(2021-05-08). Colombia's mass protests continue amid reported "disappearance" of 379 demonstrators. wsws.org Colombia's ruling class, backed by imperialism, is determined to force the working class to bear the entire cost of the COVID-19 pandemic.
(2021-05-08). Fiji government scrambles to contain COVID-19 outbreak. wsws.org The emergence and rapid spread of the Indian COVID-19 variant in the southwest Pacific further demonstrates how vulnerable the world remains to the pandemic.
(2021-05-08). Financialized Capitalism in India. dissidentvoice.org 
India — gripped by the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic — has been endlessly witnessing desperate scrambles for hospital beds, the dire need for oxygen and mass cremation. Amid all this, the stock market is booming. In fact, Mumbai Sensex has signaled that bullish trends have been on the rise. Over the year ending …
(2021-05-08). Thousands of Refugee Deaths Linked to EU's Illegal Expulsion: Report. orinocotribune.com Several European states used illegal operations to push back at least 40,000 refugees and asylum seekers from Europe's borders during the coronavirus pandemic, resulting in the death of over 2,000 people, a report has revealed. | The Guardian's probe, which is based on reports released by UN agencies, combined with a database of incidents collected by non-governmental organizations, describes the push-backs as "one of the biggest mass expulsions in decades." | "European countries, supported by EU's border agency Frontex, systematically pushed back refugees, including children fleeing from wars, in their thousands…
(2021-05-08). Indian medical staff indict Modi government, authorities for catastrophic mishandling of pandemic. wsws.org "A death due to oxygen shortages is not a coronavirus death but criminal social murder by the Modi government," an Indian doctor told the WSWS.
(2021-05-08). Sri Lanka: Stop the criminal mishandling of the pandemic! Lockdown the country with full compensation to those affected! wsws.org The Rajapakse government's criminal policies have led to a new deadly surge of the COVID-19 pandemic.
(2021-05-08). Why did the Biden administration reverse course on COVID vaccine patent waivers? liberationnews.org 
The Biden administration announced May 5 its support for waiving intellectual property (IP) rights for Coronavirus vaccines as the pandemic ravages countries around the world. This is a reversal of the administration's earlier position, as well as the stance that the U.S. government adopted under Trump. Western countries with high vaccination rates like the United …
(2021-05-08). 'Exhausted' doctors felt pressured to work extra shifts — survey. thecanary.co Thousands of NHS workers are experiencing "unacceptable levels of exhaustion", a health chief has warned, after a survey found some doctors worked extra unpaid shifts during the pandemic. | Over-worked: | The British Medical Association (BMA) said more than half of doctors (58%) surveyed in the UK had worked extra shifts as part of the coronavirus (Covid-19) response, of which 28% were unpaid. The BMA's Covid-19 tracker survey in April also revealed 44% of doctors felt pressured by their employer to work additional hours. | Of the 5,500 doctors who responded to the survey, more than a third (36%) said the…
(2021-05-08). COVID-19 daily death toll in Iran stands at 283. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 08 (MNA) — The coronavirus pandemic claimed 283 lives in Iran over the past 24 hours, the Health Ministry announced.
(2021-05-08). [Correspondence] Effective supply chain surveillance for PPE. thelancet.com Control of the COVID-19 pandemic has been hampered by reported shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other crucial supplies for health-care providers across the USA.1 A key impediment to increasing the supply to meet this demand is reliable data on nationwide needs.2 Reliable forecasting models could help provide information to more accurately scale PPE production, set expectations for health-care facilities on bidding and pricing, and enable appropriate deployment of resources, such as funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (2021).
(2021-05-08). WHO Says Up to 194 Members to Decide on Taiwanese Observership at World Health Assembly. sputniknews.com WASHINGTON, May 8 (Sputnik) – It is up to the 194 member states of the World Health Organization to decide on whether to extend an invitation to Taiwan to participate in the World Health Assembly, according to WHO.
(2021-05-08). [World Report] COVID-19 surge threatens health in the Gaza strip. thelancet.com A spike in cases is raising concerns over hospital beds, oxygen supplies, and mental health. Sharmila Devi reports.
(2021-05-08). Massacre In Kabul: At Least 40 Killed In Girl School Bombing (Video). southfront.org 
Screen grab from TOLO News video. | At least 40 people were killed on May 8 when three explosions rocked the Sayed ul Shuhada school to the west of the Afghan capital Kabul. | The first explosion was caused by a booby-trapped car. Later, two rockets landed near the school, which hosts mostly female students. | A spokesman for the Interior Ministry, Tariq Arian, said that 25 people were killed. However, Ghulam Dastagir Nazari, a spokesman for the Health Ministry, put the death toll at 46 people. Most of the victims…
(2021-05-08). New study doubles global COVID-19 death toll. wsws.org Nearly one million people have died from COVID-19 in the United States—and 6.93 million dead globally—according to a new study by Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.
