the government looks to find ways to overcome the country's shortage of doses. | "Regardless of the country in which a vaccine is manufactured, if they are safe and effective, they can help cope with the pandemic," Spahn told Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. | The German minister's comments came before Vladimir Chizhov, Russia's permanent representative to the EU, revealed that Moscow is not only open to selling its Sputnik V vaccine but will also share information about how…
(2021-02-01). Far-right protesters temporarily shut down COVID-19 vaccinations at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. wsws.org The Los Angeles Police Department allowed a few dozen right-wing anti-vaccine and anti-lockdown demonstrators to block traffic into Dodger Stadium, forcing a shutdown of the vaccination site for nearly an hour Saturday afternoon.
(2021-02-01). Rights groups say Biden should reveal vaccine plan for Guantanamo prisoners. middleeasteye.net 
Rights groups say Biden should reveal vaccine plan for Guantanamo prisoners | Pentagon decided to pause plan to offer coronavirus vaccines to Guantanamo detainees following criticism from Republican lawmaker | Mon, 02/01/2021 – 20: 38 | It is not known how many people at Guantanamo have contracted Covid-19 (AFP) | Rights groups are calling on the Biden administration to publicly reveal its Covid-19…
(2021-02-01). Vaccine crime ring: Chinese police make 80 arrests & seize 3,000 saline-filled syringes. rt.com 
Dozens of people have been detained after Chinese police launched a crackdown on the manufacturing and selling of fake Covid-19 vaccinations. Authorities say the illicit trade has been going on for months. | Read more | | Law enforcement targeted crime rings in Beijing, as well as the eastern provinces of Jiangsu and Shandong, resulting in more than 80 arrests and the seizure of some 3,000 syringes filled with saline, state news agency Xin…
(2021-02-01). As Congress Negotiates COVID Relief Bill and Budget Reconciliation Process Begins, People's Action Announces Priorities to Protect Everyday People. peoplesaction.org In New Letter to Congressional Democratic Leaders, People's Action Demands Lawmakers Fight for Cash Payments, Vaccines for All, Rent Relief, Good Jobs and Pay, Debt Cancellation, and State Funding Contact: Johanna Kichton, 240.206.1145, press@peoplesaction.org WASHINGTON, D.C.—People's Action today sent a letter to congressional Democrat leadership demanding they protect everyday people in any new COVID relief …
(2021-02-01). Shooting Down Deficit Hawks. realprogressives.org 
Deficit hawks, like dive-bombing kamikazes, are out now again, circling the battleship of our collective efforts to save ourselves. Can we pay ourselves to produce, distribute, and administer the Covid vaccine to every American in six months? No! say the dive-bombing Kamikazes—we cannot collect enough taxes to pay for that. It would require the government to borrow hundreds of billions more, increasing our "deficit" and the national "debt." Can we pay ourselves to design and build a low-carbon infrastructure that will help put a cap on global warming? No and No! say the circling deficit hawks—and h…
(2021-02-01). South Africa receives its first 1 million-dose batch of Covid-19 vaccine. rt.com 
The first coronavirus vaccine shipment to South Africa has arrived in the country, as it struggles with the continent's highest caseload alongside a more transmissible strain of the virus. | A plane carrying the vaccines touched down at OR Tambo international airport on Monday. The load of one million AstraZeneca jabs, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII), were warmly welcomed, with President Cyril Ramaphosa and other high-ranking officials in attendance. | Late in January, the president
(2021-02-01). A Nursing Researcher's Experience in a COVID-19 Vaccine Trial. jamanetwork.com This perspective is that of a nursing researcher turned volunteer in a COVID-19 vaccine trial. She considers the experience of study participants and how clinicians will need to prepare their patients for the vaccine's possible adverse effects.
