(Text-only) Your Health Page

Those who lose weight are advised

to eat ....no more than 25 g of

dark chocolate per day

by Anastasia Rumyantseva

February 25th, 2am

(RT.ru)

Lecturer at the Russian Biotechnological University,

(ROSBIOTECH University) Inga Belyaeva explained

in an interview with RT -- that almost any of the

existing diets.... involves a complete rejection

of sweets ------ but chocolate, can be useful

for weight loss.

"The main thing is to choose the right product and consume

it in reasonable quantities. Preference should be given to

dark chocolate, which contains a lot of natural cocoa

and little sugar. Such a product helps to reduce the

level of stress that occurs when following a diet:

it stimulates the release of endorphin and

serotonin -- and neutralizes the effect

of cortisol --- thereby, preventing

overeating," the expert said.

According to her, cocoa butter.... which is part of

chocolate, is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids.

"They speed up your metabolism and fat burning.

And even a small piece of dark chocolate can

effectively - satisfy your hunger. The fibre in

this product creates a long-lasting feeling

of satiety," the expert said.

Modern dietetics recommends using no more
than 25 grams of dark chocolate per day,
when reducing weight, Belyaeva noted.

"This is a quarter of a 100-gram tile, six pieces.

This portion contains about 155 kcal. The use

of white and milk chocolate can be harmful

- as it does not contain at all, or contains

very little, cocoa, but a lot of sugar,

animal fat, and sometimes other

additives," she concluded.

____________________________

Taking care of yourself

February 20th, 6:01pm

(Lenta.ru)

The doctor explained the reasons for the

appearance of an unpleasant symptom

of menopause

Hot flushes in menopause appear -- due to fluctuations

in the level of estrogens, directly related to the work

of neurotransmitters, explained obstetrician-

gynecologist, Ekaterina Volkova.

The doctor explained the reasons.... why

this unpleasant symptom occurs during

menopause in her Telegram channel.

According to Volkova, most women learn about

menopause by the absence of menstruation,

and many of them - face hot flushes. The

doctor noted, that everyone feels this

symptom differently.

Hot flushes can ferl like a feeling of warmth,

especially in the upper body and not even

accompanied by heavy sweating. And...

they can be a real attack with sweat,

fever and tachycardia.

The obstetrician-gynecologist, Ekaterina Volkova,

clarified that the occurrence of hot flushes is

associated with a lack of estrogen.

She explained, that this hormone is

important --- for the functioning

of neurotransmitters, which

transmit information from

the body to the central

nervous system.

If there are no estrogens, then the information is

transmitted incorrectly. "You don't overheat,

but in the centre you "hear" ....that it is

time to cool down," the doctor said.

Earlier, Volkova named five vitamins for

women over 40 years old. Among

others..... she recommended

taking vitamins A and B.

______________________________

Study:

Exercise can help ease pain

for people with cancer

February 17th, 8:16am

(Prensa Latina)

Engaging in intense exercise might not be the first thing

that people fighting cancer think to do ---- but a new

study by Trusted Source, reports that a workout

can help ease cancer-related pain.

“It may feel counterintuitive to some, but physical activity

is an effective, non-pharmacologic option... for reducing

many types of pain,” said Dr. Erika Rees-Punia, a study

senior author & the American Cancer Society’s senior

principal scientist for epidemiology and behavioral

research, in a press statement.

“As our study suggests, this may include

pain associated with cancer and

its treatments.”

In the study published in the journal Cancer, Rees-Punia

and Dr. Christopher T.V. Swain, first study author and a

fellow at the University of Melbourne in Australia,

looked at 10,651 adults with a past cancer

diagnosis and 51,439 adults without

a history of cancer.

Participants were asked to rate their average pain level

from 0 to 10, with 0 being no pain and 10 being the

worst pain imaginable. They also were queried

about their engagement in exercise.

The researchers reported that more physical activity

was associated with lower pain intensity, whether

or not individuals had a history of cancer.

Among those with a past cancer diagnosis, those

exceeding the physical activity guidelines

established by the U.S. government —

getting 150 to 300 minutes a week

of moderate-intensity exercise, or

75 to 150 minutes per week of

vigorous - intensity aerobic

physical activity ----- were

16% less likely.. to report

moderate-to-severe pain

compared to those who

exercised less.

Less pain also was reported by those who were

consistently active or became active as older

adults compared to those who remained

inactive, the researchers said.

“Cancer pain can be debilitating and most patients

in palliative care, often require opioid-based pain

medications like morphine, just to get by,” Dr.

Ryan Peterson --- a pain medicine specialist

and anesthesiologist at NuView Treatment

Center, a Los Angeles-based addiction

treatment program, told Medical

News Today.

''While pharmacological interventions are good,

I recommend non-pharmacologic therapies

such as gradual exercise, as tolerable

when possible ------ so as to prevent

muscle atrophy and further pain.''

''Exercise is also known to aid in the release of

endorphins ---- which may be helpful in pain

alleviation and tolerance,” said Peterson,

who was not involved in the study.

_____________________________________

The doctor named ways to reduce

the daily consumption of sweets

February 5th, 2:13pm

(Izvestia.ru)

Regular exercise and the use of sugar substitutes will help

reduce your daily intake of sweets. This was announced

on Monday, February 5, by the endocrinologist of

Meditsina JSC (Academician Roitberg Clinic)

Natalia Tananakina.

"It is possible to get hooked on sweets because of their

ability to cause a person to feel pleasure and stimulate

the pleasure centres in the brain. Giving up on this can

be difficult because of the possible development of

physiological dependence, as well as

psychological habits," the doctor

shared with RIAMO.

According to her, the difference in the use of natural sugar

and sweeteners lies in their metabolic effects. The first

product is high in calories, it increases the level of

glucose in the blood, while the sweetener has

zero calories.

The specialist emphasized that it is impossible to

completely switch to substitutes, since using

them in large quantities can have a negative

impact on health.

Earlier, in December, the surgeon, oncourologist Mark

Gadziyan, said that the most harmful products are

sugar and salt. He explained - that an excess of

salt in the body can cause blood clots to form

in the blood vessels, as well as a decrease

in testosterone levels and an increase

in blood pressure.

Sugar is also dangerous, as it negatively affects the

suppression of insulin production and leads to fat

deposition in the abdominal organs.

__________________________________________

High blood omega-3 levels

linked to lower risk of

Alzheimer’s disease

February 3rd 1:28pm

(Prensa Latina)

Having high levels of omega-3 in the blood is associated

with a lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease,

according to a study co-led by the Hospital del

Mar Research Institute and published in

the journal Nutrients.

This is the study with the largest number of participants in

this field to date, analyzing data from 260,000 people from

the UK Biobank database. Researchers from the Fatty

Acid Resarch Institute of the United States and
the CIBER de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y

Nutrición (CIBEROBN) have participated

in the study.

The authors of the study, have been able to access the

blood metabolite profile of individuals included in the

UK database. As well as examining the associations

by different types of omega-3, being able to work

with such a large number of participants has

made it possible to include younger

population groups - than those

traditionally studied.

Thus, they have divided the participants into volunteers

aged 40 to 50 years, 50 to 60 years and over 60 years.

They have also been able to relate this information

to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease or other

dementias, as distinct entities.

As Dr. Aleix Sala-Vila, a researcher in the Cardiovascular

Risk and Nutrition Research Group at the Hospital del

Mar Research Institute, explains, “it has helped us to

study whether having high levels of omega-3 at age

50 can help prevent the onset of dementia many

years later”.

The study has taken into account the age, sex, level

of schooling of the participants and the genetic

characteristics associated with an increased

risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

The conclusions indicate that “high levels of omega-3 are

associated with lower risk for all age groups, for men
and women and for both diseases, but the strongest

associations, are found in men, in people over

60 years of age, and for dementias other

than Alzheimer’s disease,” explains

the lead author of the study.

At the same time, the associations are also particularly

beneficial for omega-3s other than DHA (docosa-

hexaenoic acid). This omega-3... is provided by

oily fish, and, therefore, the study “reinforces

the idea that there are some foods, which

do not have to be fish, such as walnuts,

that could be beneficial for brain

health,” says Dr. Sala-Vila.

___________________________________

Report: Progress on Cancer Survival

in UK -------- at Slowest in 50 Years

February 3rd, 10:25am (FNA)

Progress on cancer survival in the UK has slowed to its

lowest rate in 50 years, a report found ----- with experts

blaming the impact of austerity on the nation’s health.

The study - by researchers at the London School of Hygiene

and Tropical Medicine, commissioned by Cancer Research

UK, projects there will be half a million new cancer cases

each year in the UK by 2040, The Guardian reported.

The report says nearly half of all patients (49.8%) now

survive cancer for at least 10 years. But the rate of

progress in improving prognosis slowed markedly

after 2010 -- rising by an average of 0.6% a year

between 2011 and 2018. In previous decades,

10-year survival rose by 1.5%-2.7% a year.

Figures from WHO’s cancer arm, the International Agency

for Research on Cancer, have suggested global cancer

cases will rise by more than 75% by 2050 --- due to a

combination of factors including tobacco use,

alcohol consumption and obesity.

Mark Lawler --- a professor of digital health at Queen’s

University Belfast and the chair of Lancet Oncology’s

European Groundshot cancer commission, said the

slow improvement in 10-year cancer survival as

detailed in Cancer Research UK’s study

made for startling reading.

“Good health and austerity do not mix, leading to less

resources being focused on cancer prevention and

treatment. And the bad news is it’s not going to

get any better soon, as the impact of COVID

and national lockdowns has set back

survival for certain cancers like

bowel by almost a decade,”

he said.

“Inexplicably, this is the very time that the government has

moved away from a national cancer strategy to a major

conditions strategy, going against international best

practice,” he added.

John Ashton, a former president of the UK Faculty of

Public Health, said public health budgets meant

cancer prevention --- is increasingly difficult.

“The agenda for preventing cancer is about smoking

cessation, healthy weight, less alcohol --- and a

healthy diet. Public health teams don’t really

have the resources to get upstream of the

prevention side of cancer. [Coupled with

pressures on GP practices and the

wider NHS] the picture is gloomy

from a prevention point of view

...from an early intervention

point of view -- and from a

treatment point of view,”

he added.

Jon Shelton, the head of cancer intelligence at Cancer

Research UK, said, “Cancer survival is not improving

quickly enough. People are waiting far too long for

diagnosis and to start treatment, with cancer

waiting time targets consistently being

missed. And we need to prevent

more cancers."

Dr Cary Adams, the head of the Union for International
Cancer Control, said, “Despite the progress that has

been made in the early detection of cancers and

the treatment and care of cancer patients ---

significant disparities in cancer treatment

outcomes exist not only between high-

and low-income regions of the world,

but also within countries."

“Where someone lives should not determine whether they

live. Tools exist to enable governments to prioritise

cancer care and to ensure that everyone has

access to affordable, quality services. This

is not just a resource issue but a matter

of political will,” Adams added.

______________________________

The doctor told - how

to support immunity

in winter

by Evgeny Odintsovo

January 5th, 8:55pm

(Gazeta.ru)

Doctor Turtleneck recommended eating
garlic and ginger in winter for immunity

In winter, the immune system plays a special role in

maintaining health, as cold temperatures and

viruses can have a negative impact on the

body. About this in "Newspaper.En" said

Angelina Vodolazkaya, a nutritionist

and endocrinologist at Biogena.

"Without enough UV light, the active form of vitamin D3

is no longer produced in the skin — it regulates fat

metabolism, helping to maintain a normal weight,

and ensures the health of the skin, hair, and

nails," she explained.

The doctor has identified several products that

support our health and mood - even in the

cold season.

"Vegetables are the main suppliers of dietary fibre,

thanks to which cholesterol is removed from the

body and the gastrointestinal tract functions.

One of these vegetables is spinach. It is a

source of vitamin C, and spinach also

contains beta-carotene and anti-

oxidants that help strengthen

the immune system," the

expert added.

The next important product needed in winter,

is garlic.

"It has powerful antiviral and antibacterial properties.

Garlic can help reduce the risk of colds and flu and

boost the immune system. Ginger, a product that

can be added to tea or used in the preparation

of various dishes, also has anti-inflammatory

properties. It lowers cholesterol levels,

which protects us from heart disease.

In addition, ginger, is good for the

brain ---- it improves memory and

concentration ---- and also helps

in the prevention of Alzheimer's

disease," the doctor stressed.

Vodolazka noted that it is important to use these products

in combination with a varied and balanced diet in order to

get all the necessary nutrients to maintain health and

immunity in winter.

___________________________________

How to avoid the negative health

consequences..... of overeating

January 3rd, 8:47am (DAN)

The Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer

Rights Protection and Human Welfare has

compiled recommendations in case of

overeating. They include

four main tips.

It is noted that to improve the functioning of the digestive

system and relieve stress from the body... you should

drink more water. To reduce discomfort --- you can

perform simple physical exercises, or stretching,

take a walk. It is useful to arrange a fasting day

to give the stomach a break from digesting and

assimilating food.

After overeating, you should return to healthy eating habits,

in particular, eat more vegetables, fruits and protein, and

less food --- with a high content of sugar and fat.

_________________________________________________

Report: Expired Pfizer COVID

Antiviral Drugs Set to Cost

Europe $2.2bln

January 1st 2024, 4:22pm (FNA)

More than a billion dollars worth of Pfizer’s COVID-19

antiviral drugs procured in Europe have been wasted,

according to health data, as tight controls over who

can receive the medication left millions of doses

unused before their expiry date.

Paxlovid — designed to be given to patients shortly after

they test positive for the virus — has been far easier to

obtain in the US than in Europe, where access has

often been restricted to the elderly, or people at

high risk of developing severe COVID-19, The

Financial Times reported.

But data from analytics group Airfinity, shows European

countries --- including the UK, France, Spain and Italy

could have made the medication more accessible

without using up supplies, as more than 1.5mln

5-day courses of the pill worth about $1.1bln

have expired despite their use dates being

extended ------- by six to 12 months.

By the end of February 2024, a total of about 3.1mln

courses are set to expire, pushing the cost to

European health systems to about $2.2bln,

according to Airfinity. The data does not

include contracts that were EU-wide.

There have also been concerns, over how Paxlovid

interacts with other common medications, which

restricts how often it can be prescribed.

The European country with the biggest expiry rate is the

UK, where an estimated 1mln doses worth $700mln

were out of date - by early December, the data

shows. Another 550,000 doses are expected

to expire in February, with a further

650,000 by the end of June.

In December 2021, at the height of the Omicron wave,

the UK agreed to buy 2.75mln courses of Paxlovid.

The country’s National Institute for Health and

Care Excellence, the public health body...

recommends the drug be used - only for

people with serious underlying health

conditions such as cancer and HIV

or recipients of transplants.

The UK health and social care department said more

courses had been used, without offering its own

data. A spokesperson, said the government

had “acted fast to secure enough stock

of antivirals” at a time of “high

global demand”.

The restrictions have been less stringent in other

European countries... with elderly citizens and

people with more common risk factors such

as diabetes and obesity able to obtain the

drug. Yet more than 200,000 Paxlovid

courses expired before they could be

used in Spain and about 100,000

each went out of date in

France and Italy.

Even in the US — the largest market for COVID outpatient

treatments — demand for COVID antivirals has fallen,

tracking the reduced burden of COVID and a drop

in testing for the virus.

About 5.3mln courses were prescribed in the US this year,

24 percent down on 2022. The US government arranged

with Pfizer, to return 7.9mln Paxlovid courses at the

end of 2023, at an estimated cost to the company

of $4.2bln.

___________________________________________________

Taking care - of yourself

December 18th, 3:03pm

(Lenta.ru)

The doctor revealed a non-obvious sign of severe stress.

With chronic stress, a person can have a so-called

psychogenic cough --- said neurologist Marina

Anikina. A non-obvious sign - of a strong

nervous strain and its difference from

a cough caused by a cold, she

explained, in an interview

with Sputnik radio.

After a respiratory infection, the doctor specified, two

weeks are enough... for the cough caused by a cold

to fade. A prolonged cough, she explained, can

start with chronic stress and a sense of

global danger.

"First ---- the presence of a pronounced anxiety disorder

increases the likelihood that the cough is psychogenic

in nature. Secondly, such a cough has its own

frequency ---- it occurs during an emotional

conversation or some kind of traumatic

situation ---- but it is not present at

night," Anikina explained.

If you have a prolonged cough, she continued, you need

to consult with a number of specialists and undergo a

serious examination.

Anikina advised to do a chest X-ray, pass blood

tests prescribed by the therapist, and consult

an oto-laryngologist, an allergist, and a

gastro-enterologist.

_____________________________________

Doctor Bolibok talked about ways

------- to combat whooping cough

by Anastasia Belousova

December 13th, 9:24pm

(RT.ru)

Allergist-immunologist Vladimir Bolibok in an interview

with RT spoke about ways to combat whooping cough

.....and outbreaks of diseases in schools.

"The most radical method is not to take your child to school.

Go to quarantine in advance. Especially if the child is often

ill. There is probably no other method that guarantees

not to get infected," the doctor noted.

He also added that whooping cough

----- is a controlled infection.

"We need to raise the documents and see if the child has

been vaccinated or not. According to the vaccination

calendar, you need to repeat this vaccination. Our

immune system is weakened. There are many

migrant children who are not vaccinated at

all. Accordingly, whooping cough is

spreading. The particular danger

is not so much the microbe

itself but the toxin that it

spreads," Bolibok said.

The doctor said that whooping cough is especially

dangerous for children under four years of age.

"Mostly unvaccinated children under

the age of two --- die," he stressed.

_____________________________________

Russian Defense Ministry has hard proof

US conducted pre-pandemic

Coronavirus research

December 11th, 4:34pm (TASS)

The Russian Defense Ministry has obtained documents that

indicate the US carried out coronavirus research between

2016 and 2020, Chief of Russia’s Nuclear, Chemical and

Biological Protection Troops, Lieutenant-General Igor

Kirillov, said on Monday.

"I would like to remind you - that it was four years ago, in

December 2019, that the first patients infected with the

COVID-19 virus were identified," Kirillov stated. "By a

'curious coincidence' -- the pandemic was preceded

by a series of research projects on the systematic

study of coronaviruses funded by the

US Government."