(2021-05-08). Los Angeles teacher describes unsafe and intolerable working conditions. wsws.org LAUSD educators face not only unsafe conditions, but longer hours, increased workloads, requirements to get COVID-19 tests on their own time and added duties that they did not previously have to perform.
(2021-05-08). New York tri-state area to lift most COVID-19 restrictions May 19. wsws.org There is little distinguishing the Democratic governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut from their Republican counterparts like Florida's Ron DeSantis.
(2021-05-08). Children also face long-term effects of COVID-19. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Long-term effects of COVID-19 infection are affecting the health of some children and teens, as well as adults. While most children with COVID-19 infection have mild symptoms or have no symptoms at all, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says anyone who has had COVID-19 ? even if the illness was mild or if …
(2021-05-08). HEPA filter reduces airborne respiratory particles generated during exercise that can transmit viruses. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org ROCHESTER, Minn. — A pair of Mayo Clinic studies shed light on something that is typically difficult to see with the eye: respiratory aerosols. Such aerosol particles of varying sizes are a common component of breath, and they are a typical mode of transmission for respiratory viruses like COVID-19 to spread to other people and …
(2021-05-08). When bosses lie, workers die. zcomm.org More and more data shows that COVID transmission is happening not just at gatherings but at worksites…
(2021-05-08). Vaccination Drive Smooth Sailing Affair in Delhi Despite Fight for Slots to Register – Video. sputniknews.com After holding a series of meetings over India's response to record daily surges in Covid cases, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month announced the opening up of vaccination for everyone above age 18 from 1 May.
(2021-05-08). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Ramping up COVID-19 vaccination rate in race against virus. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org COVID-19 cases are falling in the U.S. because 245 million doses of one of the available COVID-19 vaccines have been administered, according to Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group. "But at the same time, there are still people who need more information about the safety and the value …
(2021-05-08). Mayo Clinic Q and A: Mammograms and COVID-19 vaccine. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org DEAR MAYO CLINIC: A friend of mine shared that she went for her annual mammogram last week. At the appointment, she was asked whether she had been vaccinated for COVID-19 and had experienced any changes in her breasts. I recently received my first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Although I feel fine, I'm wondering if there …
(2021-05-08). Mayo Clinic adds state-by-state vaccination rates, national trends to COVID-19 Resource Center. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org ROCHESTER, Minn. ? Mayo Clinic data scientists have added a vaccination tracker to Mayo's COVID-19 Resource Center, with state-by-state data and trends, so users can follow the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in all 50 states, compare progress on one- and two-shot vaccinations, and receive Mayo Clinic guidance on what the trends mean for summer travel and …
(2021-05-08). Beware of Covid PCR Testing and the Relentless "Vaccinate Vaccinate Vaccinate" Campaign. globalresearch.ca This therapy is untested. No substantial animal trials. In the few animal trials carried out, all animals died. Claiming an emergency, the FDA recognizes the gravity of the current public health emergency and has granted a so-called Emergency Use Application (EUA) for what effectively is a gene-therapy, not a vaccine.
(2021-05-08). What can the UN do to support India through its deadly COVID-19 surge? news.un.org The UN is at the forefront of efforts to help India extricate itself from the almost unimaginable scale of suffering its citizens are undergoing, as a result of a devastating wave of COVID-19 infections. Earlier this week, UN News spoke to the country chiefs based in India, for the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Children's Fund, to get their take on the crisis. Here are some key excerpts from the interviews.
(2021-05-08). When will COVID-19 vaccines be available for children? newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Anyone 16 and older is now approved to be vaccinated for COVID-19, but researchers hope to open up vaccinations for those under 16 soon. Clinical trials for the Pfizer vaccine with children ages 12-15 have shown promising results. "In the last month or so we have seen Pfizer release some really exciting data in the …
(2021-05-08). Iran to import large number of Chinese Covid-19 vaccines. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 08 (MNA) — Following the held talks between Iranian FM Zarif and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, Iran is to import a large number of Covid-19 vaccines from China.
(2021-05-08). "Covo-Pasteur", "Barakat" vaccine to hit market soon: Rouhani. en.mehrnews.com TEHRAN, May 08 (MNA) — Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that two domestically-produced COVID-19 vaccines, 'Covo-Pasteur' and 'Covo-Barakat', will hit the domestic market in very near future.
