Category Archives: pandemic

Trump’s Claims that Antimalarials May Cure Coronavirus Is Now Leading to Deaths

Donald Trump, who is decidedly not a doctor and barely qualifies as a human, is now directly responsible for people’s deaths after he announced that the antimalarials chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine could potentially be used to treat covid-19.

— Read on jezebel.com/trumps-claims-that-antimalarials-may-cure-coronavirus-i-1842463182

Inoreader – The isolated tribes at risk of illness from Amazon missionaries

As evangelical Christians use their influence with Brazil’s government to cast their net ever wider, indigenous people vulnerable to common diseases face a growing threat A radical group of evangelical Christian missionaries set on converting every last tribe on Earth has raised fears that deadly diseases – and even the coronavirus – will spread in the Brazilian Amazon. The group has based its newly bought helicopter right beside a reserve with the world’s highest concentration of isolated indigenous groups, who have little resistance to common illnesses. There are more than 100 isolated indigenous groups in Brazil, all highly vulnerable to common diseases such as measles and flu, and 16 of them live in the same reserve in the Javari Valley, a vast, remote area the size of Austria. Covid-19 could wipe out any of them.

Source: Inoreader – The isolated tribes at risk of illness from Amazon missionaries

Trump signals change in coronavirus strategy that could clash with health experts | World news | The Guardian

Meanwhile health officials warned of a dire shortage of protective masks and growing pressure to increase available ventilators. Trump has resisted pleas by governors to fully use his powers under the Defense Production Act, which can compel companies to produce vital equipment. The surgeon general, Dr Jerome Adams, told NBC: “I want America to understand this week it’s going to get bad. We really need to come together as a nation … we really, really need everyone to stay at home.”

Source: Trump signals change in coronavirus strategy that could clash with health experts | World news | The Guardian

The Games Being Played While The Nation Suffers

via The Games Being Played While The Nation Suffers

It is encouraging that the Trump administration is now taking steps to respond to the economic damage, but from what has been disclosed, its plan is poorly designed. First and foremost, we have heard no discussion of the federal government taking a direct role in providing the resources needed to deal with the crisis.

This would mean, for example, having the Army Corps of Engineers establish emergency hospital facilities to house the large number of patients needing care. It would also mean increasing the supply of ventilators and other medical equipment, with the government prepared to work directly with factories here and elsewhere to remove obstacles to ramping up production.

Top Senate Democrat says coronavirus bill has ‘many problems’ – Reuters

“It included a large corporate bailout provision with no protections for workers and virtually no oversight,” Schumer said. “It also significantly cut back on the money our hospitals, our cities, our states, our medical workers and so many others needed during this crisis.”

Source: Top Senate Democrat says coronavirus bill has ‘many problems’ – Reuters

Avian Flu Diary: Italy: 5560 New COVID-19 Cases & 651 New Deaths

Today, for the first time in several days, we see a reduction in new cases and deaths over the previous day.  In fact, the number of new cases today (n=5560) is 1,000 fewer than was reported on Saturday, while the number of deaths (n=651) is 140 less.

Source: Avian Flu Diary: Italy: 5560 New COVID-19 Cases & 651 New Deaths