"Thus, since 2009, the United States Agency for

International Development (USAID) has

implemented the Predict Program to

study coronavirus diseases - and

capture their vectors," Russia’s

military official continued.

"According to the reporting documents available to us for

the Project 'Assessing Risk of Emerging Infections from

Insectivorous Bats in Ukraine and Georgia,'

coronavirus studies were conducted

in 2016-2020."

"The report notes '... that during the work in Ukraine, bats

were identified that migrate up to 800 km deep into

countries such as Hungary and Russia...'"

Kirillov said.

According to him, it was suspicious, that scientists who

were experts in the field of bioinformatics participated

in the research on coronavirus strains, although they

were tasked to study genomes of the

detected disease.

"It is also worth noting that the research involved

bioinformatics specialists whose work included

editing and combining the genomes of

identified pathogens, i.e. research

traditionally associated with

improving the functions of

dangerous viruses,"

Kirillov said.

Russia’s senior military official also noted that the US

medical establishment’s preparedness for the COVID

outbreak points to an alleged deal between "various

U.S. government agencies & so-called Big Pharma."

"It is, also, difficult to explain the high level of preparedness

of US mRNA vaccine manufacturers for the pandemic of a

new coronavirus infection," Kirillov stated. "This suggests

collusion between various U.S. government agencies and

so-called Big Pharma."

"The spread of the new coronavirus infection ---- has led to a

significant increase in the profits of biotech companies that

produce vaccines and drugs against coronaviruses, as well

as increased the dependence of developing countries on

the United States - and created the conditions for the

continued implementation of dual-use programs,"

Kirillov said.

According to the latest statistics provided by Worldometer

online stats counter --- over 699,232 million people have

been infected worldwide with COVID-19 since 2020

while the global death toll currently stands at

over 6,954.100 million.

________________________________________

The nutritionist listed the most

useful products for the brain

December 10th, 2:45am

(Izvestia.ru)

Nutritionist Rusakova named foods that

affect human cognitive functions.

Nuts, dairy products, and fish are the most brain-healthy

foods. On December 9, a nutritionist, Candidate of

Medical Sciences Daria Rusakova told Regnum

news agency about this.

"If a person is concerned about the state of his brain, then

he should focus on fish, dairy products, as well as various

nuts and seeds," Rusakova said.

In addition, the doctor named products that negatively

affect the functioning of the brain. Sausage products

and bacon ----- are dangerous.

According to Rusakova, sausage products are indeed

subjected to processing that causes a carcinogenic

effect. Moreover, they contain excessive amounts

of salt, cholesterol and various additives, which

makes this product not very useful not only for

the brain, but also for the entire body

as a whole.

The doctor warned -- that excessive consumption of

cholesterol-containing products leads to disorders

of the cardiovascular system, impaired blood

supply and brain function. In addition,

processed red meat --- can trigger

cancer of the gastrointestinal

tract, liver and other organs.

Which foods improve mental performance:

doctors told how fish, nuts & vegetables

slow down the aging of cells.

Earlier, on December 8, doctor Tikhomirova also

listed harmful products for the brain. Among

them, are alcohol, margarine and fast food.

__________________________________

Physical exercise
improves sleep
quality

December 4th, 12:40pm

(Prensa Latina)

Poor sleep can reduce cognitive performance, attention

span, judgment and the emotional state of people, but

by opting for physical exercises the quality of sleep

improves, a specialized source revealed toda

According to the journal Physiology and
Behaviour, cardiovascular diseases,
obesity, neuro-degenerative
disorders and depression
- conspire against.....
optimal rest.

Scientists found that 20 minutes of moderate exercise

can compensate for a poor night’s sleep.

Cognitive performance improves during a session of
moderate-intensity physical activity, regardless of

a person’s sleep status or oxygen levels.

“One possible hypothesis why exercise improves cognitive

performance is related to increased cerebral blood flow

and oxygenation, however, our findings suggest that

even when exercising in an environment with low

oxygen levels, participants were still able to

perform cognitive tasks better than when

at rest under the same conditions,”
the experts argued.

Scientists with this study reinforced the thesis that

movement ------- is medicine for the body and brain.

______________________________________

A Healthy diet extends

your life - by ten years

November 28th, 9:30pm

(Lenta.ru)

An international team of scientists has found that switching

from a typical Western diet to a healthier lifestyle can

extend the life of the average middle-aged person

by 10 years. The results of the research are

published in the journal Nature Food.

The researchers analyzed data from 467,354 participants in

the UK Biobank long-term study aged 40 to 69 years, which

examines the impact of genetic predisposition and

environmental exposure on the development of

diseases in humans. To learn more about
the impact of eating behaviours on life

expectancy, researchers grouped

people by their eating patterns

..tracking how they changed

over the years.

Comparing people who switched from an unhealthy diet to a

healthy one with participants who were still living the same

lifestyle, experts found that in the first case, life

expectancy increases by an average of

several years.

In particular, middle-aged people who switched from an

unhealthy diet to a healthy one and followed this

regime, extended their lives by an average of

almost ten years. Moving at a later age,

also added extra years of life,

but not by as much.

The results show that a diet associated with longevity

involves the moderate consumption of whole grains,

fruits, fish, and white meat; a high consumption of

milk and dairy products, vegetables, nuts, and

legumes; relatively low consumption of eggs,

red meat, and sweetened beverages; and

low consumption of refined grains and

processed meat.

The strongest positive association with mortality

was found for sweetened beverages and

processed meat, while the strongest

inverse association was found for

whole grains and nuts.

______________________________

The doctor named ----- the main

symptoms of iodine deficiency

November 25th, 9:20pm

(Lenta.ru)

Cardiologist Chugunnikova: main symptom of iodine
deficiency ---- the appearance of a goiter.

Cardiologist "Invitro-Ural" Anna Chugunnikova: one of

the main indicators of iodine deficiency in the body

is the occurrence of a goiter - an increase in the

size of the thyroid gland.

"In most cases, in conditions of mild and moderate iodine

deficiency, the pathology is formed imperceptibl.., with
goiter of a small size. In conditions of severe iodine

deficiency ---- goiter can reach huge sizes... and

be accompanied... by difficulty swallowing

and breathing, discomfort in the neck,

and a hoarseness of the voice,"
the specialist said.

A long-term lack of iodine.. leads to the development of

pathologies caused by a violation of the production of

thyroid hormones: a decrease in the functions of the

nervous system: a constant feeling of fatigue,

drowsiness..... and a decreased memory,

performance, and attention.

Iodine deficiency also leads to a violation of the metabolism

of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, impaired functioning of

the cardiovascular system (increased or slower heart rate,

heart failure, fluctuations in blood pressure, shortness of

breath), and reproductive function disorders, including

menstrual disorders, and infertility.

It is especially important to monitor the level of iodine for

pregnant women, as it affects not only her health, but

also the development of the unborn child, the

doctor explained.

___________________________________________

Named: simple effective means

--- to rid the apartment of mold

November 23rd, 4:52pm

(Lenta.ru)

You can fight mold in the house without using household

chemicals. Remove black plaque by using a simple

remedy based on vinegar. Folk recipes are

revealed.... by "BelNovosti".

For the solution, you will need water and table vinegar in

a one-to-one ratio. The concentrate is sprayed on the

mildewed area... and then wiped with a napkin or

brush. It is particularly noted that the product

is not suitable for surfaces made of natural

stone and wood.

Tea tree oil has also proven its effectiveness. For a single

treatment, the solution is prepared.. in the ratio of five to

seven drops of oil, per tablespoon of water. In advanced

cases — one teaspoon of oil per 200 millilitres of water.

Before the procedure, you must first remove mold from the

surface. This product will not only eliminate mold, but

also fill the house with a pleasant aroma.

The fungus likes to settle in places where moisture

accumulates: in cold weather, condensation often

collects on window frames and slopes. Having

decided to get rid of mold once and for all,

you must first eliminate the cause of its

appearance. It is also necessary to

regularly ventilate the premises

and monitor the humidity in
the house.

Experts of the publication remind that folk remedies do

not guarantee the complete disappearance of mold.

Earlier, Russians named cheap means to eliminate

fungus --- in the bathroom. Products based on

sodium hydrochloride, whiten the surface

well --- and kill mold.

____________________________

The dentist spoke about the dangers

of children's habit - of chewing

pencils and pens

by Roman Polosikov

November 22nd, 11:58am

(RT.ru)

TO SHARE

At an early age... many children often begin to chew pens

and pencils, but this habit can adversely affect not only

the teeth and gums, but also the development of the

jaw. This was told by the dentist Yulia

Zhuchkovskaya in an interview

with Gazeta.Ru.

"If you chew something constantly, then cracks appear on

the enamel, and the teeth become more sensitive and

can react to cold and hot food --- or even just

to cold air," Zhuchkovskaya added.

Dentist Elena Dunaeva urged not to ignore toothache and

immediately contact specialists. The earlier a person

goes to the dentist, the greater the chance to avoid

serious consequences.

__________________________________

The doctor spoke about ----- the dangers

of low-quality snacks and canned food

November 21st, 10:02pm

(Izvestia.ru)

Larisa Gabdulkhakova, a nutritionist, explained to Izvestia

whether low-quality, falsified and expired canned food,

sauces and snacks can be dangerous and whether

there is a need to label such products.

Snacks are not the most healthy food, because most snacks

contain dyes, preservatives, and harmful sweeteners, the

expert explained. At the same time, according to her,

there are exceptions: if the composition is "clean",

then there is less harm to the body.

"There are chips made from a prepared mixture ---
(starch, stabilizers, flavour enhancers, colorants)
& others from real potatoes with natural spices.
The difference between these products ---- is

huge for health," said the nutritionist.

But finding healthy chips or bread rolls can be quite

problematic. In some cases --- the product list is

printed in small print, and it is rarely possible

to understand it.

The expert noted that the shelf life of the product is

important, and it is not necessary to use products

even with a long shelf life — such as snacks —

after its expiration.

At the same time, the doctor said that poor-quality

and expired canned food ---- can cause serious

damage to health.

"If it's a jar with a lid on, then you need to look at the lid.

If it is swollen or damaged, it is not recommended to

buy it. It is generally better not to buy canned food

from your hands, because they are made at home.''

''A person can get sick with dangerous intestinal

infections, and pathogens can get into canned

food. This also applies to botulism — if poorly

preserved, the risk of getting sick, is also

high," Gabdulkhakova explained.

According to the expert, it is impossible to blame stores

for selling low-quality canned food: if there is a fake,

claims should be made to the manufacturer.

"If it is improperly preserved, the technology is disrupted,

then harmful bacteria, fungi, or toxins, can multiply in

canned food. This is a large toxic load on the body,

which can lead to serious health problems - and

death. Children's fragile bodies, of course, are

the most sensitive," the doctor warns.

There are not so many cases of canned food poisoning,

Gabdulkhakova added. But there is also falsification.

At the same time, in Russia, specialists, including

those from Roskachestvo, conduct random

inspections of canned food.

Speaking about sauces, the expert noted that in

this category of goods, there is a problem of

low-quality products.

"For example, often instead of tomatoes in ketchup

is put applesauce, sugar and dyes. Sauces.. are a

liquid product, and the lid can be depressurized
and it is usually stored on shelves in the store

and not in their refrigerators.''

''This can lead to the development of various bacteria

and molds in the sauce ---- which can provoke
poisoning," Gabdulkhakova explained.

______________________________

Mediterranean diet --- improves

brain function in older adults

November 20th, 5:03pm

(Lenta.ru)

A team of researchers from the University of Barcelona and

the University of California has found that a Mediterranean

diet can improve brain function in older adults, reducing

the risk of cognitive decline. The results of the study

are published in the journal Molecular Nutrition and

Food Research (MNFR). A brief overview is

provided by Medical Xpress.

The study involved 840 undiagnosed dementia patients

over the age of 65, who were followed up for 12 years.

Blood serum and gut microbiome samples were collected

from the subjects and then analyzed for biomarkers. By

identifying a specific indicator associated with a group

of products included in the Mediterranean diet,

experts assessed its association with

cognitive impairment.

The results showed that following a Mediterranean diet

formed a long-term protective effect against cognitive

decline in older adults. The findings are also

consistent with previous studies.

In September, researchers at Flinders University concluded

that the Mediterranean diet has a beneficial effect on the

gut microbiome, increasing the number of beneficial

bacteria in the gut.

__________________________________

Image: Marijuana consumers have high levels of metals in their bloodstream September 2nd, 10:13am (Prensa Latina) A study by the Columbia University School of Public Health in the United States, detected significant levels of metals in the blood and urin

Image: A berry that improves cognitive abilities is named July 23rd, 11:45pm (Izvestia.ru) Researchers at King's College London have found that eating blueberries has a positive effect on the brain and blood vessels of older people. The results were publis

New --- targeted method of

cancer therapy developed

July 6th, 12:11pm

(Lenta.ru)

Scientists from the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced

Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences

have developed a targeted cancer therapy

method. The findings... are published in
the journal Nature Communications.

The development, is a technology of a new type of acoustic

tweezers, which allows you to move the target object using

an acoustic wave. Thanks to their high tissue permeability

and powerful impact, such tweezers have become much

more effective than optical and magnetic tweezers in

destroying cancer cells.

Chinese specialists have created holographic acoustic

tweezers with a phased array (PAHAT). They are

based on a high-density planar matrix

transducer, that generates three-

dimensional acoustic waves.

The researchers were able to precisely control the bacteria

that destroy cancer cells, so that they reach the lesion

site in accordance with a pre-planned plan. As a

the technology effectively slowed down the

growth of the tumor.

_________________________________

Vitamin D supplements

recommended against

heart attacks

by Alina Ramos Martin

June 29th, 2:50pm

(Prensa Latina)

The risk of suffering a heart attack decreases

when vitamin D supplements are consumed,

a specialized source informed.

According to the journal The BMJ, this becomes more

relevant in people over 60 years of age and

especially in those.... who take statins or

other drugs for cardiovascular diseases.

During five years, vitamin D was administered to 31,215

participants in the clinical trial carried out in Australia,

of whom 1,336 suffered a serious cardiovascular

accident, 6,6% in the placebo group and 6%

in those who took the supplements.

The rate of serious cardiovascular events was 9% lower

in the vitamin D group compared to the placebo group,

equivalent to 5,8 fewer events per 1,000 participants.

The source points out that the rate of myocardial infarction

was 19% lower and that of coronary revascularization 11%

lower in the vitamin D group, but there was no difference

in the rate of strokes, between the two.

The publication notes - that cardiovascular ailments are a

leading cause of death worldwide, and heart attacks and

strokes are set to increase, as the population continues

to age and chronic diseases become more prevalent.

__________________________________

Report: Britons’ Earlier Deaths -

Linked to NHS Underinvestment

June 26th, 2pm (FNA)

Britons die sooner from cancer and heart disease

than people in many other rich countries, partly

because of the NHS’s lack of beds, staff and

scanners, a study found.

The UK “underperforms significantly” on tackling its

biggest killer diseases, in part --- because the NHS
has been weakened by years of underinvestment,

according to the report from the King’s Fund

health thinktank.

It “performs poorly” as judged by the number of avoidable

deaths resulting from disease and injury and also by

fatalities --- that could have been prevented had

patients received better or quicker treatment,

The Guardian reported.

The comparative study of 19 well-off nations concluded

that Britain achieves only “below average” health

outcomes because it spends a “below average”

amounts for every person on healthcare.

_________________________________________

Report: Almost 25,000 Doctors,

Nurses Trying to Leave UK

June 25th, 2:34pm (FNA)

Record numbers of British doctors, nurses and midwives

are trying to move abroad — with Australia top of their

list, MailOnline revealed.

Almost 25,000 applications to get the documents needed

to secure a job overseas were made to UK healthcare

regulators in 2022. The vast majority represent

NHS workers.

The toll, uncovered by our investigation, dwarfs the 10,000

figure seen before COVID struck. Senior leaders in the

health service on Sunday warned "the exodus is

only just beginning" and said the stats

should ''stun ministers into action".

Disgruntled NHS medics say the pandemic has shone a light

on how poorly they are valued in the UK, a factor that

helped launched a wave of strike action across the

UK to boost their pay. But, at the same time, they
have been lured by promises of up to £130,000
salaries - and a better work-life balance.

Australia has also launched --- a wave of "cheeky"

tactics touting the merits of a move Down Under,

such as deploying mobile billboards to NHS

strike picket lines... to recruit

disenfranchised medics.

Yet some medics who have made the move Down Under,

have complained, that it's not exactly the dream some

are selling. British health staff wanting to apply for a

job overseas need to get documents from their UK

regulator, as part of the application.

These prove to their potential employers they don't have

any marks on their record, their training is up to date,

and they can be trusted with patients.

Figures obtained by MailOnline reveal nearly 7,000 doctors

applied for documents to support an application to work

abroad from the British medical regulator, the General

Medical Council (GMC), in 2022.This was up from

6,100 in 2019.

Separate figures for 2023, which only go up until May,

suggest this year will see an even bigger exodus,

with almost 3,500 applying for their documents

so far. For nurses and midwives, the figures

are even starker.

Nearly 16,000 similar applications were made in 2022/23

— compared to just under 5,500 in 2018, according to

the UK's Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

Pristine beaches & sunny weather appear to have

convinced many o seek a job in Australia.

Australia topped the charts for

total applications, in both

professional groups.

Nearly 9,000 doctors have applied to work Down Under in

the last five years. A 3rd of these, were made in 2022/23.

And Australian efforts... to lure medics Down Under,

appear to be paying off.

Data from the Australian Medical Council, the Aussie

equivalent of the GMC, show almost 1,000 British

medics signed up in 2021/22, the latest data

available, up 16 percent on the year before,

and the biggest number of any nation.

This is roughly equivalent to half the UK medics who

applied to work Down Under, getting a job there.

For nurses and midwives, 11,000 applications were made to

Australia since 2017/18. But the number has accelerated in

recent years, with 4,000 making an application in the last

financial year alone. The figures also revealed that its

not just the Aussies looking to poach highly skilled

NHS staff.

