All posts by nedhamson

Activist, writer, researcher, addicted to sharing information and facts.

Lebanon’s unfinished revolution: One year after protests, change has yet to come – Middle East matters

It’s been one year since anti-government protests broke out in Lebanon. They resulted in the resignation of the country’s Prime Minister Saad Hariri. However, the sectarian system of politics that protesters wanted changed remains intact today. Frustrations in the country came bubbling to the surface two months ago after a deadly blast rocked Beirut’s port. Since then, the political class has failed to form a government, and the people of Lebanon say they feel betrayed. Source: Lebanon’s unfinished revolution: One year after protests, change has yet to come – Middle East matters

Covid-19 News: Live Updates – The New York Times

In the past seven days, seven countries — Argentina, Brazil, Britain, France, India, Russia and the United States — have reported at least 100,000 new cases of the coronavirus, helping to push total cases worldwide to more than 40.7 million, according to a New York Times database.

In many cases, these countries are seeing numbers that are much higher than they were during the height of the pandemic in the spring. At that point most countries locked down, stopping movement and much interpersonal contact. Strategies have changed, and today local lockdowns are the way forward for most. There is more testing, giving a clearer picture of the pandemic. But the numbers continue to grow.

Over the past week in the United States, there have been 421,114 new cases, illustrating that the long-predicted fall wave of the virus is well underway. Midwestern and Rocky Mountain states are struggling to control major outbreaks. And the national trajectory is worsening by the day, as the cooler weather drives more people to stay indoors where the virus spreads easily. In some states, hospitals are almost full.

Beijing: What Life Looks Like in an (almost) COVID-Free Country – DER SPIEGEL

I benefit from the fact that Chinese have successfully brought the virus under control. We can now travel within the country, largely unhindered, a fact that allowed the Chinese to take 637 million trips as tourists during the fall holidays. The daycare centers and schools are open. When people want to party, they don’t hide in basements – they go to a club.

Here, in far away China, I can see how angry cookbook authors and the pop stars in Germany are claiming that some alleged coronavirus dictatorship is being imposed on the country. If that does exist, though, it’s more likely to be in the place where I’m living. And yet, the lack of freedom that COVID-19 has given us in China also allows us more freedom. That’s a paradox that takes some getting used to.

Source: Beijing: What Life Looks Like in an (almost) COVID-Free Country – DER SPIEGEL

Dogs detect coronavirus fast and reliably — why not use them everywhere? | Europe| News and current affairs from around the continent | DW | 21.10.2020

A dog can sniff a cloth wiped on a wrist or neck and immediately identify if it comes from someone who has contracted the virus as much as five days before any symptoms appear which would lead a person to go into isolation. “A dog could easily save so so, so many lives,” University of Helsinki veterinary researcher Anna Hielm-Bjorkman told DW, who says their testing has shown an accuracy level of nearly 100%. Source: Dogs detect coronavirus fast and reliably — why not use them everywhere? | Europe| News and current affairs from around the continent | DW | 21.10.2020

Limiting Coronavirus Spread Between Nursing Homes May Require Higher Pay And Better Mask For Workers: LAist

To make ends meet, Martha Tapia works 64 hours a week at two different Orange County nursing homes. She is one of the thousands of certified nursing assistants who perform the intimate and physical work of bathing, dressing and feeding the nation’s fragile elderly.

“We do everything for them. Everything you do for yourself, you have to do for the residents,” Tapia said.

And she’s also one of many in that relatively low-paid field, predominantly women of color, who move between facilities.

In March, when the coronavirus began racing through nursing homes the federal government banned visitors. But infections kept spreading. UCLA professors Keith Chen and Elisa Long decided to examine the people still entering nursing homes — the workers.

“The people who we can infer work in this nursing home, what other nursing homes do they work at?” Chen said.

Source: Limiting Coronavirus Spread Between Nursing Homes May Require Higher Pay And Better Mask For Workers: LAist

Russian health authorities launch inquiry following media reports of COVID-19 patients dying in Rostov-on-Don hospital due to lack of oxygen — Meduza

Russia’s federal healthcare watchdog, Roszdravnadzor, is carrying out an inquiry on behalf of the Health Ministry into the cause of death of 13 COVID-19 patients in a hospital in Rostov-on-Don, who, according to media reports, passed away due to a lack of medical oxygen. The news outlets 161.ru reported that on October 12, the coronavirus clinic in Rostov-on-Don’s City Hospital Number 20 was left without medical oxygen for some time due to supply issues. As a result, several patients who were hooked up to ventilators died. A hospital employee confirmed this information for 161.ru, as did an anonymous high-level source in the city’s healthcare system.

Source: Russian health authorities launch inquiry following media reports of COVID-19 patients dying in Rostov-on-Don hospital due to lack of oxygen — Meduza

In-person learning for all Boston Public Schools students being suspended

About 1,300 high-risk students have been attending class under a hybrid model, and another round of students were set to begin this week.

“As of today, we’re going to continue to pause our phased-in reopening plan. In addition the district will go fully remote for all students, including the high-needs students who have been in school since Oct. 1. Our school plan was designed to be a flexible plan so we can adjust to the changing reality of the pandemic and that’s what we’re doing here today,” Walsh said in a phone interview with WCVB, confirming the internal memo.

Boston Public School students will attend school remotely until the city sees a decrease in positive COVID-19 tests, the district said.

Source: In-person learning for all Boston Public Schools students being suspended

Department of Health Provides Update on COVID-19, 2,372 Two-Day Positives Bring Statewide Total to 183,315

The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., October 19, that there were 1,103 new cases, in addition to 1,269 new cases reported on Sunday, October 18 for a two-day total of 2,372 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 183,315.

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

  • Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
  • Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
  • Clean surfaces frequently.
  • Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
  • If you must go out, you are required to wear a mask when in a business or where it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing.
  • Download the COVID Alert PA app and make your phone part of the fight. The free app can be found in the Google Play StoreOpens In A New Window and the Apple App StoreOpens In A New Window by searching for “covid alert pa.

Source: Department of Health Provides Update on COVID-19, 2,372 Two-Day Positives Bring Statewide Total to 183,315