(2021-02-01). Black Americans Are Left Behind as Vaccine Rollout Expands. truthout.org 
This story also ran on Black Americans are still receiving covid vaccinations at dramatically lower rates than white Americans even as the chaotic rollout reaches more people, according to a new KHN analysis. | Almost se…
(2021-02-01). 7 die at Spanish care home after getting Pfizer Covid-19 jab as ALL residents test positive for virus, second doses still to come. rt.com 
All 78 residents at a nursing home in central Spain have tested positive for Covid-19 after being given their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and at least seven people have died, staff confirmed on Monday. | Most of those who succumbed to the virus had existing conditions, according to Spanish news agency EFE, while four residents are currently hospitalized, and 12 staff have also been infected. | The huge outbreak is at the Lagartera Residence for the Elderly in the Toledo area, southwest of the capital Madrid. | The home's 33 staff must now present a negative PCR test before they start work, and a…
(2021-02-01). The COVID-19 Pandemic Can't Be Managed, It Has to Be Eradicated. counterpunch.org 
For millions of Americans who believe that COVID-19 is real, dangerous, and requires a plan of action, Joe Biden's election to the presidency has finally offered a path out of the seemingly never-ending pandemic. Indeed, compared to President Donald Trump's approach—which centered on financing the development of vaccines, but did little else to mitigate the
(2021-02-01). NYC Teamsters win battle against 'filthy rich bosses'. peoplesworld.org 
HUNTS POINT, Bronx — Members of the Teamsters Local 202 in the Bronx secured a major victory January 23rd after a week-long strike for higher wages and better healthcare provisions. Workers at the Hunts Point Market in the Bronx went on strike Saturday, January 17th, after the employers refused to budge on a stingy offer. …
(2021-02-01). NYC Teamsters win battle against "filthy rich bosses" peoplesworld.org HUNTS POINT, Bronx — Members of the Teamsters Local 202 in the Bronx secured a major victory January 23rd after a week-long strike for higher wages and better healthcare provisions. Workers at the Hunts Point Market in the Bronx went on strike Saturday, January 17th, after the employers refused to budge on a stingy offer. …
(2021-02-01). Pharmacy Access to Sterile Injection Supplies for People Who Inject Drugs. jamanetwork.com This Viewpoint discusses reforms to pharmacy distribution of over-the-counter sterile injection supplies to prevent infections and death among people who inject drugs, especially important during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
(2021-02-01). Capitalism vs. socialism: The pandemic and the global class struggle. wsws.org One year since the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern," the response of the ruling class to the pandemic has led to the deaths of more than 2.2 million people.
(2021-02-01). Headlines for February 1, 2021. democracynow.org CDC Orders Mask-Wearing on Public Transportation as Experts Urge Speedy Vaccination to Combat Variants, Johnson & Johnson Says One-Shot Vaccine Is Effective, Especially in Preventing Severe Cases, Major Racial Disparities Emerge in Vaccine Recipients as Latinx Deaths in L.A. Jump by 1,000%, Biden Meets with GOP Leaders to Discuss Stripped-Down Counter Bill to $1.9 Trillion Package, Burmese Military Stage Coup, Detain Aung San Suu Kyi, Police Arrest Over 5,100 in Pro-Navalny Protests Across Russia, Car Bomb Blasts Kill at Least 12 in Aleppo, Syria, U.N. Calls for Repatriation of 27,000 Children Stranded in al-Hol…
(2021-02-01). EU urged to end vaccine dispute, focus on helping poor countries. peoplesworld.org 
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(2021-02-01). After Enduring "Complete Hell" During Pandemic, Food Workers Face Obstacles Getting Covid-19 Vaccinations. commondreams.org There are still unanswered questions about how and whether the vaccines will actually get to a workforce that ranks among the most vulnerable to the coronavirus. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2021-02-01). Under the Current Rules, Vaccines Are Only Going To Rich Countries That Can Afford It. commondreams.org Despite Bill Gates' stated commitment to an equitable distribution of the Covid vaccine, he is refusing to back South Africa and India's calls for a waiver on patents. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2021-02-01). NYT Scrutinizes Coronavirus Response in China Where Less Than 5,000 People Have Died in One Year While US Loses 3,250 People Per Day. commondreams.org Eighty-seven times as many people have now died from Covid-19 in the U.S. as in China, but in a puzzling attempt to undermine the notion that China's pandemic response has been better, the Times has recently highlighted that country's "efforts to hide its missteps"—and criticized it for sending excess vaccines to other nations. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2021-02-01). Israeli Health Official Says One in Ten People Vaxed for Coronavirus Can Still Be Infected. sputniknews.com Israel has become a world leader in vaccinations for SARS-Cov-2, with about 2.5 million of its nine million citizens receiving at least one of two required vaccine jabs by late January. Last week, Covid commissioner Dr. Nachman Ash complained that the protective effect of the first dose of Pfizer/BioNTech's preparation was lower than advertised.