Doctor applications to work in the United Arab Emirates have

almost doubled from 550 in 2019 to just over 1,000 in 2022,

lured by higher, tax-free salaries, which can come with

perks such as subsidized accommodation and

generous leave packages.

Nurse and midwife applications to the US have undergone

an even more dramatic explosion. Applications to the US

reached 6,433 last year, almost 10 times what they

were in 2017/18.

The data obtained by MailOnline only records applications

and, therefore ----- are not a confirmation that the health
professional in question actually got the job overseas.

Multiple applications can be made by individual staff. For

example, a nurse applying for jobs in both Canada and

Australia, would be counted twice.

However, NHS unions said the data demonstrated NHS

workers' intention to leave, with UK medics feeling

underpaid and overworked and prepared to vote

with their feet.

Dr Latifa Patel, the British Medical Association's workforce

lead, said, "These numbers show the sad reality that, with

junior doctor pay down by 26 percent, and consultant pay

down by 35 percent since 2008, more and more doctors

are making the logical conclusion: this Government

does not value them or their work and, given the

current NHS pressures, they would be better

off abroad."

"With a global shortage of doctors, there are plenty of

countries willing to pay them what they are worth,"

she said, adding, "The Australian government has

already noted its popularity as a destination: last

week they even sent trucks with job adverts to

picket lines, where junior doctors were

protesting over their lost pay."

She added that it was "not unreasonable" to conclude

that even more doctors would look to leave this year,

leaving the NHS in a further crisis ----- if ministers

don't act.

"The Government needs to urgently pull its head from the

sand and fix their pay and conditions, alongside tackling

the wider NHS funding issues, to prevent disaster,"

she said.

Pat Cullen, the Royal College of Nursing's general

secretary, said MailOnline's figures should prompt

ministers into urgent action.

''A trebling of applications to head overseas should stun

ministers into action and end the exodus from the

nursing workforce," she said, adding, "This trend

can be reversed with investment in the nursing

workforce and can start --- by coming back to

the table to speak about fair pay."

"Failure to act will leave tens of thousands of vacant

nursing posts, waiting lists at record levels and

patient care at risk," she added.

NHS sources also told this website Government policy

was driving some international recruits to abandon

the health service.

A senior nursing leader in the Midlands, speaking on

condition of anonymity, said international nurses

recruited from outside Britain were looking to

leave --- due to the costs of bringing their

partners and children to live in the UK.

Under UK visa rules, international nurses must pay £285

to bring their partner, £315 for one child, and £200 for

each additional child, to Britain.

They then have to pay an additional fee of between £247

and £479 per family member, depending on if they want

them to stay for under, or over, three years.

The senior nurse leader said other nurse-hungry nations

were offering more generous visa packages for

dependents and this was often cited by

international nurses as their reason

for leaving.

Such nurses are considered prime candidates for

international recruiters from Australia, New

Zealand, and the US.

This is because Britain essentially does all the validation

work for them, with the internationally-trained nurses

able to demonstrate by working here they can work

effectively in an English-speaking nation.

The senior nurse also warned that "the exodus is only just

beginning", with many international nurses who were

recruited by the NHS in the darkest days of the

COVID pandemic, now approaching the end

of their three-year contracts.

Such international nurses can be recruited on special three

to five year contracts where the NHS pays for their flights,

initial accommodation, and registration fees in exchange

for a guarantee they will work for the health service for

a set period.

They added even further woe could be on the way, with

America now following Australia --- and ramping up

efforts to recruit the UK's international nurses.

While they could not offer any proof, the huge spike in

British nurses applying to American employers does

suggest a potential recruitment drive is ongoing.

Responding to MailOnline's figures a Department of

Health and Social Care spokesperson said, "There

are record numbers of staff working in the NHS

with over 53,600 more people... compared to a

year ago – including over 5,400 more doctors

and over 12,000 more nurses."

They added that Government plans to publish a plan

to recruit and retain more NHS staff "shortly" but

din't detail any specific measures that might

be included.

The spokesperson also said the Government was

offering "fair and reasonable" pay to NHS staff.

"Over 1 million eligible NHS staff, including nurses,

are receiving their pay rise and one-off payments

this month ----- and we have begun work to

implement wider measures which will

better support the workforce,

including improving

opportunities for

nursing career

progression,"

they said.

"We have made a fair and reasonable opening pay offer to

the BMA and stand ready to resume confidential talks

once they agree not to call further disruptive strikes

and show willingness to move significantly from

their unreasonable position," the spokes

person added.

Both NHS doctors and nurses are in long-running pay dispute

with the Government which has resulted in waves of strike

action and the subsequent cancellation of thousands of

appointments for ordinary Brits.

Unions argue rising inflation is making working in the NHS

unaffordable and is exacerbating the health service's

long running staffing issues as workers leave to

take up better paying roles.

However, ministers claim unions' demands for double digit

pay rises are simply unaffordable and would have to

come at the expense of patient services.

There are very little signs of any compromise in the future

and, while the dispute continues, NHS waiting lists

continue to rise to record levels and more and

more staff apply to leave the UK.

___________________________________

The nutritionist named the drink

helping to fall asleep quicker

June 20th, 2:45am

(Izvestia.ru)

Nutritionist Matyskina said that a drink made from milk,
honey and cinnamon..... helps you fall asleep faster.

Warm milk has a calming effect on the body, its use at night

helps to fall asleep faster. This was announced on Monday,

June 19, in an interview with Sputnik radio by a member

of the community "Nutritionists of Russia" and the

Association of Nutritionists, the nutritionist

Ekaterina Matyskina.

According to her, recipes of the so-called "moon milk" are

popular online. In social networks.. they claim that it will

serve as an effective tool for improving sleep. In Russia,

the most common version of the drink, consists of

warm milk, honey and cinnamon.

''The basis of the drink is warm milk. Its protein component

is really able to cause a feeling so we relax & calm down.

Protein before going to bed is also good ....because it is

actively involved in the regeneration processes that are

triggered in the body at night. Vegetable milk can also

be used, but not any.''

''Banana milk is not suitable because it contains a lot of

sugar. Rice milk is made from plain white rice, with a

low fibre content.. and is also perceived by our body

as a set of simple carbohydrates," the expert said.

In addition, she did not recommend drinking nut milk at night,

as it contains a large amount of fat, which is processed for

a long time and can put additional stress on the liver and

gallbladder at night.

Matyskina noted that the "moon milk" should not contain

more than one teaspoon of honey. She pointed out that

honey contains a large amount of glucose, which

causes a rush of energy. It should be added in

small amounts, then the person will not feel

the excitement of the nervous system.

The nutritionist advised.. to add spices, spices and herbs to

the milk to enhance the calming effect. For example, mint,

camomile and lavender extract, have an effective

relaxing effect.

At the same time, the expert warned that people with health

problems and those who adhere to a diet, should not abuse

"moon milk". According to the expert --- it should not be

drunk by people with diabetes, as well as those who

are allergic to honey or herbs.

Matyskina concluded that in the absence of

contra-indications, "moon milk" can be

drunk no more than two or three

times a week.

__________________

The nutritionist named ways

to get rid of night snacking

June 15th, 6:04pm

(Lenta.ru)

Nutritionist Sofia Kovanova recommends not eating fruit

in the evening, so as not to get hungry at night. In a

conversation with "Lenta" she named other ways

to get rid of late-night snacks.

Nighttime snacking is a direct consequence of the

incorrect distribution of meals throughout the day,

says the nutritionist. If the body does not receive

the necessary amount of protein, fat, and

carbohydrates, it will demand food.

Kovanova is sure that biochemistry cannot be defeated

by willpower. The diffuse neuroendocrine system is

responsible for saturation. It regulates the cycle
of hormone production, including telling the
body that it's time to eat.

Often, nighttime snacks lead to strict diets or significant

dietary restrictions. In a state of stress and fatigue,

it is difficult to find the strength to restrain

yourself from eating

The acute feeling of hunger is affected not only by the

amount of food consumed, but also by its quality, the

nutritionist added. A balanced diet helps control

your appetite and keep your hormones

in balance.

To get rid of late-night snacking, you need to avoid skipping

daytime meals, says Kovanova. In any case, the body will

need to make up for the lack of nutrients. According to

her, it is better to have dinner in the evening after

work than to eat at night before going to bed.

It is necessary to reduce the amount of fast carbohydrates

in the diet (sausages, white bread, sweets, potatoes),

because of them the feeling of satiety passes in

a short time

Fruit increases blood sugar levels and increases hunger.

Therefore, it is better to eat them in the first half of

the day, Kovanova noted.

"Drink plenty of fluids. If you drink water or a cup of tea, you

can trick your hunger. That is why nutritionists recommend

drinking a glass of water before a meal," she concluded.

______________________________________________________

Study: Most UK Carers -

Not Paid for Travel Time

Between Appointments

June 15th, 2:10pm (FNA)

Three out of four UK care staff, who look after people

at home are not being paid for the time it takes them

to travel between appointments, according to

new research.

Unison said its survey of more than 300 care workers

across England --- revealed that employers are

effectively breaking minimum wage laws,

costing staff hundreds of pounds each

month, The Independent reported.

Homecare workers spend a fifth of their working day

travelling between people’s homes, mostly paid at

or just above the minimum wage, but this is

“dramatically” reduced if their employer

does not pay travel time, added

the union.

Unison called for travel time payment to become a

contractual requirement, warning that vacancy

levels across care – currently 165,000 – will

increase, if action is not taken by

the government.

“Both care staff and those they look after are the victims

of this pay scandal. Vulnerable people suffer when their

already-rationed care visits are cut short or delayed,"

General secretary Christina McAnea said, adding,

“Unison has been highlighting this exploitation

for over a decade. Yet - the Government has

responded with inaction and indifference."

“These appalling working practices must be tackled

urgently if more people are to be encouraged to

work in a sector desperately short of staff,"

she continued.

“Disabled and elderly people receiving care support will

want an end to the exploitation of those looking after

them. When it does, everyone will benefit,”

she noted.

________________________________________

Reduced time in deep sleep may

raise risk of cognitive decline

by Pavel López Lazo

June 8th, 4:46pm

(Prensa Latina)

A new study reveals a potential link between sleep apnea,

reduced time in deep sleep, and brain biomarkers

associated with increased risk of conditions

like stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and

cognitive decline.

This research involved 140 people with obstructive sleep

apnea and primarily focused on biomarkers related to

the health of the brain’s white matter.

Participants with severe sleep apnea displayed a higher

volume of white matter hyperintensities (small lesions

visible on brain scans) and reduced axonal integrity.

The study looked at sleep factors and biomarkers

of the health of the brain’s white matter.

The biomarkers measure how well the brain’s white matter

is preserved, which is important to connect different

parts of the brain.

One of the biomarkers, white matter hyperintensities, are tiny

lesions visible on brain scans. White matter hyperintensities

become more common with age or with uncontrolled high

blood pressure. The other biomarker measures the

integrity of the axons, which form the nerve

fibres that connect nerve cells.

“Finding that severe sleep apnea and a reduction in slow-

wave sleep are associated with these biomarkers is

important... since there is no treatment for these

changes in the brain, so we need to find ways

to prevent them from happening.... or

getting worse.”

The study stresses that sleep disturbances are not

definitively the cause of these brain changes, but

the correlation warrants further investigation.

The ultimate goal is to identify prevention strategies or

treatments to halt or slow these detrimental changes

in the brain. Knowing that severe sleep apnea and

reduced slow-wave sleep are associated with

these biomarkers is important, as there is no

treatment for these changes in the brain,

so it is necessary to find ways to

prevent them from occurring

or worsening.

The researchers found that for every 10-point decrease in the

percentage of slow-wave sleep, there was an increase in the

amount of white matter hyperintensities similar to the effect

of being 2.3 years older.

People with severe sleep apnea had a higher volume of white

matter hyperintensities than those with mild or moderate

sleep apnea. They also had reduced axonal integrity

in the brain.

pll/jcm/joe

#cognitive decline #deep sleep

#health #RISKS #SCIENCES

_______________________________

UK Radiologists Warn Cancer Patients

Face Life-Threatening Delays

Due to Lack of Staff

June 8th, 1:18pm (FNA)

Cancer patients in the UK face life-threatening hospital

delays and the prospect of more gruelling treatment

as a result of NHS staff shortages, senior

radiologists warned.

A poll of all 60 directors of the UK’s cancer centres by the

Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) found staff shortages

at 97% of the centres were leading to longer waiting

times and delays in treatment, The

Independent reported.

The poll showed 88% were concerned about shortages

affecting the quality of care. The RCR pointed out that

for every four-week delay to treatment, the risk of

death increased by about 10%.

Half of those surveyed reported “frequent delays” every

month or most months in patients starting radiotherapy,

while this was happening at 22% of centres most

weeks or every week.

The RCR warned that staff shortages meant people were

waiting longer than necessary to start chemotherapy or

radiotherapy, while some doctors were having to make

“difficult decisions” about who to prioritise and

sending patients to other hospitals.

According to one head of service, prostate radiotherapy

patients in their area were facing a 3-month minimum

wait to receive treatment, while breast cancer

patients had a seven- to eight-week wait.

Staff shortages also meant costly medical devices, including

linear accelerator machines for radiation, had to be

switched off --- owing to the lack of people able to

operate them, the RCR said.

Its report states that the UK has a 15% shortfall of clinical

oncologists but by 2027 this figure would rise to 25%.

Over the next five years, one in five clinical oncologists are

expected to retire, and more than half (54%) of current

clinical oncology vacancies have been open for

more than a year, it adds.

Meanwhile, the proportion of more expensive locum staff
being used, has grown from 4% to 8%, in the

past two years.

The RCR published two reports on Thursday, one looking

specifically at cancer care and the other at the clinical

radiology workforce.

In the second report, 80% of directors surveyed said they

believed a shortage in the number of interventional

radiology consultants, was causing patients to

receive more invasive treatment.

In 97% of centres, patient treatment had been delayed

because of staff shortages over the past year, while

in about half of centres.. shortages were causing

delays almost every month, the RCR audit found.

About 90% of those questioned thought workforce

shortages would affect patient safety and only

one in four said they had enough staff to

deliver safe and effective care.

The report says just 52% of trusts, could provide

adequate 24/7 interventional radiology services.

The RCR warned that across the UK there were 4,745

whole-time-equivalent radiologists working in the

NHS and the consultant workforce had a 29%

shortfall. It said there was a “ticking time

bomb”, adding, “Without action --- there

will be a 40% shortfall of radiologists

by 2027".

Most consultants who left in 2022 were under 60, with many

experiencing burnout, according to the RCR. It said new

community diagnostic centres set up by the NHS had

increased the workload on already stretched staff.

Dr Katharine Halliday, the RCR president, said, “There are

simply not enough doctors to safely treat the volume of

patients needed, and this will only worsen as demand

rises and more doctors leave the NHS."

“Action from the government -- is now critical. We must train

more doctors, while doing more to retain the ones we have.

There is no luxury of time: doctors are stretched,

stressed, and scared for their patients,”

she continued.

Michelle Mitchell, the chief executive of Cancer Research

UK, stated, “Due to underfunding and poor planning from

governments across the UK, there isn’t enough staff

or equipment to diagnose and treat cancer in a

timely way."

“We urge political leaders in all UK nations to act now

to address chronic staffing issues and unacceptable

waiting times across the NHS,” she noted --- adding

without long-term and strategic planning matched

with sufficient investment, it would continue to

be difficult for people to benefit quickly from

life-saving cancer checks and treatment.

Minesh Patel, the head of policy at Macmillan Cancer Support,

said Macmillan and the Royal College of Radiologists have

been sounding the alarm about the devastating impact of

staffing shortages on delays to diagnosis and treatment

for years - but the crisis continues to be brushed aside

by governments.

“At the heart of this crisis is a failure to recruit and retain

enough specialist cancer professionals,” Patel added.

Lady Delyth Morgan, the chief executive of Breast Cancer

Now, stated, “Today’s report is the starkest warning yet,

that the government’s failure to tackle the crisis facing

the cancer workforce, risks pushing cancer diagnosis

and treatment to the brink of disaster.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said

there are more doctors, nurses and staff working in the

NHS than ever before, with 50% more specialist cancer

doctors treating patients now, compared to 2010.

“The NHS is also seeing, treating and saving record numbers

of people with cancer but we know there is more to do. That

is why we are seeking views on our major conditions

strategy and the NHS will soon be publishing a

long-term workforce plan setting out how it

will recruit and retain even more staff,”

the spokesperson added.

_____________________________________

There is a proven link - between

viewing social networks in the

evening - and sleep disorders

May 30th, 2:30am

(Lenta.ru)

A team of scientists from Duke University and Yale University

has proven a link between viewing social networks in the

evening and sleep disorders. According to a study

published in the journal Sleep Medicine, viewing

an hour before your normal bedtime.... delays

bedtime... by up to three hours.

Previous research has shown that blue light emitted from

gadgets can cause sleep problems because it interferes

with the production of melatonin, a hormone that

regulates circadian rhythms. Now we found out

that sleep can also be directly affected... by

actions within the social network.

To do this, the authors analyzed 120 million posts made by

44 thousand Reddit users over 15 years. As with other

social networks, you can leave comments or links to

content on Reddit and comment on what others

have posted.

Based on the data of regular site visitors, experts established

a normal bedtime, which allowed us to measure the impact

of posting on social networks before the usual bedtime.

The results showed that if the user posted messages on the

site about an hour before the usual bedtime, then they were

much more likely to stay for another one to three hours.

And if they posted several times before their usual

bedtime, they went to bed..... even later.

Researchers suggest that this is due to an increase in

dopamine levels while waiting for a response from

other users of the site, which prevents them from

relaxing and falling asleep.

Myasnikov's advice on the main

method of fighting warts

March 14th 3:42pm

(Lenta.ru)

The main method of fighting warts is

named by dermatologist Irina

Gosteva and TV presenter

Alexander Myasnikov.

According to them, this is cryodestruction,

that is, surgical treatment of the affected

skin areas with liquid nitrogen.