(2021-05-08). [Correspondence] UK guidelines for managing long-term effects of COVID-19. thelancet.com Robin Gorna and colleagues1 state that people with lived experience should have been involved in developing the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) guideline on managing the long-term effects of COVID-19. The expert advisory panel for developing the NICE—SIGN—RCGP guideline had 23 members who contributed substantial clinician and patient experience to discussions.2 Two stakeholder consultations were held and the guideline was adapted in response to feedback from patient-l…
(2021-05-08). [Editorial] India's COVID-19 emergency. thelancet.com The scenes of suffering in India are hard to comprehend. As of May 4, more than 20 ∑2 million cases of COVID-19 had been reported, with a rolling average of 378‚Äà000 cases a day, together with more than 222‚Äà000 deaths, which experts believe are likely to be substantial underestimates. Hospitals are overwhelmed, and health workers are exhausted and becoming infected. Social media is full of desperate people (doctors and the public) seeking medical oxygen, hospital beds, and other necessities. Yet before the second wave of cases of COVID-19 began to mount in early March, I…
(2021-05-08). [Correspondence] No-fault compensation schemes for COVID-19 medical products. thelancet.com No-fault compensation schemes for severe adverse events can help build confidence in vaccine safety after marketing.1 25 of the 194 WHO member states have implemented such no-fault vaccine injury compensation programmes.2 Although the USA is covering COVID-19 vaccine-associated adverse events with the US Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP) for the duration of the public health emergency declaration, the country is having challenging issues as CICP does not have the ease of access to, and levels of compensation provided by the US National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program available at normal times…
(2021-05-08). [World Report] Media restrictions have "cost lives" thelancet.com New figures show deteriorating press freedom in 2020, which health experts say will have hampered the COVID-19 response. Ed Holt reports.
(2021-05-08). Scheer Intelligence: The Ruling Class' Revenge Against Julian Assange. popularresistance.org The mistreatment of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange over the past decade has been defined as "psychological torture" by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Nils Melzer. Yet, there is still no real end in sight to Assange's promethean plight. Several months after a British judge blocked his extradition to the U.S.—citing that conditions in America's inhumane prison system would be detrimental to his health—the WikiLeaks founder continues to be held in a maximum security prison in the U.K. The U.S. government, first under Donald Trump's rule and now under Joe Biden's, is appealing the extradition rul…
(2021-05-08). War In Ukraine Is Not Over: Losses Reported By Both Sides (Map Update). southfront.org 
ILLUSRATIVE IMAGE: Forces of the Donetsk People's Republic | On May 8th, the official sources of National Militia of Donetsk People's Republic reported deaths of three of its soldiers. They were reportedly killed as a result of a mortar fire near the village of Styla, south of Donetsk."Militants of the 1st battalion of the 93rd brigade fired 82-mm mortars at the area of the locality of Styla. To preserve the life and health of the residents of the Republic, the People's Militia units were forced to return fire from weapons not prohibited by…
(2021-05-08). [World Report] Media restrictions have "cost lives" thelancet.com New figures show deteriorating press freedom in 2020, which health experts say will have hampered the COVID-19 response. Ed Holt reports.
(2021-05-08). Science Saturday: Researchers explore personalized approach to anti-obesity medications. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Individualized medicine initiatives mainly focus on rare diseases or cancer. Little has been attempted to individualize treatment for noncommunicable chronic diseases such as obesity — a chronic, relapsing disease, and a primary cause of Type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, cardiovascular disease and cancer. There are many obesity interventions, such as diets, devices, surgery and …
(2021-05-08). Exploring health care disparities in minority populations. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org In recognition of National Minority Health Month, a number of Mayo Clinic experts participated in a virtual Mayo Clinic media briefing to discuss health care disparities that affect racial and ethnic minority populations in the U.S. The experts addressed health education, early detection and control of disease complications. These are some of the topics discussed: …
(2021-05-08). Trial demonstrates early AI-guided detection of heart disease in routine practice. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org ROCHESTER, Minn. ? Heart disease can take a number of forms, but some types of heart disease, such as asymptomatic low ejection fraction, can be hard to recognize, especially in the early stages when treatment would be most effective. The ECG AI-Guided Screening for Low Ejection Fraction, or EAGLE, trial set out to determine whether …
(2021-05-08). Strange New Brain Disease Leaves Doctors in Canada Scratching Their Heads. sputniknews.com While researchers hunting for the cause of the new disease have already come up with several theories, one neurologist has pointed out that "nothing can be excluded" at this point.