(2021-02-01). EU's COVID Failures Risk the Bloc's Future, Commentator Says. sputniknews.com The European Union has confirmed that AstraZeneca has agreed to supply an extra 9 million doses of its COVID vaccine as disputes between Britain, combined with supply issues across Europe, continue to impact the bloc's inoculation roll out.
(2021-02-01). EU to get 75M extra Pfizer/BioNTech virus vaccine doses. yenisafak.com US pharmaceutical company Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech will deliver an additional 75 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the EU until summer, the head of the European Commission said on Monday."BioNTech/ Pfizer will deliver 75 million of additional doses in the second quarter of the year – and up to 600 millions in total in 2021″, Ursula von der Leyen said in a Twitter post.‚Ä®On Sunday, the UK-based AstraZeneca also agreed to deliver 9 million more jabs to the bloc during the first three months of the year, making it 40 million doses for the period.‚Ä®This came as a sign…
(2021-02-01). Elderly will not be given AstraZeneca jab in Poland, vaccine chief says as concerns persist about lack of trial data. rt.com 
Poland has joined a list of countries, including Germany and France, who have questioned the efficacy of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine in elderly people, citing too little research involving people over the age of 55. | "If we are talking about the decision of the [Polish] medical council, we expect it in the coming days or possibly hours, but it is clear that elderly people will not be vaccinated with this shot," said Michal Dworczyk, the prime minister's top aide, who has been put in charge of vaccinations. | He added that a final decision on the issue would be made after the medical council had made its…
(2021-02-01). Israel rolls out vaccine with promising results. laprensalatina.com Jerusalem, Feb 1 (efe-epa).- With more than 30 percent of its population vaccinated in just a month and a half, Israel — which has the highest ratio of Covid-19 vaccinations per capita — is the world's testing ground for how effective coronavirus vaccines are, although experts are also urging caution because of the unprecedented speed …
(2021-02-01). Macron urges swifter European vaccine response after EU spat with AstraZeneca over Covid-19 jab supplies. rt.com 
Europe must act more quickly and efficiently in its Covid-19 vaccine rollout, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday after a week of turmoil in which the EU sparred with the UK and AstraZeneca over shortages. | "We are in a race against time against the virus," the French leader said in Paris, as he met with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. | We, as Europeans, need to be more efficient on this matter. I know this is also the intention of Chancellor [Angela] Merkel and [Commission] President [Ursula] Von Der Leyen. We will continue in the coming weeks and months to speed things up. | Last week ended…
(2021-02-01). Argentina extends anti-coronavirus measures amid slow vaccine rollout. laprensalatina.com Buenos Aires, Feb 1 (efe-epa).- Argentina on Monday extended a raft of measures aimed at combating the novel coronavirus, including the closure of its borders to international tourism. The move comes amid the nation's slower-than-projected Covid-19 vaccine rollout and concerns that the crisis will worsen with the onset of autumn in March. In a decision …
(2021-02-01). 'I don't really trust experts,' says New York Gov. Cuomo, as 9 health officials resign in protest over his Covid-19 'leadership'. rt.com 
A handful of top New York health officials have left their posts in protest over Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new report that adds another layer to the Democrat's many controversies. | Cuomo has made his position on health experts clear in recent days, even saying during a Friday press conference that he doesn't "really trust them." | "When I say 'experts' in air quotes, it sounds like I'm saying I don't really trust the experts," the governor said. "Because I don't." | The quote now looks especially bad in the context of a new report from the New York Times, deta…
(2021-02-01). Consecutive drop in new COVID-19 cases 'encouraging news': WHO. news.un.org The number of new COVID-19 cases globally has fallen for the third week in a row, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Monday, though urging countries not to let up efforts to defeat the disease.