The doctor noted that cryodestruction is a proven

and most inexpensive way, to get rid of this kind

of neoplasm. Myasnikov recommends a vaccine

against the human papillomavirus, as a

preventive measure.

The dermatologist warned that you cannot remove warts

yourself, with the help of folk remedies. When using

pumice stone, iodine, tea tree oil, vinegar, garlic,

celandine tincture and salicylic acid, an

infection can be introduced into

the wound.

_________________________________

Report: Over Half of UK

Ambulance Workers See

Patient Die Due to Delay

March 6th, 2:10pm (FNA)

More than half of ambulance workers have seen

a patient die because of a delay in reaching

them after a 999 call or overcrowding in

A&E, a new survey found.

The findings, from a survey of frontline paramedics and

other ambulance staff, are another stark illustration of

the patient safety risks created by the crisis in NHS

urgent and emergency care, The Guardian reports.

“These findings are utterly terrifying,” stated Rachel

Harrison, the national secretary of the GMB union,

which sought the views of more than 1,200

members working in NHS ambulance

services in England and Wales.

It asked them if they had ever witnessed a death that had

occurred - because of a delay involving an ambulance or

other part of the care system. Just over half (53%) said

they had done so and another 30% were aware of it

happening with a colleague.

Three-quarters (76%) of those surveyed said that delays had

an impact on patient care every day. And over half (52%)

said they had spent an entire shift waiting outside an

A&E to hand a patient over to hospital staff.

The findings are disclosed in a Channel 4 Dispatches

documentary being shown this Thursday about how

long delays..... in ambulance crews handing over

patients to A&E staff, and thus being unable

to respond quickly to 999 calls..... are

affecting both patients and staff.

The programme is based on footage secretly shot

over three months, by Daniel Waterhouse, an

emergency medical technician with the

East of England ambulance service,

who has since resigned.

“The delay and dilation of care that we see - is just

unconscionable,” Dr Adrian Boyle, the president

of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine,

told the programme.

The RCEM, which represents A&E doctors, last week,

issued new analyses which found that a patient dies

every 23 minutes - as a direct result of spending at

least 12 hours in A&E - usually because they are

waiting for a bed in the main hospital.

“We’ve seen patients this winter who have been harmed

because of ambulance delays,” Dr Sanjeev Nayak, a

leading stroke doctor, told Dispatches, adding, “If

they’re late, we cannot treat them, there’s very

little we as doctors can do. A couple of hours’

delay ------- means the patient can die or

suffer disability.”

Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, a consultant cardiologist

and the associate medical director of the British

Heart Foundation, noted when a patient has had

a heart attack it is vital that an ambulance gets

to them as soon as possible because “minutes

can be the difference between life and death”.

_________________________________________

Deaths in UK attributed to long

emergency waiting times

by Javier Arana Villasusa

March 1st, 11:18am

(Prensa Latina)

The UK's National Health Service NHS reported

today that long hours of admission periods in

hospital emergency departments caused

some 23 thousand deaths in 2022.

Workers’ unions in the sector criticized the Government’s

handling of problems related to the NHS, claiming a

heavy workload of its staff, discontent --- over

working conditions and concern over wages.

Meanwhile, authorities acknowledge staff

shortages, but disagree that the excess

death totals are definitely accurate,

television in this capital city

commented.

According to reports, the Royal College of Emergency

Medicine sent Freedom of Information requests to

the NHS for its latest data on accidents and

emergency waiting times.

According to the report received, more than 1.6 million

British patients had to wait more than 12 hours in the

department from the time they entered.

The medical school then calculated the death rates

linked to long waits, which last year, often made

headlines in the country.

Addressing the issue at the NHS Recovery Forum last month,

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said long waits in accident and

emergency departments, are among the problems on the

minds of all people in Britain. (sic)

_________________________________________________________

Study Shows Just 10% of Britons

Think Tory Ministers Have

Right Policies on NHS

February 24th, 4:25pm (FNA)

Just 10% of Britons think ministers have the right policies

on the NHS --- though public support for the service’s

founding principles remains strong, according

to new polling.

The proportion of voters across the UK who believe that

ministers are tackling the NHS’s many problems in the

right way is lowest in England, at 8% – a record low,

The Guardian reported.

It is higher in both Scotland (28%) and Wales (19%). However,

across the UK as a whole just one in 10 people thinks the

government is taking the right approach to the NHS.

The notable lack of public confidence in ministers’ handling of

the health service emerged in a survey that pollsters Ipsos

undertook for the Health Foundation thinktank.

“That public confidence in the government’s handling of the

NHS has reached a new low should ring alarm bells in

No 10,” said Tim Gardner, a senior policy fellow at

the Health Foundation.

In a series of gloomy conclusions that reveal dwindling

confidence in and growing public concern about the

NHS, Ipsos also found that:

Only 33% think the NHS is providing a good service, a lot

fewer than the 43% who said it was when the survey

was last done in May 2022.

62% fear that the standard of NHS care will get worse over

the next year – a big jump from the 39% who said that last

year. 74% expect the already serious pressure placed

on NHS staff --- will intensify.

However, the research also shows that 90% think the NHS

should remain free at the point of delivery, 89% back it

being a comprehensive service, that is available to

everyone and 84% believe it should be mainly

funded through taxation.

Some right-of-centre thinktanks and commentators, as well as

the former Health Secretary Sajid Javid, have recently called

for a rethink of how the NHS is funded and organised.

However, Ipsos found that 82% of voters think the NHS needs

more money in order to function better. That view is shared

across all age groups, the four home nations and among

both Labour (94%) and Conservative (63%) voters.

“There is no evidence voters want a radical change to the

NHS model; they just want the current one to work
better,” said Gardner.

NHS bosses and experts are worried that satisfaction with the

NHS is falling, especially as a result of long waiting times to

see a GP, get an ambulance, receive A&E care, or mental

health treatment, or undergo an operation.

Research published last year by the King’s Fund and Nuffield

Trust thinktanks found that public satisfaction with the

health service had fallen to its lowest level since 1997.

Their finding of significant dissatisfaction with the time taken

to get an appointment with a GP is borne out by Ipsos’s new

research, which found that 44% think it takes to long to see

a family doctor and 43% believe that it is too hard to book

an appointment.

“This polling shows the NHS is being let down by government

inaction, which is contributing to reduced public confidence,

while support for the founding principles of the NHS remains

strong,” said Matthew Taylor, the chief executive of the NHS

Confederation, which represents care providers in England,

Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Department of Health and Social Care said, “We are

committed to ensuring that the NHS is here for people

to give them the healthcare they need.... when they

need it. That is why we are building a sustainable

NHS, with patients at its centre – backed by up

to £14.1bln for health and social care over the

next two years, on top of record funding."

“Our urgent and emergency care recovery plan, seeks to

deliver the prime minister (Rishi Sunak)’s priority, to cut

waiting lists, whilst reducing pressure on hospitals, by

scaling up community teams, expanding virtual wards,

and getting 800 new ambulances on the road – on top

of £750mln to speed up hospital discharge and free

up beds this winter,” it added.

___________________________________

Survey: European Countries

Face Continued Medicine

Shortages

January 31st 1:57pm (FNA)

European countries are still experiencing a high incidence

of medicine shortages, with a deteriorating burdensome

impact on patients, according to a recent survey.

The Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union (PGEU)

conducted a survey with pharmacies in 29 countries,

including EU members, Turkey, Norway, and North

Macedonia, Anadolu news agency reported.

The survey results showed that the medicine shortages

in most European countries worsened substantially

compared to last year.

More than 600 drugs are scarce... in a quarter of these

countries, while 20% reported 200-300 drug shortages,

it said.

Three-quarters of the countries reported that the

shortages were worse this winter, compared to

a year ago.

The survey also showed... that the most difficult drugs to

be obtained in pharmacies across Europe are especially,

amoxicillin group antibiotics used in the treatment
of respiratory tract infections, cough syrups used
in treating pediatric diseases, paracetamol in
syrup form, and some blood pressure drugs.

The reason for the drug problem is a decline

in supply --- despite a surging demand.

Seasonal infections, especially influenza and respiratory

syncytial virus (RSV), started early and progressed

stronger than normal, in European countries

this year.

Experts say weaker immune systems are related to

COVID-19 lockdowns as people were not exposed

to some viruses during this period.

Pharmaceutical manufacturers are also unprepared for the

high demand in the face of increasing infections, with
the energy crisis in Europe and the rising raw
material prices, affecting production.

__________________________________________

The doctor explained...
the most useful snack

for elderly people

January 21st, 11:30pm

(Izvestia.ru)

Dietitian Mikhail Ginzburg said on January 20th,

that a fermented milk drink, with muesli and

apple, or a vegetable salad combined with

grain bread, is the best snack for

the elderly.

"The most healthy snack for the elderly, is one that

contains sour-milk drinks and cereals, such as

muesli. Also, in this snack, it is very good to

eat an apple. There may be vegetables,

some kind of vegetable salad, or

vegetable slicing. Coarse bread,

grain bread, bread with bran,"

the doctor said, in an

interview with

Moskva 24.

According to the nutritionist, this meal contains
everything that the body needs ---- dietary fibre,
probiotics, vitamins & complex carbohydrates.

As Ginzburg noted, nutrition enriched with
all the necessary elements protects the
body from the deterioration of age-

related diseases.

Earlier, on January 13th, dietitian Elena Solomatina said that

turkey is the most useful product for the nervous system of

the elderly. According to her, the meat of this bird is rich in

B vitamins, the lack of which often affects older people,

which can cause them to have an unsteady gait,

or dizziness.

___________________________________________

Fentanyl deaths of children

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Vitamin D3 helps strengthen

defenses against Covid-19

– Study

by Pavel López Lazo

February 24th, 7:41pm (Prensa Latina)

Vitamin D3 could balance people's immune

system and help strengthen defenses

against viral infections including

Covid-19, the Swiss publication

Frontiers in Immunology

reported Thursday.

In a collaborative study by the Universities of

Surrey & Brighton, researchers investigated

the impact of vitamin D supplements – D2

and D3 – taken daily over a 12-week

period on the activity of genes in

people’s blood.

Those involved in the research, contrary to

widespread opinion, found significant

differences between the two vitamin

D supplements, as they discovered

that vitamin D2... leaves a

questionable mark on

human health.

“Vitamin D3 appears to stimulate the type I

interferon signaling system in the body –
a key part of the immune system that

provides a first line of defense...

against bacteria and viruses.''

Thus, a healthy vitamin D3 status may help

prevent viruses and bacteria from gaining

a foothold in the body,” said Professor

Colin Smith, lead-author of the study

from the University of Surrey.

“Our study suggests that it is important that

people take a vitamin D3 supplement, or

suitably fortified foods, especially in

the winter months.”

Although some foods are fortified with vitamin

D, like some breakfast cereals, yogurts, and

bread, few naturally contain the vitamin.

Vitamin D3 is produced naturally in the

skin from exposure to sunlight or

artificial ultraviolet UVB light,

while some plants and fungi

produce vitamin D2.

Many people have insufficient levels of vitamin

D3... because they live in locations where

sunlight is limited in the winter, like the

UK. The Covid-19 pandemic has also

limited people’s natural exposure to

the sun, due to people spending

more time in their homes.

__________________________________

Withholding vaccine safety

data ‘morally indefensible,’

medical journal says

January 22nd,, 4:17pm (RT)

The British Medical Journal (BMJ), has urged public

health regulators & pharma majors to immediately

release all raw data from Covid-19 vaccine trials

for independent scrutiny --- arguing that

“complete data transparency” is a

matter of “public interest.”

Branding Big Pharma as “the least trusted industry,”

a recent op-ed by BMJ editors stated that it was

“morally indefensible” that this information

remains inaccessible to doctors, public,

and researchers -- despite the global
rollout of vaccines and treatments.

In the scathing editorial, the writers – senior BMJ

editor Peter Doshi, former editor-in-chief Fiona

Godlee and her successor Kamran Abbasi –

accuse pharmaceutical companies... of

“reaping vast profits without adequate

independent scrutiny of their

scientific claims.”

At least 3 of the many companies making Covid-19

vaccines have past criminal and civil settlements

costing them billions of dollars. One pleaded

guilty to fraud. Other companies have
no pre-Covid track record.

In particular, the editorial collective calls out Pfizer,

Moderna and AstraZeneca for not providing “timely

access” to “anonymized individual participant
data” from their clinical trials.

This granular data is available to regulators like the

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which told

a judge last month to give it 75 years to publish all

data relating to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

But the BMJ said Pfizer – whose trial was “funded

by the company and designed, run, analyzed, and

authored by Pfizer employees” ------ has indicated

that it will not entertain data requests until May

2025, a full two years after the primary study

is completed.

This lack of access to data is “consistent across

vaccine manufacturers,” the editors write,

noting that the industry is not “legally

required” to honour requests from

independent researchers.

Further, they point out that regulatory bodies like

Health Canada and the European Medicines

Agency, do not even “receive or analyze”

trial data, whereas the UK’s Medicines

and Healthcare Products Regulatory

Agency does not “proactively

release” such info.

“The purpose of regulators is not to dance to

the tune of rich global corporations... and

enrich them further; it is to protect the

health of their populations,”

they concluded.

__________________________

Ireland: To Fully Lift

COVID-19 Restrictions

January 21st, 11:50pm (teleSUR)

Irish Prime Minister, Micheal Martin, announced

that COVID-19 restrictions that have been in

place for almost two years, are now lifted.

Micheal Martin, Irish Prime Minister disclosed that

the governments decided that almost all COVID-19

restrictions placed for about two years, are lifted.

Ireland is placed among the countries with the highest

rate of COVID-19 infections in Europe, and now also,

the continent's highest uptake of booster vaccines,

which made possible the number of seriously ill

people remained below the previous peak.

"We have weathered the Omicron storm," the minister

stated, on Friday's televised address --- in which he

noted, booster vaccines had "utterly transformed"

the country's situation. "I have stood here and

spoken to you on some very dark days. But

today is a good day," he added.

Ireland was one of the most cautious countries

in Europe about the risks of COVID-19, having

some of the longest-running restrictions on

travel and hospitality. According to public

health officials' advice, the government

decided: that bars and restaurants will

no longer need to close at 8pm, a rule

held late last year when the Omicron

wave struck, or to ask customers

for proof of vaccination.

The full capacity has been restored for the indoor

and outdoor events --- paving the way for full

crowds, for next month’s Six Nations rugby

championship. Martin highlighted that the

measure which decreed.... the need of

wearing masks in public places will

remain at least until the end

of February.

The Irish hospitality sector, which has been
hit by one of Europe’s toughest lockdown

regimes, has welcomed the decision.

[and in Wales?]

__________________________

Bye Bye, Mask and Covid Pass:

Boris Johnson --- Announces
End of Plan B Restrictions

in England

January 19th, 1:43pm (Sputnik)

UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, announced

on Wednesday the end of the so-called Plan B

implemented in England since December, to

prevent the spreading of the Omicron

variant of the SARS-CoV-2.

Addressing Parliament, Johnson said.. that the

working from home guidance, the requirement

to wear face masks, and the use of COVID

passports, in some settings, will be

dropped, next week.

"This government got the toughest decisions right,"

the prime minister told lawmakers, adding that the

government "will trust the judgment of the British

people" ...when it comes to social distancing

measures and face mask covering... to

prevent the spreading of the virus.

The so-called Plan B was originally rolled out in

December to combat the spread of the highly

transmissible variant.

Reacting to the announcement, the leader of

the Labour Party, Keir Starmer, called it an

attempt to distract the public’s opinion on

the crisis the prime minister is facing...

following revelations, that he and his

staff in Downing Street held parties

during the COVID-19 lockdown.

[Rhondda Records adds - and in Wales?]

_____________________________

Booster programs... will

prolong COVID pandemic,

not end it, WHO chief
warns

January 17th, (various media)

Blanket vaccine booster programs are likely to

prolong the COVID-19 pandemic, as inequity

in access to jabs, could lead to more

mutated variants that drag out the

crisis, the head of the World

Health Organization

(WHO) warns.

[The UK and others in the West...
simply don't care, Rhondda
Records adds]

__________________________________

Cannabis could prevent

Covid --- study claims

January 12th, 2:57pm (RT)

The next breakthrough in stopping Covid-19, may

come not from Big Pharma, but from the humble

pot plant. Researchers in Oregon in the US,

discovered that two compounds found in
the devil’s lettuce can stop the virus
in its tracks.

Rather than attempting to smoke their way

to immunity, a team of scientists at Oregon

University isolated two compounds from

hemp -- cannabigerolic acid (CBGA) and

cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) -- and found

they bind to the coronavirus’ spike

protein and stop it from binding
to the outer membrane of
human cells.

This latter binding process, is normally how the

virus enters the human lungs and other organs.

The two compounds are precursors to CBG and

CBD, which are widely legal, and available to

consumers. The CBG and CBD cannabis oils

and extracts are commonly used to treat

anxiety, sleep disorders, epilepsy, and
a wide range of other ailments.

CBGA and CBDA “are not controlled substances like

THC... the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana and

have a good safety profile in humans,” said Richard

van Breemen, a researcher with Oregon State’s

Global Hemp Innovation Centre. Van Breemen

added that these compounds “can be taken

orally,” and “have the potential to prevent

as well as treat infection” by

the coronavirus.

Van Breemen and his team published their research in

the Journal of Nature Products on Tuesday. However,

they have a long way to go before doctors begin

writing hemp oil prescriptions en masse. While

the study found CBGA and CBDA effective

against both the Alpha & Beta variants

of the coronavirus, it was carried out
on human cells in a laboratory rather
than actual human test subjects.

Still, the scientist sees these hemp compounds

eventually being used alongside vaccines... to

make “a much more challenging environment”

for Covid-19. One of the main criticisms of the

current crop of vaccines is that they use the

original spike protein of the virus as an

antigen, meaning that when variants

emerge... with new spike protein

mutations, they are more likely

to evade the protection
offered by a vaccine.

“These variants are well known for evading antibodies

against early lineage [Covid-19].... which is obviously

concerning given that current vaccination strategies

rely on early lineage spike proteins as an antigen,”

said van Breemen. “Our data show CBDA & CBGA

are effective against the two variants we looked
at, and we hope that trend will extend to other

existing and future variants.”