(2021-05-08). [Correspondence] Dietary risk versus physical inactivity: a forced comparison with policy implications? — Authors' reply. thelancet.com Ding Ding and colleagues have raised several concerns regarding the disease burden estimates of low physical activity in our Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study.1 First, they point out the similarities between diet and physical activity and raise concern about the approach to define diet on the basis of its individual components, whereas physical activity was treated as a single construct. The rationale and criteria for selecting GBD risk factors have been described in detail elsewhere.2 Briefly, GBD defines diet on the basis of its individual components because evidence on health effects of diet mostly comes fr…
(2021-05-08). [Correspondence] Dietary risk versus physical inactivity: a forced comparison with policy implications? thelancet.com The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study1 has an ongoing commitment to global health. We respect the huge efforts of GBD researchers, but we are concerned about how the risk factor burden estimates inform the non-communicable disease prevention agenda. For example, diet and physical activity, which are both established components of healthy lifestyles, but the GBD estimated that deaths and disability-adjusted life-years attributable to physical inactivity are less than 10% of those attributable to diet (derived from figure 3 in the GBD study).
(2021-05-08). [Correspondence] Differences in modelled estimates of global dietary intake. thelancet.com Robust global dietary data are essential for understanding the risk of undernutrition, obesity, and diet-related non-communicable diseases, which contribute substantially to the global burden of disease.1 Two separate entities—the Global Dietary Database (GDD) and the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2017 Diet Collaborators2—have compiled global dietary and proxy data to model quantitative intakes for adults from nearly every country. The underlying data in the modelled estimates from GDD include 24-h recalls, food frequency and Demographic and Health Survey questionnaires, biomarkers, and household sur…
(2021-05-08). [Obituary] W Alwyn Lishman. thelancet.com First UK professor of neuropsychiatry. Born on May 16, 1931, in Houghton-le-Spring, UK, he died peacefully of Alzheimer's disease in Kent, UK, Jan 24, 2021, aged 89 years.
(2021-05-08). [Perspectives] Patrolling race and the UK's medical borders. thelancet.com In an age of globalisation, public health concerns have increasingly informed calls to manage national borders. Yet, the impulses and anxieties that have led politicians to tighten immigration controls arguably tell us as much about the politics of racialised exclusion as they do about medical crises. As such, unpicking the geopolitics of disease management can illuminate the construction of what medical historian John McKiernan-Gonzalez has termed "medical borders"—ie, the manifest ways in which medical knowledge, personnel, and practices have contributed to the governing of state borders.
(2021-05-08). Consumer Health: Considering a vaginal birth after a cesarean. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org If you've delivered a baby by cesarean section, or C-section, and you're pregnant again, you might be able to choose between scheduling a repeat C-section or a vaginal birth after cesarean. Many women are candidates for a vaginal birth after cesarean. Still, the choice to pursue a vaginal birth after cesarean or schedule a repeat C-section can …
(2021-05-08). Consumer Health: Dealing with arthritis pain. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org May is Arthritis Awareness Month, which makes this a good time to learn more about a condition that affects approximately 1 in 4 adults in the U.S., which is over 54.4 million men and women. The most common signs and symptoms of arthritis involve the joints. The two main types of arthritis — osteoarthritis and …
(2021-05-08). Consumer Health: Treating vaginal dryness after menopause. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Menopause is the time that marks the end of a woman's menstrual cycles. Menopause is a natural biological process, but in the months or years leading up to menopause, called perimenopause, the physical symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disruption and mood changes, can be challenging. Vaginal dryness, a result of the natural …
(2021-05-08). Consumer Health: What do you know about melanoma? newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, which makes this a good time to learn more about melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer. While melanoma accounts for only about 1% of skin cancers, it causes most skin cancer deaths, according to the American Cancer Society. Melanomas develop in the cells that produce melanin — the …
(2021-05-08). Mayo Clinic Minute: Lifestyle changes to manage menopause symptoms. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org The average healthy woman begins menopause at 51, though some women will begin in their 40s or in their late 50s. It's a natural biological process that marks the time a woman ends her menstrual cycle. Mood swings, hot flashes and difficulty sleeping are common symptoms that can be effectively managed with hormone therapy. Lifestyle …
(2021-05-08). Consumer Health: Relaxation for stress relief. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which makes this a good time to learn more about managing the stress in your life. Stress is an automatic physical, mental and emotional response to a challenging event. It's a normal part of everyone's life. When used positively, stress can lead to growth, action and change. But negative, …