(2021-02-01). India proposes to more than double health spending in new budget. laprensalatina.com New Delhi, Feb 1 (efe-epa).- India on Monday proposed to more than double its healthcare spending in its annual budget for 2021-22 with expectations to revive the economy that has been battered by the coronavirus pandemic. In her budget speech to the country's parliament, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed to remove caps on foreign investment …
(2021-02-01). Gambling Sponsorship of Football and Sport is Unhealthy — Ban it Now. sputniknews.com Listening to Good Morning Scotland this morning reminded me how rotten the gambling industry is and how cynical their involvement in sport is. An SNP MP, Ronnie Cowan, referred to the rise in gambling addictions and the related social problems across the UK and Scotland as another 'pandemic', and he is not wrong.
(2021-02-01). Navalny press secretary Yarmysh is latest associate put under house arrest, gets two months over alleged role in opposition protes. rt.com 
Kira Yarmysh, a close ally of imprisoned opposition figure Alexey Navalny, will be confined to her home until late March, a court ruled on Monday, amid a wave of restrictions aimed at the organizers of nationwide protests. | Moscow's Basmanny Court ordered the activist to remain under house arrest until March 23 while charges are prepared by prosecutors. A spokesman for the judges told RIA Novosti that investigators had requested the "preventative measure" because of allegations that Yarmysh was involved in "creating the threat of mass disease" after crowds gathered to demonstrate for Navalny's release earlier…
(2021-02-01). UK has offered vaccine to all nursing home residents, NHS says. laprensalatina.com London, Feb 1 (efe-epa).- British health authorities said Monday that seniors in more than 10,000 nursing homes have been offered the Pfizer/BioNTech or Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines. The National Health Service (NHS) have set a target of vaccinating 15 million people by February 15. On Saturday, 598,389 people were vaccinated across the UK, a record number for …
(2021-02-01). Vaccination and the Issue of "Voluntary Consent". The Rights of Individuals to Control their Bodies. globalresearch.ca All Global Research articles can be read in 27 languages by activating the "Translate Website" drop down menu on the top banner of our home page (Desktop version). | *** | "The Nuremberg Code explicitly rejects the moral argument that the creation …
(2021-02-01). WHO investigators visit disease control centers in Wuhan. laprensalatina.com Beijing, Feb 1 (efe-epa).- A team of global investigators on Monday visited two disease control centers in Hubei as part of a World Health Organization (WHO) probe to trace the potential source of origin of the coronavirus in the central Chinese province where the virus was detected first last year. The state-run CGTN broadcaster said …
(2021-02-01). Electronic Health Record Use by Sex Among Physicians in an Academic Health Care System. jamanetwork.com This cohort study examines the association of sex with electronic health record use among physicians and patient satisfaction.
(2021-02-01). Employee Wellness Programs. jamanetwork.com To the Editor We read the Original Investigation by Reif et al with interest. In this study, the authors conducted a randomized clinical trial to evaluate the association of a comprehensive employee wellness program with employee health outcomes, health beliefs, and medical use after 12 to 24 months. They found that there was no significant association with employee health, but that there was a significant increase in the proportion of employees who reported to have a primary care physician (PCP), and there was an improvement in employee beliefs about their own health. The conclusion from this study and others th…
(2021-02-01). The media falsely claims schools are safe: What the science actually says. wsws.org The Democratic Party, the bourgeois press and the CDC are peddling pseudo-science as part of the campaign to force teachers back into the classrooms.
(2021-02-01). Assessment of Electronic Health Record Use Between US and Non-US Health Systems. jamanetwork.com This cross-sectional study examines the use of electronic health record among physicians and other clinicians in ambulatory care facilities in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania.
(2021-02-01). Financial Presentation of Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias. jamanetwork.com This cohort study examines the financial presentation of Alzheimer disease and related dementia using administrative credit data.
(2021-02-01). JAMA Internal Medicine. jamanetwork.com Mission Statement: To promote the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health by publishing manuscripts of interest and relevance to internists practicing as generalists or as medical subspecialists.
(2021-02-01). CC-BY Open Access Added. jamanetwork.com In the Original Investigation titled "Thematic Analysis of the Health Records of a National Sample of US Veterans With Advanced Kidney Disease Evaluated for Transplant," published online November 23, 2020, CC-BY Open Access was added. This article has been corrected online.