_________________________________

UK government gives NHS

to private companies

to ''help''with Covid

January 10th 10:52am (PressTV)

The National Health Service (NHS), the publicly funded

healthcare system in the UK, is seeking ''help'' from
private health companies to deliver critical treat-

ments... such as cancer surgery.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid has ordered England's

NHS to strike a ''3-month'' agreement with private

health companies --- to allow patients to get

specific treatments, as the NHS hospitals

are ''overwhelmed'' with COVID-19.

David Sloman, NHS England chief operating officer

and COVID incident director, said on Monday the

deal “places independent health providers on

standby to provide further help should

hospitals face unsustainable levels of

hospitalizations or staff absences.”

The agreement includes Practice Plus Group, Spire

Healthcare, Circle Health Group, and several other

leading private companies, according to the NHS.

Circle CEO Paolo Pieri said the company has been

helping the NHS, since the first COVID wave in

March 2020, performing urgent treatments

for over 400,000 NHS patients.

According to the Spire Healthcare, under the agreed

deal the company “will grant NHSE access to 100%

of its facilities and teams on a local, regional or

national basis, in the event of a surge of

COVID-19 patients in NHS hospitals

in England.”

The Spire said the deal ''expires'' on March 31st, 2022.

The new plan comes in the wake of the highest level of

hospital staff absence in England, since the vaccine

rollout began.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has expressed

sorrow over the “terrible toll” of more than 150,000

deaths inflicted by the coronavirus in the UK.

The UK’s death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic

has reached more than 150,100, making it the

world's seventh worst official pandemic toll.

PM Boris Johnson confirmed the number and

expressed sorrow over the fatalities last

weekend. He said the coronavirus has

“taken a ‘terrible toll’ on the country.

Housing Secretary Michael Gove was at pains
to assert that there is mounting pressure on

British hospitals... and the country is ''not

yet'' in a position to live with

the pandemic.

_______________________________________

UK care sector declares
‘red’ alert amid Covid
staffing shortage

January 5th, 1:42pm (RT)

Over 11,000 care home workers are currently unable

to work, amid the spread of the Omicron strain, with

staffing shortages leaving the UK sector struggling

to cope and infections delaying hospital discharges.

Government data shows that, across England, 9.4% of

care home staff are temporarily off work, with around

3% self-isolating due to Covid. Although the figures

could be higher, having been undercounted... due

to the festive period and bank holiday weekend.

The situation has forced more than 90 care operators

to declare a “red” alert, meaning that they don’t have

the staff to meet patient demands. This has been

exacerbated by a shortage of PCR tests,

delaying workers from getting test

results and forcing them to

isolate at home longer

than needed.

Barchester, one of the UK’s largest care home

operators, running 250 establishments, has

warned: that it is facing Covid outbreaks
in 105 of its homes. Under government

guidelines, care homes with active

outbreaks cannot accept hospital

discharges, creating a backlog

and preventing the struggling

NHS from clearing beds.

Staffing shortages have forced care agencies to offer

up to £80 ($108.31) an hour for temporary staff – four

times the normal cost – as well as resulting in homes

poaching staff from other providers at the last minute.

“The spread of Omicron across the country will bring

more care homes into outbreaks, put huge pressure

on the already compromised staff group, and mean

those who need care, do not get it,” said Vic

Rayner, the chief executive of the
National Care Forum.

To address the situation, one care operator in

Yorkshire, Mike Padgham, called on the UK

government to establish a “volunteer

army”... of retired nurses, doctors,

and carers who could potentially

fill shifts at short notice.

Despite the situation in care homes, the chief

executive of Barchester, Pete Calveley, says

that the virus is not causing serious illness

and death among the majority of residents

....with most only showing “minor or

cold-like symptoms.”

____________________________

Growing evidence that

Vitamin K improves

heart health

by Pavel López Lazo

January 2nd, 5:27pm (Prensa Latina)

New Edith Cowan University (ECU) research

has found that people who eat a vitamin K-

rich food... have up to a 34% lower risk of

atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular

disease, the US magazine

SciTechDaily reported.

Researchers examined data from over 50,000

people taking part in the Danish Diet, Cancer,

and Health study, over a 23-year period.

They investigated whether people who ate

more foods containing vitamin K, had a

lower risk of cardiovascular disease

related to atherosclerosis (plaque

build-up in the arteries).

There are two types of vitamin K found in foods

we eat: vitamin K1 comes mainly from green

leafy veggies and vegetable oils, while

vitamin K2 is found in meat, eggs,

and fermented foods, such

as cheese.

The study found.... that people with the highest

intakes of the vitamin K1.. were 21% less likely

to be hospitalized with cardiovascular disease

closely related to atherosclerosis.

For vitamin K2, the risk of being

hospitalized was 14% lower.

University of Western Australia researcher Dr. Jamie

Bellinge, the first author on the study, said the role

of vitamin K in cardiovascular health, and

particularly in vascular calcification,

is an area of research... offering

promising hope for the future.

“Current dietary guidelines for the consumption of

vitamin K are generally only based on the amount

of vitamin K1 a person should consume, to

ensure that their blood can coagulate,”

explained ECU researcher and

senior author on the study,

Dr. Nicola Bondonno.

However, there is growing evidence that intakes of

vitamin K - above current guidelines - can afford

further protection against the development of

other diseases, such as atherosclerosis.

“Although more research is needed to fully

understand the process, we believe that

vitamin K works by protecting against

the calcium build-up in the major

arteries of the body leading to

vascular calcification.”

“Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause

of death in Australia... and there’s still a limited

understanding of the importance of different

vitamins found in food and their effect on

heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral

artery disease,” Dr. Bellinge said.

_______________________________________

Chinese Think Tank:
US Most Likely Origin
of COVID-19

December 25th, 1:50pm (FNA)

The US is most likely the country where the

coronavirus originated and it is most

responsible for the fast global

spread of the deadly viral

pathogen, according to

a research report.

The report titled... ‘US Responsible for Global Spread

of COVID-19’ was jointly released by the Intelligence

& Alliance Think Tank and the Taihe Institute in

China ,on Friday.

China's official Xinhua news agency, published
the report’s findings, saying data from multiple

sources had shown that the US was to blame
for the coronavirus out-break as its political
manipulation of the disease had made the
global anti-pandemic efforts, difficult

and challenging.

“Evidence indicating COVID-19 originated from

the United States has kept cropping up,” the

report said.

“For example, the timeline of the outbreak in the

United States has been continuously backdated,

the role of the US military is implicated in the

origin and spread of COVID-19, and early

cases, in many countries, are linked to

the United States,” it added.

Calling the United States "the main force of global

COVID-19 spread", the report said... the country

missed the best time to contain the pandemic

at an early stage... and its open-door policy
as well as its irresponsible repatriation
of immigrants... had exacerbated the
global spread of the virus.

Xinhua also said that the US troops stationed

overseas have repeatedly violated epidemic

prevention protocols and accelerated

the transmission.

The country's failure to control COVID-19 in

international events, has led to "super-

spreading" of the virus and its

unilateral sanctions have led

to a humanitarian crisis,

according to

the report.

Stressing that the US political manipulation has made

the global fight against the pandemic more difficult,

the report said the country shirked responsibility

for pandemic prevention, which undermined

international anti-pandemic efforts.

“The United States has been obsessed with political

self-interest and evaded due responsibility,” Xinhua

cited the report as saying, adding that political

polarization harmed both America and the

world at large.

Underlining that the US should abandon its obsession

with political self-interest, and reflect on epidemic

prevention and control, the report called on the

country to stop politicizing the coronavirus

and undermining international anti-

pandemic cooperation.... and

actively share its vaccines

with the world.

It also urged the US, to conduct origins tracing

research in a scientific manner and facilitate

global economic recovery, so that the

COVID-19 pandemic will be

eventually defeated.

The theory that the contagion had leaked from a

Chinese lab was originally hyped up by, among

others... the administration of former US

President Donald Trump, as part of his

hawkish anti-China policies.

Since infecting its first victims in the central Chinese

city of Wuhan, in late 2019, the pandemic has

spread to nearly every country across the

globe, causing more than 278 million

infections and nearly 5.4 million

deaths worldwide.

Last week, Trump said the US should make China pay

for the COVID disaster, demanding that the US tariffs

on Chinese goods be increased “very substantially”

as reparation payments for the chaos unleashed
by the virus.

China has repeatedly called on the US to give a full

clarification on its bio-military activities at home

and abroad, a matter of concern shared by

Russia and others.

___________________________________

Doctor who flagged Omicron

advises against harsh

restrictions

December 14th, 1:23pm (RT)

There is ''no need'' to impose tougher restrictions over

the Omicron variant as the cases are “predominantly

mild”, the head of South Africa Medical Association

Dr. Angelique Coetzee, has said.

The South African GP was the first medic who raised

concern about the new Covid-19 variant four weeks

ago. Answering questions of the UK Parliament’s

Science & Technologies committee on Tuesday,

Dr Coetzee said... that “we don’t have all the

answers” and that “we need to see how

this virus progresses”.

However, the current picture shows that Omicron is a

“mild disease”, & less dangerous than Delta variant,

thought it might be more transmissible, she added.

Dr Coetzee said that the existing data, though

limited, shows that the symptoms in Omicron

patients, even in those who are hospitalized,

are milder, they get better quicker & there

have been no cases of long COVID in

these patients.

Therefore, she noted that, before imposing travel bans

and other tough restrictions, it would make sense for

governments to take measures internally: to get

more people vaccinated, make sure that they

are wearing masks, avoid crowded places,

and keep social distance.

Saying that South Africa is “still on the same level of

restrictions”, she underlined that “we don't see

the need for stricter restrictions."

“The virus is everywhere. Maybe, in a way, we

need to learn how to live with this,” she said.

Earlier, in an article for Daily Mail, Dr. Coetzee was

even more straightforward.. in her criticism of

what she called “knee-jerk reactions”, to the

news of discovery of the new COVID variant.

The UK was one of the first countries to

impose bans on travel from South

Africa in the aftermath of the

announcement.

“Indeed, I am disappointed by such knee-jerk

reactions. They bear no relation to what we

are seeing in surgeries in South Africa,

where people rarely even discuss

Omicron.

As one Twitter user commented:

'Covid's become a UK neurosis’”,

she wrote.

New symptoms that could

help doctors diagnose
pancreatic cancer

by Pavel López Lazo

November 10th, 5:10pm (Prensa Latina)

Researchers at the University of Oxford, UK, have
identified a series of symptoms associated with
pancreatic cancer, including two previously
unrecognized symptoms - feeling thirsty
and having dark urine.

The study has confirmed a further 23 signs of pancreatic

cancer, after looking at data from 24,230 patients who

were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in England

between 2000 and 2017, using a large electronic

database (QResearch).

The research, which is the largest study of its kind,

found 23 symptoms linked with the diagnosis of

PDAC... (yellowing of the skin, bleeding in the

stomach or intestine, problems swallowing,

diarrhea, change in bowel habits, vomiting,

indigestion, abdominal mass, abdominal

pain, weight loss, constipation, fat in

stool, abdominal swelling, nausea,

flatulence, heartburn, fever,

tiredness, loss of appetite,

itching, back pain, thirst,

and dark urine).

Nine symptoms were linked with PNEN (yellowing of

the skin, blood in stool, diarrhea, change in bowel

habits, vomiting, indigestion, abdominal mass,

abdominal pain, and weight loss).

“When pancreatic cancer is diagnosed earlier, patients

have a higher chance of survival. It is possible to

diagnose patients when they visit their GP, but

both patients and GPs... need to be aware of
the symptoms associated with pancreatic

cancer.” Dr. Weiqi Liao said.

While most symptoms were not specific to pancreatic

cancer and could be due to other benign conditions,

the researchers found patients diagnosed with

pancreatic cancer, had a higher chance of

experiencing some of these non-specific

symptoms, one year before diagnosis.

Dr Liao said: “These new findings enable us to conduct

further work on understanding symptoms that could

suggest pancreatic cancer. This will help GPs to

make decisions - about who to refer for urgent

tests, especially when patients have several

seemingly non-specific symptoms.”

____________________________________

Swedish doctors sign petition

to stop Pfizer rollout
over suspected fraud

November 9th, 9:36am (PressTV)

A group of doctors from Sweden, along with researchers

have signed a petition demanding the suspension of

vaccination with Pfizer jabs --- over reports of

violations in the trial of the vaccine.

In the petition, a group of 16 Swedish medical

practitioners have expressed grave concern

over what they call “gigantic” side effects
of the Pfizer vaccine --- amid reports of
a suspected research fraud.

It comes as the British Medical Journal (BMJ), a weekly

peer-reviewed medical journal from the UK, last week

cited a whistleblower as saying that a subcontractor

to Pfizer falsified data and failed to promptly follow

up on adverse events reported during the crucial

phase III trial of the vaccine last autumn.

Brook Jackson, who served as the regional director at

the Ventavia Research Group, told the BMJ that the

company unblinded patients, and employed

inadequately trained vaccinators.

According to the report, staff members who conducted

quality control checks were “overwhelmed by the

volume of problems they were finding.”

An employee at a US-based contract research company

helping to carry out Pfizer’s pivotal covid-19 vaccine

trial was fired, after reporting massive clinical trial

violations, a report says.

‘Extremely serious'

The group of Swedish doctors considered the

report surrounding Pfizer “extremely serious”.

“It undermines confidence in Pfizer, which is responsible

for testing the vaccine and for the safety of the vaccine

currently used by Swedes, including hundreds of

thousands of children,” the petition said.

The health experts also suggested that the extent of

the number of reported suspected side effects of

Pfizer jabs, is “gigantic”.

They put the number of suspected side effects reported

during the 10 months that vaccination has taken place,

at 83,744 ------ 10 times more than all the side effects
reported, per year.

“The strong suspicion, that parts of the clinical trial of

Pfizer's vaccine were not performed in a scientifically

acceptable manner, and where the study results can

not be considered reliable, combined with the large

extent of reported suspected side effects, after

vaccination - many of a serious nature - makes

us, as doctors, researchers & immunologists

--- deeply concerned,” the petition stated.

____________________________________

UK Senior Adviser Says

Vaccinated Patients

Dying of COVID Due

to Waning Immunity

November 8th, 11:46am (FNA)

Double-jabbed vulnerable and elderly people are

dying from COVID-19 due to the efficacy of the

vaccine waning, a senior adviser said.

The effects of coronavirus vaccines are known to

wane some five or six months after the second

dose, as discovered in multiple studies

during the pandemic, PA news

agency reported.

It comes as the government launches a campaign

to encourage take-up of booster jabs this autumn.

While most of those dying with COVID-19 are

unvaccinated, reports last week said Number

10 was concerned about hospital admissions

& deaths among double-vaccinated people

rising, due to waning immunity.

Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser at the UK

Health Security Agency... told the BBC’s Andrew

Marr Show there are deaths among the elderly

because around 5% remain unvaccinated.

She added, “We’re still seeing deaths in mainly the

unvaccinated population ... but increasingly,

because of immune waning effects, there

are deaths in the vaccinated group

as well.”

She added that the majority of deaths are occurring

in the older age-groups --- particularly the over-70s,

and also among the clinically/extremely vulnerable

and those with underlying medical conditions.

She continued, “As we’ve mentioned, the immune

effects wane and what we see is, especially in
the older or the vulnerable groups, those are
the people whose immunity will wane
the most."

“So, if you’re a healthy 30-year-old, then two doses

will protect you for a longer period. That’s why

those people need to come forward for their

third dose as soon as possible,” she added.

Patients over 50 and those most at risk from COVID-19

are currently eligible for a booster six months after

their second jab.

More than seven in 10 people aged 80 and over have

had their boosters while almost three in five people

50 and over have also had their top-ups,

according to NHS figures

from Sunday,

From Monday, booster jabs can be booked

one month earlier than previously allowed.

Under previous rules, people could only book their

booster six months after receiving their second

dose. Now, they will be able to arrange an

appointment after five months, and

attend as soon as the six-month

period is up.

The move is meant to accelerate the programme by

making it easier for people to book their inoculation.

Dr Hopkins said that, while the uptake of booster jabs

has been “quite good”... it has also been slower

than with previous doses.

“I think.. that may be due to people thinking they’re already
protected, which is why we’re giving a lot of public health
messages about why it’s so important for them to come
forward for that third dose,” she added.

She added, “We know the virus is circulating at very

high levels in our community. So... unless people get

vaccinated, we will have a long and difficult winter.”

_________________________________________

Veteran care worker loses job

over vaccine mandate, blasts

government

November 8th, 7:07am (RT)

A UK care worker who worked in the field for over a dozen

years, decried the Covid-19 vaccine mandates, after her

refusal to be vaccinated cost her... her job. The story

has grabbed national headlines.

Louise Akester, 36, worked at Alderson House in Hull for

the last three years and in the healthcare field for 14

years, but has now lost her job, due to her non-

compliance with a mandate stating that all

care workers must be fully vaccinated

after November 11th, unless they

receive a medical exemption.

Opponents of vaccine mandates have argued that this

approach could lead to major staffing issues over

the winter months, while supporters insist it will

offer more protection to vulnerable care

home residents.

In a video she reportedly took... on Friday afternoon,

after her final shift, Akester tearfully explained how

losing her job and walking away from the people

she has cared for, was the hardest thing she
has ever done.

“I just can't believe what the bloody government

is doing to us, I just don't get it, I don't

understand,” she said.

Akester said the situation is unfair, as residents and

guests are not required to be vaccinated under the

new rules. She claimed residents at her facility

are “crying their eyes out” over her departure,

and noted that she has been tested for

Covid-19 regularly --- and has worn

proper protective gear at her job.

Thousands could lose their jobs after November 11th,

and Akester, who said she made the minimum wage
at her last job, said she has received lots of
messages of support.

“It’s nice to know I’m not alone - that there’s

other people in my shoes,” she said.

Akester insisted that she is not against vaccines,

but is not ready to be vaccinated for Covid-19

just now. She previously told the Daily Mail

she is waiting -- due to concerns over the

potential long-term side effects.

“This choice should be my basic human right.

I do not deserve to be punished for saying

no,” she said.

However, she did not rule out being

vaccinated for Covid-19... at some

point in the future.

_____________________________

Covid-19 causes hearing

and balance disorders

by Pavel López Lazo

November 4th, 8am (Prensa Latina)

A team of experts disclosed that the SARS-CoV-2

virus causes hearing and balance disorders ---

the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

(MIT) reported.

“Coronavirus can infect cells of the inner ear, including

hair cells, which are critical for both hearing and

balance, causing hearing loss and tinnitus,”

researchers stressed.

In both human inner ear samples and stem cell-derived

cell models, specialists found that certain cells
(ciliated and Schwann) express proteins
necessary for the SARS-CoV-2
virus to enter.

A new study... from MIT and the Massachusetts Eye and

Ear provides evidence that “these two proteins include

the ACE2 receptor, which is found on the cell surface,

and two enzymes called furin and serine 2

transmembrane protease, which help the

virus to fuse with the host cell.”

Damage to cochlear hair cells, which can cause hearing

loss, is generally assessed by measuring otoacoustic

emissions, sounds made by sensory hair cells when

they respond to auditory stimulation.

Possible pathways for the virus to enter the ears include

the Eustachian tube, which connects the nose to the

middle ear.

The virus can also escape through the nose via small

openings surrounding the olfactory nerves. That

would allow the virus to enter the brain and
infect the cranial nerves, including the
one connected to the inner ear.

According to the Reports Nature’s Scientific journal,

Covid-19 causes more than 50 negative effects in

humans. These discomforts can last for weeks

and even months after a patient’s recovery is

decreed. The list of complaints is led by

fatigue, headache, attention disorder,

hair and tooth loss, shortness of

breath, loss of taste, smell,

cough, chest discomfort,

the decreased ability to

pulmonary diffusion,

sleep apnea.... and

pulmonary fibrosis.

Patients may also have heart disorders such

as arrhythmias and myocarditis; in addition

to tinnitus (when a ringing or other noise is

felt in one or both ears) and night sweats

...in addition to neurological disorders,

including dementia, depression,

anxiety... and obsessive-

compulsive disorders.

______________________________

High efficacy of Russia’s Sputnik V
vaccine in protecting the elderly
confirmed by the large
Argentinian study

November 1st, at 10:57am (RT)

A real-world study carried out in Argentina's capital

of Buenos Aires, has proven the high efficacy of

Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine against Covid-19

in those aged above 60, the distributor of

the jab has said.

The results of the large-scale research by the Ministry

of Health of the City of Buenos Aires were published

in the prestigious, peer-reviewed Journal of the

American Medical Association (JAMA)
last week.

The study included more than 660,000 elderly residents

of Buenos Aires who'd been vaccinated with Sputnik V,

AstraZeneca, and Sinopharm jabs, between June the

1st and June the 15th, 2021.

According to the paper, infection rates decreased by

over 88% among those fully vaccinated, while

mortality dropped by 96.6%.

Two-dose vaccination also contributed to a 94.2%

reduction of all-cause deaths among those aged

80 and over, and a 98.2% reduction among

those aged between 70 and 79.

Sputnik V was the leading vaccine in the survey,

with over 63% of the participants injected with

the Russian-designed jab.The Argentinean

study: “reconfirms the great efficacy of

Sputnik V, in protecting the elderly,”

the Russian Direct Investment

Fund (RDIF), which funded

the development of the

Russian jab, and now

oversees distribution

...said in a statement.

The RDIF pointed to other research by the Buenos

Aires health ministry that was published in June

...and revealed the single-shot Sputnik Light

vaccine had an efficacy of 78.6–83.7%

among people aged between

60 and 79.

Sputnik V has been one of the main vaccines used in

Argentina’s immunization drive. Russia's jab has

contributed to Covid-19 cases in the capital

dropping “at least 15 times”, over the
last five months, the RDIF said.

Its high efficacy of 97.6% in those fully vaccinated

and its lack of any significant known side effects

has generated praise in the international

scientific community --- including from

the prestigious medical magazine,

The Lancet.

The Russian jab is already registered in 70 countries

but still lacks authorization from the EU's regulator,

the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and the

World Health Organization (WHO).

In late October, the WHO said it was resuming the

approval procedure after a month-long pause

...caused by the claimed discovery of

''irregularities'' at one of the plants

where Sputnik V is manufactured.

During his address to the G20 summit over the

weekend, Russian President Vladimir Putin

urged the world’s leading nations to work

out a mechanism: to efficiently update

vaccines against Covid-19. in light of

the new variants and accelerate the

recognition of each other’s jabs.

Competition in the area of vaccines, only

undermines global vaccination efforts,

and exacerbates inequality in access

to the jab, he pointed out.

Putin again highlighted the high effectiveness

of Sputnik V, and said its single-component

version could be used as a booster shot...

to vaccines produced by other countries.

___________________________________

Pandemic-hit NHS -- wastes over

£560mn yearly on ‘unnecessary’

and addictive pills with severe

withdrawal symptoms – study

October 19th, 2:46pm (RT)

Despite the Covid pandemic, the NHS is reportedly

wasting as much as £568 million yearly on habit-

forming drugs like painkillers and sleeping pills

that the majority of patients do not need,

leading to dangerous addictions.

Doctors in England, are unnecessarily pushing

dependency-causing opioids, antidepressants

and other pills, according to a new study by

the Council for Evidence-based Psychiatry.

Researchers found that 3 in 4 prescriptions

were totally unnecessary in some cases.

The study, published Tuesday in the journal Addictive

Behaviours, revealed that, for many patients, their

symptoms... were not severe enough to warrant

such medication. In other cases, safer options

of treatment such as counselling or less toxic

drugs, were not fully explored, while there

were also instances of patients who were

put on the pills for longer than required.

“Money is being wasted at a time when the health service

is strapped for cash. The NHS, is not taking this problem

seriously and many doctors don’t appreciate the extent

to which withdrawal from these medicines is a
problem,” Dr James Davies, the study’s
co-lead author, told the

Daily Mail.

Between 2015 and 2018, the study estimated, there

was a taxpayer bill of £1.7 billion for prescriptions

for... antidepressants, opioids, gabapentinoids,

benzodiazepines and Z-drugs (sleeping pills).

The total costs accounted for the price of the

drugs, the average consultation cost (about

£33) of seeing a General Practitioner (GP),

and dispensing fees.

NHS figures reportedly show that nearly 17 million people

a year, in the country, are getting a prescription for such

drugs. The level of waste is so colossal that it could go

towards paying the salaries of another 10,000 GPs or

20,000 nurses, according to the Daily Mail, which

reported that the Department of Health and

Social Care is yet to finalise plans to

tackle the issue.

Nearly half the taxpayer money being wasted each year
– to the tune of £288 million – goes towards highly

addictive opioid painkillers followed by £158

million a year for gabapentinoids. But the

researchers, at Roehampton University,

Greenwich University, plus University

College London, warn that it is likely

the total amount lost is far higher

than the “conservative”

estimates in the study.

In addition, the study does not account for the significant

costs related to harms caused by habit-forming drugs.

These include higher disability payments and lost tax

revenues, as well as workplace absenteeism and

decreased productivity.

Besides the financial losses, unnecessary prescription also

exacts a human cost: when people try to kick the habit, they

suffer severe withdrawal symptoms --- including stomach

cramps, blurred vision & loss of appetite. For instance,

studies on benzodiazepine usage reportedly show that

50% of those on the drugs for as little as four weeks

suffer anxiety, dizziness, concentration problems,

nightmares and weakness. That figure rises to

100% for people taking the medication for

over six months.

Commenting on the study, the Tory MP Danny Kruger, who

chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group for Prescribed

Drug Dependence, said a “fraction of these wasted

costs should now be invested in a helpline and
dedicated withdrawal support services.”

In 2019, a Public Health England report revealed that

“hundreds of thousands” of patients... .had become

dependent on medicines.. and recommended face-

to-face support, better training for doctors on the

risks of drug dependency, and a 24-hour helpline

on how to reduce medication.

While little action has occurred since, a Department of

Health and Social Care spokesman told the Daily Mail

that ministers are finally backing plans for a helpline

and will be “working closely” with the NHS to

implement the recommendations.

______________________________

Psychosis Cases Soar in England

as Pandemic Hits Mental Health

October 18th, 3:22pm (FNA)

Cases of psychosis have soared over the past two years

in England... as a rising number of people experience

hallucinations and delusional thinking, amid the

stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There was a 75% increase in the number of people referred

to mental health services for their first suspected episode

of psychosis between April 2019 and April 2021, NHS
data shows, The Guardian reported.

The rise continued throughout the summer, with 12,655

referred in July 2021, up 53% from 8,252 in July 2019.

Much of the increase has been seen over the last year,

after the first national lockdown, according to data

analysed by the charity Rethink Mental Illness.

More than 13,000 referrals were made in May

2021, a 70% rise on the May before, when

there were 7,813 referrals.

The charity is urging the government to invest more

in early intervention for psychosis to prevent any
further deterioration in people’s mental health,
from which... it could take them years
to recover.

It says the statistics - provide some of the first concrete

evidence... to indicate the significant levels of distress
experienced across the population in the pandemic.

A study earlier this month, found that anxiety & depression

around the world, increased dramatically, in 2020, with an

estimated 76mln extra cases of anxiety and 53mln extra

cases of major depressive disorder than would have

been expected.. had COVID not struck. Women and

young people were disproportionately affected,

the researchers said.

Psychosis can involve seeing or hearing things that other

people do not (hallucinations) and developing beliefs that

aren't based on reality (delusions), which can be highly

distressing. It can be a symptom of mental illness...
such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or severe

depression, but psychosis can also be a

one-off, potentially triggered by a

traumatic experience, extreme

stress or drug and alcohol

misuse.

Despite the continued pressure on mental health services,

Rethink Mental Illness is highlighting the importance of

rapid access to treatment to prevent further episodes

of psychosis... and reduce people’s risk of

developing severe mental illness.

Nice guidelines for people experiencing a suspected

first episode of psychosis state they should receive

an assessment within two weeks. However, the

charity fears that if the increase in referrals is

sustained, more people will have to wait

longer for vital treatment.

Brian Dow, the deputy chief executive of Rethink Mental

Illness, said, “Psychosis can have a devastating impact

on people’s lives. Swift access to treatment is vital to

prevent a further deterioration in people’s mental

health... which could take them years to

recover from."

“These soaring numbers of suspected first episodes of

psychosis are cause for alarm. We're now, well beyond

the first profound shocks of this crisis and it’s deeply

concerning, that the number of referrals remains so

high. As first presentations of psychosis typically

occur in young adults, this steep rise raises

additional concerns about the pressures

the younger generation have faced

during the pandemic," he added.

“The pandemic has had a ''gamechanging'' effect on our

mental health and it requires a revolutionary response.

Dedicated additional funding for mental health and

social care must go to frontline services to help

meet the new demand, otherwise thousands

of people could bear a catastrophic cost,”

he added.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social

Care said, “It is vital everyone can get the right support

when they need it and we are delivering the fastest

expansion in mental health services in NHS

history, backed by an additional £2.3bln a

year, by 2023/24, benefiting hundreds
of thousands more people.

“On top of this, we’ve invested an additional £500mln

this year to help people whose mental health has

been particularly impacted by the pandemic. All

NHS mental health providers have established

24/7 urgent helplines, which have answered

around three million calls... during the

pandemic,” the spokesperson said.

_____________________________

López Obrador - again - asks WHO to

recognize all anti-Covid-19 vaccines

October 14th, 4:30pm (Prensa Latina)

President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador,

asked today, again, the World Health Organization

(WHO)... to approve the anti-Covid-19 vaccines

that have already been positively tested.

In the morning press conference at the National Palace,

the president said that, if it is already proven they are

not harmful, but quite the opposite, that they help
people and the efficacy is also proven, why are
they not yet ''authorized'', he wondered.

In the case of the United States, there is already some

advance... since they stopped talking about allowing

entry to that country only to those vaccinated with

locally made immunizers. Previously, they said

only Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson, but now

they accept AstraZeneca and others.

Apparently they will allow the entry of people vaccinated

with those authorized by WHO. It is no longer a single

country deciding, but a world organization, and
it must be without political or ideological

interests, but exclusively supported
by science.

It should not be possible, he said, that there is an effective

vaccine in a country with a different political system and

they try to marginalize it, as that resource is used in

many other countries and has shown it helps.

Political issues should not be mixed with those of health

and science, he reiterated. Hopefully, all (vaccines) in

progress, finish the analysis and are approved and

authorized by WHO... and we can travel
everywhere.

To a question about Cuba's 'Abdala' and its application in

children, the president said there is an agreement with

the government of Havana, to acquire their vaccines,

but it has not yet been possible, and reiterated the

optimal relationship of bilateral cooperation in

the field of medicine, and that they will

continue to work together.

It is the 2nd time the president addresses the issue

due to the delay of WHO... to approve numerous

vaccines from other countries, outside those

where the drugs are already authorized.

He said the world institution has to act
with rectitude, without political or

ideological bias, and with

adherence to science.

Concerning the case of Mexico and the reopening of

borders with the United States, the problem is the

large number of Mexicans vaccinated with

Russian and Chinese drugs -- which have

not yet been approved by WHO, despite

their wide and generalized use.

López Obrador asked WHO to hurry, because they have

been in the process for a long time, and there are

vaccines being applied by millions of doses that

have saved lives. And most importantly, there
is no report in the world, that they have

caused harm.

_________________________________

Users Unable to Access

NHS App, Website

& COVID Pass

October 13th, 3:48pm (Sputnik)

Brits were stranded in airports on Wednesday, unable

to access their Covid-19 vaccination records, due to

technical issues.

The National Health Service (NHS) reported problems

with user access to the Covid Pass on the NHS app

and the website, adding that the issue is being

investigated.

The NHS Covid Pass is used to prove one's vaccination

record and allows people to travel, as well as access

events and venues in the UK and other countries.

Travellers took to social media on Wednesday to
complain and fume about the incident, saying
they couldn't take their trips, take tours,
or go to museums.

The NHS said it would update users

on the matter "as soon as we can."

_________________________________

‘Alarming’ drop in life expectancy

in England --- even before Covid

pandemic hit, new university

study shows

October 13th, 12:53pm (RT)

Life expectancy across the UK was falling even before

the Covid pandemic hit, with researchers finding an

“alarming” drop over the past decade, according

to a study published by Imperial College

London (ICL).

Having examined around 8.6 million death records in

England from 2002-2019, ICL found life expectancy

decreased in one of five communities for women

and one in nine areas for men, over the

past decade.

The analysis, published on Wednesday, comes after

the Office for National Statistics (ONS), released a

report earlier in 2021, estimating life expectancy

for men had fallen for the first time in 40 years...

due to the Covid pandemic.

However, ICL researchers found it had actually

started to decline, years before the pandemic

impacted communities.

“There has always been an impression in the UK that

everyone's health is improving, even if not at the

same pace,” said Professor Majid Ezzati, who

led the study, but “data show that longevity

has been getting worse for years, in large

parts of England.”

For such declines to be seen in 'normal times'

--- before the pandemic --- is alarming.

Beyond the national picture across England... the study

outlined the stark difference between life expectancy

in different parts of the country. At the most extreme

point, there was a 20-year gap between women

living in the London borough of Camden and

Leeds, West Yorkshire, while there was a

27-year gap between Kensington and

Chelsea and Blackpool, Lancashire.

The analysis, released in the peer reviewed Lancet

journal, blamed the differences in life expectancy

on poverty, employment issues, welfare support,

and healthcare, urging the government to boost

investments in areas that have the lowest life

expectancies.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his government

recently pledged to tackle inequalities between

different regions --- laying out his so-called

‘levelling-up’ agenda, which will seek to

providing funding to towns, cities and

rural areas, giving local authorities

''greater control'' over how

government investment

is spent.

(Rhondda Records adds: twenty years ago, the

Rhondda's life expectancy was worse than

Ruanda's - want to guess what Wales'

figures are now?)

______________________________

Phthalates in toys, shampoo,

Image by Holger Langmaier

Study: Covid has caused

dramatic rise in anxiety,

depression

October 9th, 11:44am (PressTV)

Cases of depression and anxiety went up by more than

a quarter worldwide, in 2020, due to Covid-19, shows

a study.

Cases of major depression and anxiety around the world

increased dramatically in 2020 due to the Covid-19 crisis,

according to the first global estimate of the impact of
the pandemic on mental health.

The study, published in the Lancet medical journal, is the

latest to suggest the pandemic has taken a serious toll

on mental health, with an estimated 76 million extra

cases of anxiety and 53 million extra cases of

major depressive disorder, than would have

been expected, had Covid not struck.

In 2020, cases of major depressive disorder and anxiety

disorders increased by 28% and 26%, respectively.

Women were affected more than men, and

younger people were more affected than

older age groups, according to the

recent study.

Countries with high Covid-19 infection rates, and major

reductions in the movement of people - a consequence

of measures such as lockdowns and school closures –

had the greatest increases in the prevalence of major

depressive disorder and anxiety disorders.

The head of the research group from the Queensland

Centre for Mental Health Research, School of Public

Health, University of Queensland, Australia, said,

“This study is the first to quantify the prevalence

and burden of depressive and anxiety disorders

by age, sex, and location globally in 204

countries and territories, in 2020.”

Women and young people are more likely to be affected

than men or older people. The study showed... that

almost 52 million of the added cases for anxiety

during the first Covid year were accounted for

among women, contrasted with 24 million

for men.

“We believe [that] is because women are more likely to

be affected by the social and economic consequences

of the pandemic,” said the lead author, Dr. Damian

Santomauro of the University of Queensland.

“Women are more likely to take on additional career and

household responsibilities, due to school closures, or

family members becoming unwell. Women also tend

to have lower salaries, less savings... and less

secure employment than men.... and so, are

more likely to be financially disadvantaged

during the pandemic,” he said, adding: a

rise in domestic violence, may also
play a role.

Although Covid caused more death and serious illness

among older people, it was younger people who faced

the greatest burdens of depression and anxiety.

The category with the highest burden, the 20 to 24-year

age bracket, had an estimated 1,118 added depression

cases per 100,000 people, and 1,331 more per 100,000

for anxiety.

“School closures and wider restrictions limiting young

people’s ability to learn and interact with their peers,

combined with the increased risk of unemployment,

also meant that young people were also more

heavily impacted by major depressive

disorder and anxiety disorders

during the pandemic,” says

Alize Ferrari, one of the

University of Queens

-land researchers.

“We are hoping that these findings encourage more dialogue
by policy makers, governments, researchers and people
considering resource allocation and planning for
mental health responses…. It is crucial --- that
policymakers take underlying factors such as
these into account... as part of measures

to strengthen mental health services,”

he added.

_______________________________________________________

Armed police... drag passenger off

Eurostar train - after staff member

accused him of wearing the

‘wrong type of mask’

October 8th, 1:46pm (RT)

Eight armed, uniformed French police boarded a

Eurostar train on Thursday afternoon, after it

made an emergency stop in Lille, to forcibly

remove a passenger who was accused of

“not wearing the right type of mask.”

The incident occurred on a Eurostar service that was

traveling from Paris Gare du Nord to St. Pancras on

Thursday afternoon but was halted in Lille after a

train manager reportedly got into an aggressive

argument with a man over his face mask,

according to passengers.

Following the confrontation, the manager stated that

they would be informing the police at Lille, for his

failure to follow Covid regulations, with the train

making an emergency, unscheduled stop at the

station where eight officers forcibly removed

the passenger.

As he left the train, the passenger, thought to be in

his 40s, claimed he had been accused of “not

wearing the right type of mask” and would

now “be left alone in France,” calling it

“very cruel treatment.”

A spokesperson for Eurostar defended the response to
the situation, claiming that “the passenger became

aggressive and intimidating toward the on-board

team” after they reminded him of their rule on

mask wearing and as a result, he “was asked

to leave the train at Lille station.”

In accordance with the company’s “normal

procedure” police officers were called “to

attend and assist.”

French police confirmed the man had been arrested

over the incident on the train, but provided no

further update on the situation.

Eurostar states on its website that all passengers

must wear a face covering on its trains, even if

they have been fully vaccinated, with those

who fail to comply potentially being

refused travel.

The company’s guidelines don’t state what type of

mask is required, only that it must cover the

mouth and nose of passengers.

_________________________________

Now scientists have confirmed

that natural immunity is more

effective than vaxxed
immunity,...

why can’t I have my

freedoms back?

October 8th, 10:36am (RT)

By Rachel Marsden, columnist, political strategist

and host of an independently produced French-

language program that airs on Sputnik France.

Her website can be found at

rachelmarsden.com

I’ve got immunity from having had the virus, so where’s

my permanent health pass and an end to testing hell?

Governments are ignoring an avalanche of clinical

studies proving that the Covid-recovered could
simply be left alone.

As someone who has recovered from Covid-19, I’m tired

of spending the better part of a year, now, contending

with brainwashed sheeple glued to every word of our

flip-flopping, agenda peddling, manipulative govern-

ment authorities trying to sell us on the idea that
if you’ve already had the virus, you still need to
get at least one approved anti-Covid jab.

The fact that governments can’t even agree on whether

the Covid-recovered should get either one or two jabs

to qualify for their government-issued QR code health

pass, allowing them to live & travel freely, as before

this fiasco, should already make thinking people

skeptical.

Here in France, government propaganda requires the

Covid-recovered to take just one jab to qualify for the

national QR code health pass – which is insufficient

for travel to my home country of Canada, which

requires that all travelers be double-jabbed

three months after any Covid infection.

But If I have evidence that my acquired immunity is equal

to or superior to the jabs, then getting even a single dose

implies potential risk... for little or no reward – or even

potential detriment. So why would I roll that dice? It's

not like hospitals are filling up with the unjabbed

Covid-recovered. So why aren't the authorities

acknowledging this - & reacting accordingly

- to remove us from their jab treadmill.

An Israeli study is often cited to justify jabbing the Covid-

recovered, claiming they are twice as protected from

re-infection than if they relied solely on acquired

immunity. But when you dig into the data, you

realize that the odds of re-infection are

already infinitesimal, and that two

times nil, is still nil.

Another study, published in the medical journal, Viruses,

concluded that “compared with mRNA vaccination...

natural infection induces a more robust humoral

immune response” ...meaning that the Covid-

recovered, have systems better primed with

memory to respond to any future exposure

...even after blood antibody levels wane.

And in a bombshell undercover video sting published this

week, Project Veritas revealed ... Chris Croce, a senior

associate scientist at Pfizer, admitting on camera the

advantage of acquired immunity over his company’s

vaccine. “You’re protected most likely for longer

since it’s a natural response,” Croce revealed.

Nick Karl, a Pfizer biochemist, told the undercover operative:

“When somebody is naturally immune – like they got COVID

– they probably have… more antibodies against the virus

because what the vaccine is that protein is just on the

outside… It’s just one antibody against one specific

part of the virus. When you actually get the virus -

you’ll start producing antibodies against multiple

pieces of virus, not only the outside portion but

the inside portion, the actual virus -- so your

antibodies are probably better at that point

than the vaccination.”

Another article published last month on Cold Spring

Harbour Laboratory’s preprint server... concluded:

“While vaccinations are highly effective at protecting

against infection & severe COVID-19 disease, our

review demonstrates that natural immunity in

COVID 19-recovered individuals is... at least

equivalent to the protection afforded by full

vaccination of COVID-naïve populations.”

“There is a modest and incremental relative benefit to

vaccination in COVID-recovered individuals; how-

ever, the net benefit is marginal on an absolute

basis.” The researchers recommended that...

“vaccination of COVID-recovered individuals

should be subject to clinical equipoise
and individual preference.”

And that’s not all... “Israelis who had an infection were

more protected against the Delta coronavirus variant -
than those who had an already highly effective COVID-

19 vaccine,” wrote Science Magazine... of the bench-

mark Israeli study from August (while still bizarrely,

claiming vaccinations were “vital”). Since then,

we’ve learned that the effectiveness of these

‘highly effective vaccines’ – like Pfizer/

BioNTech’s – wanes after 6 months.

In Pfizrael, sorry, Israel – the primary ground for Covid-19

jab experimentation according to Dr. Philip Dormitzer,

vice president and chief scientific officer at Pfizer,

who called the country a “sort of laboratory” – a

record explosion of Covid infection has resulted

in calls for a FOURTH dose, even as the double
-jabbed who haven’t yet received their 3rd jab

started losing their QR code health pass

privileges... this week.

It looks like endless jab hell. So how about just giving

the Covid-recovered our lifelong health pass already

and leaving us alone, so we can ignore this circus

and move on with our lives? Why are you holding

us hostage? Let me take my own ‘jab’ at

answering that.

What’s clearly lurking behind the reluctance of authorities

to acknowledge acquired immunity is the fear that if they

just decided to leave us alone while subjecting everyone

else to their endless jab and pony show --- then an

increasing number of people would eventually

decide to find a way to deliberately catch
and recover from Covid, so they could
be left alone, too.

The authorities are literally going against the science and

lying to victims of Covid... in order to avoid creating a

benefit that others might seek out at a potential risk.

Except that, they themselves.... are responsible for

creating the restrictive system, from which, people

are now literally seeking out infection to find relief

– if only to acquire a health pass good for six

months so they’re able to access everyday

venues and basic freedoms.

As Sir Walter Scott once wrote, in his epic poem:

“O what a tangled web we weave, When first we

practise to deceive!” So maybe stop manipulat

-ing people, in a lousy attempt at social

engineering and start actually follow-

ing your beloved ‘science’, rather

than cherry picking it, to suit

your corrupt narrative, you

inept clowns.

_________________________________

Finland becomes Third country to
limit use of the Moderna vaccine

over cardiovascular side effects

October 7th, 5:25pm (PressTV)

Finland becomes the third country, after Sweden and

Denmark, to pause the use of Moderna’s COVID-19

vaccine for younger males, over reports of its
rare cardiovascular side effects.

In a statement on Thursday, Mika Salminen, director

of the Finnish health institute, announced the news,

saying that Finland would instead give Pfizer-BioN

Tech COVID-19 vaccine, to men born in 1991

and later.

The precautionary decision was made by Helsinki after

a Nordic study found that those aged 30 and below

had a “slightly higher risk” than others, of

developing myocarditis.

“A Nordic study involving Finland, Sweden, Norway and

Denmark, found that men under the age of 30, who

received Moderna Spikevax, had a slightly higher

risk than others, of developing myocarditis,”

he said.

Finland currently offers COVID-19

vaccines to people aged 12

and over.

The decision by Finnish authorities came, just a day after

Swedish and Danish health officials announced that they

would halt the use of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine
for all young adults and children, citing the same

unpublished Nordic study.

Norway already recommends the Cominarty vaccine,

and Finland was expected to publish a decision later.

Salminen said the study will be published in the next

couple of weeks, and that the European Medicines

Agency (EMA) had already received preliminary

data, for further assessment.

Back in July, the safety committee of the EMA

announced that the reported inflammatory

heart conditions could be observed in

very rare cases after the use of

Spikevax, or the Pfizer/BioN

Tech Cominarty jab, more

often in younger males,

after the second dose.

_________________________________

‘Fact-checkers’ rush to defend

Bill Gates --- as video of him

praising vaccines’ abilities

to reduce population

growth, goes viral

October 6th, 5:59pm (RT)

Self-proclaimed ‘fact-checkers’, have been forced

to walk back some of their more forceful denials

of Bill Gates’ opinions on population control, in

another effort to frame the philanthropist’s

critics, as loonies.

FactCheck.org has seemingly revised its view of

Gates’ infamous 2010 TED Talk... in which he

declared doing a “great job” on vaccination

in the developing world... could bring down

the population count. In ITS statement on

Wednesday, the organization announced

that while Gates had -- “said health care

& vaccines could reduce unsustainable

population growth,” his words had

been taken out of context – and
he had never said “3 billion
people need to die.”

The ‘fact-checker’ had gleefully seized upon a 2019

video featuring naturopath R. Young addressing a
group of judicial-cosplay conspiracy theorists
known as the International Tribunal for
Natural Justice, noting that there is
no documented evidence of Gates
uttering any of the words Young
was putting into his mouth –
especially the “3 billion
people” line.

However, most of Gates’ detractors have never

accused him of outright claiming 3 billion

people need to die, though many have

referred to him - in one form or
another - as a eugenics fan.

The vaccine evangelist’s claim that the world’s

population, standing in 2010 at 6.8 billion and

“headed up to nine billion”, at the time of the

infamous TED Talk, could be reduced “if we

do a really great job on new vaccines,

health care, reproductive health

services,” and the like... “by,

perhaps, 10 or 15% percent”

can itself be considered an
incriminating statement --

and FactCheck.org ..has

acknowledged that he

said it.

Many of the self-proclaimed ‘fact-checking’ groups

have become somewhat notorious for seizing on

bizarre conspiracy theories about figures like

Gates and using such falsehoods to smear

legitimate criticism of those figures.

Additionally, a Gates TED Talk, from last year, was

edited post-broadcast to remove a line regarding

vaccine certificates, which, at the time, were

considered to be much too redolent of the

police-state mentality... for any of the

democratic countries to accept.

A year and a half later, lockdown-mad populations

have been driven into the arms of such passport

regimes, and Gates’ prediction - which persists

in the audio version of his talk - sounds

almost restrained.

__________________________________

1 in 4 Brits give up on NHS

non-emergency calls due
to long queues caused
by staff shortages

October 3rd, 11:14am (RT)

Almost a quarter of callers hang up, while attempting
to ring the National Health Service’s non-emergency

111 phone line, because of waiting times that far

exceed the service’s call-handling target.

The average wait time across the UK, was roughly eight

minutes in July, but in northeast England, some callers

were left waiting for up to 25 minutes, The Guardian

reported on Sunday. In comparison, NHS targets

suggest a caller should not be waiting for
more than 20 seconds.

111 is an NHS phone line that can be used to report health

concerns that are not considered to be an emergency.

It’s used by many British people when they need to

reach a medical practitioner more quickly than it

would take to secure an available appointment

with their own doctor.

Due to the lengthy queues, 24% – or nearly one in four

callers – bailed on their attempts to reach 111 in July

– up by 16% since April, when callers were left

waiting for just over a minute and a half... on

average. In the Northeast... the figure was

even higher, with half of all callers giving

up before reaching a staff member. NHS

targets suggest that just 3% of callers

should be put in a position where

they consider it preferable to

hang up before connecting.

A spokesperson for the NHS told The Guardian that the

long waiting times were due to an “increased demand”

amid the Covid-19 pandemic and the backlog it has

caused, with “call handlers seeing a 44% rise

in calls during July compared with the
same month in 2019”.

The GMB trade union’s public-services officer... Rachel

Harrison... said the long queues were also due to: “a

staffing crisis” in the health sector, with “exhaustion

and burnout, Covid sickness and the impact of low

pay on workers”, leading to fewer staff to deal
with the increased numbers of callers.

“When people can’t get through to 111, they turn to 999 –

which, in turn, increases the demands and pressures

on our already-overstretched ambulance services,”

Harrison added.

_____________________________________

Canadian Military Used COVID-19

to Test Afghan-Like Propaganda

Techniques on Citizens: Report

September 30th, 6:40pm (RT)

The government in Ottawa reportedly didn’t authorise

a covert propaganda operation against its own

citizens, according to a plan designed by

Canada's military leadership.

The Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC) used

the COVID-19 pandemic to test its propaganda

techniques - similar to those used during the

Afghanistan war - on its own citizens, the

daily paper Ottawa Citizen reported,

citing documents obtained through
the Access to Information law.

What the Operation Was About

According to the newspaper, the plan was hatched last year

by the CJOC, which at the time was headed by Lt-Gen Mike

Rouleau. The operation called for “shaping” & “exploiting”

information during the health crisis to make the

government’s messages about the pandemic

more effective and prevent any civil

disobedience from Canadians.

The CJOC reportedly issued the directive for the plan on

April 8th 2020 but it was quickly shut down by General

Jonathan Vance, then-chief of the defence staff who

stepped down from his post in January 2021.

Vance was reportedly prompted to kill the initiative after

hearing the concerns from his advisers about the

scheme’s legality and ethics. The plan was still

reportedly active until May 2nd... when the

general’s halting order finally took effect.

Investigation Launched

Vance then invited retired Major-Gen Daniel Gosselin to

investigate how the CJOC had been able to launch the

propaganda scheme without getting authorisation

from higher levels. Gosselin’s report concluded

that military commanders were not seeking

approval from the authorities because they

apparently didn’t believe they needed it.

Canada’s federal government never

authorises initiatives, Gosselin

argued.

According to the investigative report... the CJOC saw
the pandemic as a “unique opportunity” to test their

''techniques'' on ordinary citizens. Gosselin notes

that the plan did not emanate from “passionate”

propaganda specialists but was a result of the

CJOC’s deeper “mindset” that supported the

use of such techniques.

Gosselin cited the views of the body’s former chief of

staff, Rear-Adm Brian Santarpia, who believed that
the pandemic was “an opportunity to monitor and
collect public information to enhance awareness
for better command decision-making.”

The report concluded that CJOC held a “palpable,

dismissive attitude” towards concerns of other

military bodies and leaders when launching

the scheme.

Gosselin has recommended that Canadian
Forces review their policies, when it
comes to information operations

– especially those concerning
a domestic audience.

‘Controversial’ Issue?

Ottawa Citizen argues that “military propaganda training

and initiatives within Canada, over the past year.... have

proved controversial”. The paper cites a recent incident
in Nova Scotia, when a fake letter from the government
designed by the military, warned about “wolves on the
loose”, causing panic among locals and officials who
were unware about the ongoing ''operation'.'

But revelations about the military’s reported move didn’t

simply stir controversy among some readers but down-

right outrage.

As such, Lorne Gunter - a columnist on another daily

newspaper, the Toronto Sun - has raged in a recent

piece, against “censorship, propaganda and

manipulation” --- which typifies the
Canadian government's “toolkit”.

“The military should never treat Canadian citizens as if

they are the enemy,” he wrote, suggesting that this

attitude is “increasingly popular among the

Canadian elites”.

Canada’s political leaders have

kept silent on the report so far.

_______________________________

Antibodies in Fully Vaxxed

With Pfizer, AstraZeneca

--- Decline Steeply After

Several Months – Study

September 30th, 7:05am (Sputnik)

Swedish national broadcaster SVT described the new

findings as a piece of the puzzle why Sweden and

other heavily-vaccinated countries are now

seeing more and more breakthrough

infections among those who duly

received their two shots.

Antibody levels among fully vaccinated people wane

faster than researchers previously thought, a major

recent study performed in Sweden has concluded.

In total, over 2,000 healthcare employees have been

included in the Community Study -- whose goal is to

learn more about immunity after COVID-19 and the

effect of vaccines, inasmuch as how quickly

immunity wears off.

For Pfizer-vaccinated people who haven't had COVID-19,

antibody levels were halved after only three months.

After seven months, only 15 percent of the original

levels remained – a decrease of 85 percent,

national broadcaster SVT reported.

Because the staff who received the AstraZeneca vaccine

received the booster shot later, the researchers were

only able to follow them for three months. Never-

theless, the decline was even steeper. After

barely three months, AstraZeneca-

vaccinated people had only one-

fifth of the Pfizer-vaccinated

antibody levels.

A handful of participants received Moderna's vaccine,

but that group was too small... and had a too short

follow-up time. for the researchers to say

anything conclusive.

“The fact that antibody levels fall over time is fully expected,

but I am surprised that it has dropped so significantly in

such a relatively healthy and young group”, research

leader Charlotte Thålin told SVT. “The low levels

mean that we can have an increased spread

even in vaccinated groups, and this can

have consequences for our elderly. ”

“This is worrying and indicates that

the elderly and fragile must

receive a third refill dose

as soon as possible”,

she added.

SVT described the new findings as a piece of the puzzle

why Sweden and several other heavily-vaccinated

countries have begun to see more and more

breakthrough infections among those who

have duly received their two shots. How-

ever... researchers still don't know
where the protection line goes.

“Antibodies are only part of the immune system, we know

that high antibody levels.. are associated with protection

against infection. But the immune system also contains

memory cells, that quickly supplement the antibody

levels when we are exposed to the virus and we do

not know exactly where the limit is, for becoming

infected or ill”, Charlotte Thålin.

Sweden, a nation of over 10 million, has vaccinated over

63 percent of its population. So far, it has had 1.15

million cases of the disease, with over

15,000 deaths.

While famous for not introducing any comprehensive

lockdowns even at the height of the pandemic,

unlike its neighbours, earlier on Wednesday

September 29th, Sweden lifted the last

restrictions in place. In practice, this

means that the number of guests at

events, is no longer limited, that

Swedes are no longer recom-

mended to work from home

and that the distancing

requirements...

disappear.

_________________________________

Pope Francis calls for

a comprehensive

approach to health

September 27th, 3:07pm (Prensa Latina)

Pope Francis said here today, that considering health

in its multiple dimensions, at a global level, helps

to understand and responsibly assume the

interconnection between phenomena.

Upon receiving participants in the Plenary Assembly of

the Pontifical Academy for Life, the Supreme Pontiff

pointed out that this is how it is better seen how

living conditions derived from political, social

and environmental decisions, produce an

impact on the health of human beings.

If we examine life expectancy, and healthy life... in
different countries and social groups, we discover
deep inequalities, Francis said, at the three-day

event, inaugurated today, and focused

on the theme 'Public health in a

global perspective. Pandemic,

bioethics, future'.

After noting that these differences depend on variables

such as... level of income and education and places of

residence, the Pope specified that 'we state that life

and health are equally fundamental values for all,

based on the unalienable dignity of the

human person'.

But if that declaration does not follow the appropriate

commitment to overcome inequalities, in fact, we

accept the painful reality: that not all lives are

equal, and health is not protected in the

same way, for everyone, he said.

When highlighting how the Covid-19 pandemic made clear

the profound interdependence 'both between us and

between the human kind and our common home',

he recalled that 'our societies, especially in
the West, have tended to forget that

interconnection', with the

resulting 'bitter

experiences'.

The Pope called to reverse this trend through synergy

between different disciplines, such as biology and

hygiene, medicine and epidemiology, but also

economics and sociology, anthropology

and ecology.

In this sense, he stressed that the objective should be

- in addition to understanding the phenomena - to

identify the technological, political and ethical

criteria for action --- on the health system,

the family, employment, and

the environment.

____________________________

Back to normal everyday life’:

Norwegian PM announces

end of Covid restrictions

September 24th, 1:22pm (RT)

Speaking at a press conference... on Friday, Norway’s

prime minister, Erna Solberg, stated that the country

will reopen the country on Saturday... ending Covid

restrictions on businesses and social interactions.

The decision to remove the strict Covid measures comes

561 days after they were first introduced to reduce the

spread of the virus, with Norwegian health authorities

also giving the green light for other restrictions,

such as those on sports venues and travel,

to end in the coming weeks.

“Now we are going back to a normal everyday life,” Solberg

stated... as she announced that, from 4pm (3pm GMT) on

Saturday, the country will “remove most of the infection

control measures,” giving “a big thank you” to citizens

for complying.

Celebrating the removal of restrictions, Solberg hugged

Health Minister Bent Hoie at the press conference,

which the two said was acceptable, as they are

both fully vaccinated.

While measures will be lifted in the next 24 hours,
the Norwegian PM urged businesses to not start

preparing for customers to return until
tomorrow, as the rules are still in

place until the “common time”

that has been agreed.

Although Norwegian officials feel comfortable enough to

start reopening the country, the official urged eligible

citizens to ensure they are fully vaccinated,

describing it as their “civic duty” and

issuing a plea to “minority

communities” who have

not yet had the jab.

Responding to the announcement, the head of the

Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise, Ole Erik

Almlid, declared that this is what “the whole

society has longed for,” even though “the

finish line has not yet been reached,”

with more work to come until

industries have fully

rebounded.

________________________________

England’s cancer treatment backlog

could take ‘decades’ to clear after

Covid pandemic crippled patient

care – report

September 24th, 11:25am (RT)

The cancer treatment backlog in England could “take

decades to address” ...after the Covid pandemic

caused the health service to “collapse rapidly”,

according to a new report from the Institute

for Public Policy Research (IPPR).

In the research, released on Friday, the independent

progressive think tank warned of the impact of the

pandemic on cancer treatment, urging officials to

take steps to prevent potentially “severe”

consequences... that will require

“considerable catch-up”

work to be done.

While the UK government has announced a three-year

funding proposal to address issues that have

emerged in the NHS during the pandemic,
the IPPR said there was “more to be
done” if Britain is to “build back
better”... as Prime Minister
Boris Johnson promised.

Highlighting how the impact of coronavirus had caused

the health service to “collapse rapidly”, the think
tank said the crisis had forced the NHS to take

“unthinkable steps --- like cancelling cancer
treatments”, leaving an estimated 19,500
people with undiagnosed cancers.

Examining the ways to clear the backlog, the study warned

that it would take until 2033 before hospitals, already

“stretched” to capacity... could clear the backlog

- even if treatment interventions were increased

by 5%. If they rose by 15%, it could potentially

be cleared by next year. However, if the NHS

didn’t boost cancer treatments, the backlog

“could take decades to address”, the

researchers said.

The IPPR’s report urges the government to implement

greater funding as a matter of urgency, as the funds

announced so far were “just about enough to keep

the health service afloat”, it said, given that data

showed that, before the pandemic, the cancer

survival rate in the UK already lagged “far

behind most similar countries”.

“These alarming estimates lay bare just how urgently

investment in equipment, and, crucially, in NHS

staffing, is needed to avoid a devastating

decade of further disruption to cancer

diagnosis and treatment,” the chief

executive of Breast Cancer Now,

Baroness Delyth Morgan, said

following the release of

the report.

The UK government has not yet issued

a response to the IPPR’s findings.

[Baroness Delyth Morgan, hmm...

that's a Welsh name -- wonder

if she could offer to publicise

what on earth is happening

in Wales?]

_______________________________

ER Doc Accuses Gov’t of ‘Shoving’

Men Sleep Worse During

Waxing Moon, Women

Unaffected – Study

September 20th, 8:53am (Sputnik)

One hypothesis concerns the amount of sunlight that is

reflected from the moon around the time when people

usually go to bed. Men's brains are suggested to be

more receptive to ambient light conditions

than women's.

Men's sleep seems to be affected more than women's by

the moon's cycle, a study conducted by researchers at

Uppsala University has indicated.

While many men sleep worse during the waxing stage of

the moon, women's sleep was largely unaffected, the

researchers concluded, having studied the quality

of sleep of 492 women and 360 men who slept at

home in their own beds.

To this end, they used polysomnography – a comprehensive

test used to diagnose sleep disorders. Polysomnography

records brain waves, the oxygen level in the blood, heart

rate and breathing, as well as eye and leg movements.

The people whose sleep was registered were unaware of the

researchers' interest in the link to the moon's movements

that the researchers were interested in.

Men, but not women, exhibited lower sleep efficiency, and

were longer awake after sleep onset on nights during the

waxing period.

“We could see that men whose sleep was measured during

the first phases of the moon had poorer sleep quality and

woke up more often during the night compared with men

whose sleep was measured during the waning phases of

the moon. In women, sleep was largely unaffected by the

lunar cycle.

Our results were robust for adjustments for chronic sleep

problems and sleep apnea,” Christian Benedict, associate

professor and sleep researcher at Uppsala University,

said in a statement.

According to researchers, a possible mechanism that can

explain the moon's effect on sleep is the amount of sun-

light that is reflected from the moon around the time

when people usually go to bed. As a recently

published study suggested, men's brains

may be more receptive to ambient light

conditions than women's.

“However, our study cannot determine whether it is the lunar

cycle that affects sleep in men or whether the lunar cycle

co-varies with some other factor that affects sleep,”

Christian Benedict told the science news portal

Forskning.se, suggesting further research.

_____________________________________

Appeals court overturns ruling on
child gender treatment --- in UK;

doctors CAN prescribe puberty

blockers to under-16s

September 17th, 3:47pm (RT)

The Court of Appeal has ruled that under-16s do not lack

the capacity to give informed consent concerning

medical treatment which delays the onset of

puberty --- overturning a ruling from
last year.

On Friday, the court overturned a 2020 ruling by a divisional

court which stated that under-16s lacked the capacity to

give informed consent to treatment concerning

transitioning gender. The original case had

been brought forward by Keira Bell... who

claimed doctors should have challenged

her more, when she requested puberty

blockers at a young age.

However, on Friday, the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the

appellant, the Tavistock Trust, which runs the UK’s only

gender identity clinic for young Britons, and overruled

the 2020 decision.

Friday’s ruling noted that the divisional court “had made no

findings of illegality”. Judges at the Court of Appeal said

they understood “the difficulties and complexities” of

the issue, but insisted “it is for the clinicians to

exercise their judgement --- knowing how

important it is, that consent is properly

obtained according to the particular

individual circumstances.”

In its written conclusions, the court acknowledged that clinicians

will inevitably take great care before recommending treatment to

a young patient and ensuring that both the parent and child are

aware of the advantages and disadvantages of the

proposed treatment.

The court also contended that doctors are subject to professional

regulation and oversight, and while some may have fallen short

of standards in the past, it did not impact the lawfulness of

the practice.

The NHS prescribes gender identity treatment, including the use

of puberty blockers, to some children who are experiencing

gender dysphoria. The blockers are drugs which pause the

process of puberty by suppressing the body’s release

of hormones.

In December 2020, the divisional court ruled that children under 13

were “highly unlikely” to be able to give informed consent, adding

that it was “very doubtful” that those aged 14 and 15 would have

the requisite understanding to make the life-changing decision.

Bell - now 24 - started taking puberty blockers at 16.

She has said she now regrets her “brash” decision.

___________________________________________

Wales to impose mandatory vaccine

certificates for nightclubs and large

events... from October 2021

September 17th, 2:22pm (RT)

The Welsh government announced on Friday that, from

October 11th,, over-18s will be required to prove they

have been fully vaccinated against Covid or tested

negative in the past 48 hours, to enter clubs or

large events.

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford stated that the

requirement to show an NHS Covid pass, to enter

these venues was needed because “coronavirus

cases have risen to very high levels,” resulting

in more people “dying from this terrible virus.”

“My message to you, today, is a simple but serious one –

the pandemic is not over and we all need to take steps

to protect ourselves and our loved ones,” Drakeford

said in his announcement.

The vaccine certificate mandate will apply to nightclubs,

indoor non-seated events that have more than 500

people, outdoor non-seated events with an

attendance of more than 4,000 and any

event with an audience over 10,000.

The measure comes despite warnings from the Night Time

Industries Association that the Covid restriction will have

a “hugely detrimental impact on trade,” potentially

resulting in customers leaving Wales to visit

businesses in England.

In a letter, the trade group cautioned that “any implementation

of vaccine certification will be inevitably arbitrary,” as Welsh

officials have failed to outline the criteria required to identify

impacted businesses.

Alongside the need to show a Covid pass, the Welsh government

urged people to work from home if they can and stated that

enforcement of social distancing measures, including the

need to wear face coverings in public places and on

public transport, would be stepped up.

Wales saw a rise in Covid infections since the start of August,

and has a rate of 494.3 cases per 100,000, compared with

neighbouring England’s rate of 347.9 cases per 100,000.

The decision to implement a vaccine passport scheme in Wales

comes after England scrapped similar plans, with the UK

Health Secretary Sajid Javid claiming the government

“shouldn’t be doing things for the sake of it.”

Scotland is set to require proof of vaccination for entry

into nightclubs and large events, from October the 1st.

_______________________________________________

First in EU, Denmark FULLY lifts

Covid restrictions almost 550

days after lockdown was

introduced

September 10th, 10am (RT)

All remaining anti-coronavirus rules, including an

obligatory Covid pass, were officially cancelled

in Denmark on Friday, making it the first state

in the EU to wholly get back to pre-pandemic

daily life.

Starting from midnight on September 10th, the deadly

virus is no longer classified as a “socially critical

disease” by the Danish government, meaning no

special measures will be applied to deal with

Covid-19 in the European country.

All restrictions previously enforced by authorities, including

‘coronapass’ requirements to enter night clubs and other

venues, a ban on mass gatherings and obligatory mask-

wearing, have been lifted, 548 days after Prime Minister

of Denmark Mette Frederiksen initially declared a lock
-down in his country, local media reports.

In March 2020, Denmark was among the first nations

to enforce harsh measures to fight coronavirus.

Having first announced the decision to abandon the legal

basis for restrictions last month, Danish authorities said

“the epidemic is under control.” They reserved the right

to reinforce special measures “if the pandemic again

threatens important functions in society.”

According to Denmark’s health officials, “record high

vaccination rates” helped the country set a

precedent in the European Union and

return to life with no Covid-related

restrictions whatsoever.

Three out of four Danish citizens consider vaccination

against the virus a civic duty, according to a Euro-

barometer survey conducted last month on

behalf of the European Parliament.

Out of 1,000 representatively selected Danes, 43%

completely agreed to the statement that everyone

should be vaccinated, while 31% said they tend

to agree. For all of the EU, the percentage of

people who completely or predominantly

agree to the statement stands at 66%,

Denmark’s Ekstra Bladet 'paper

reported on Friday.

“Throughout the pandemic, Denmark has had higher

acceptance than many comparable countries,”

Professor Michael Bang Petersen, who

advised the Danish government on

the subject, wrote on Twitter,

adding that “no mandates

[were] needed.”

An “incredibly high and completely stable” trust in

the authorities’ management of the pandemic, is

behind the vast vaccine acceptance in the

country, Petersen wrote.

He also suggested that lifting of the restrictions

became possible thanks to collective action...

after the government “formulated distancing

as a moral project, which gained high

public support.”

By September, over 73% of Denmark’s 5.8 million

population had been fully vaccinated, with more

than 8.6 million anti-Covid doses administered

in total.

Throughout the pandemic, the EU country

registered over 352,000 cases of the virus.

___________________________________

AstraZeneca vaccine designer says

Covid boosters are unnecessary for

most people - & should be sent to

countries in need instead

September 10th, 10:59am (RT)

The designer of AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine

has called for surplus doses in the UK to be

sent to countries with lower levels of

vaccination --- calling plans for a

booster program unnecessary

for the majority of
immunised

people.

Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert – who also developed

the universal flu vaccine – expressed doubt over

the vaccination of healthy children and booster

shots for people who are still well-immunised

from their first 2 shots, in an interview with

the Telegraph newspaper on Thursday.

Professor Gilbert urged the UK to instead send their

doses to countries in need, declaring, “We need to

get vaccines to countries where few of the

population have been vaccinated so far.

We have to do better in this regard.

The first dose has the most impact.”

“The immuno-compromised and elderly will receive

boosters. But I don’t think we need to boost every-

body. Immunity is lasting well in the majority of

people,” she added.

AstraZeneca and Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccines have

both been approved by government regulators

to be used as booster shots.

The professor previously questioned the government’s

plan to vaccinate children, and in July she told La

Republica, “If you can’t prevent transmission

by vaccination... and the children are not at

risk of severe disease and hospitalisation

and death, which the vast majority of

children are not, you have to ask

yourself: ‘What would be the

benefits of vaccinating

children?’”

On Friday, the Times reported that the UK’s Joint Committee

on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) had been

“presented with data yesterday showing that a

top-up Pfizer-BioNTech dose months after a

second jab greatly boosted” the immune

system against Covid-19 and that the

government may be looking to

provide booster jabs to old

people in the late autumn

to protect them ahead

of winter.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid also declared on Thursday

that “we are heading towards our booster programme”

and said he is confident the booster programme “will

start later this month,” subject to final advice.

_________________________________

Children can get Covid-19 vaccine

even if their parents are opposed,

UK minister says

September 5th, 2:14pm (RT)

Asked by Times Radio’s Tom Newton Dunn what would

happen if a teenager’s parents said no to vaccination

but the teenager said yes, the UK vaccine minister

Nadhim Zahawi, said they would still be able to

get jabbed without permission.

Claiming that the NHS “is really well-practiced in this

because they’ve been doing school immunisation

programmes for a very long time,” Zahawi told

Newton Dunn on Sunday “what you essentially
do is make sure that the clinicians discuss
this with the parents, with the teenager,
and if they are then deemed to be able
to make a decision that is competent,
then that decision will go in favour
of what the teenager decides
to do.”

Newton Dunn questioned... “So to be clear, the teenager

can override the lack of parental consent? If a teenager

really wants a jab and is only 15, the parents say no,

the teenager can have it?” ...to which, Zahawi

responded, “They’d need to be competent

to make that decision, with all of the

information available.”

Bizarrely, on the same day, Zahawi told Sky News

that children would require parental consent to

get vaccinated against Covid-19.

Asked by Sky News’ Trevor Phillips... whether he could

“assure parents that if there is a decision to vaccinate

12 to 15-year-olds, it will require parental consent,”

Zahawi declared, “I can give that assurance,

absolutely.”

Despite the fact that the UK’s Joint Committee on

Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) refused to

recommend - on Friday - that healthy children

between the ages of 12 & 15, be vaccinated

against Covid-19, given they are considered

extremely low risk, the government is still

pushing for vaccination – with The Times

newspaper reporting that child

vaccination could occur as

early as next week.

JCVI’s deputy chairman, Professor Anthony Harnden,

noted on Saturday, that: “the health benefits from

vaccinating well 12- to 15-year-olds” are only

“marginally greater than the risks,” and said

that any decision should ultimately require

“parents’ consent.”

“Both the teenagers and the parents need

to be involved in that choice,” he argued.

The age of consent in the UK is 16.

On Friday, protesters stormed the London H.Q.

of the UK’s Medicines & Healthcare Products

Regulatory Agency --- in protest over the

government’s likely intention to

vaccinate children under

the age of 16.

_____________________________

UK care workers leave industry

en masse after being told to

get vax or quit, with unions

begging govt to reconsider

September 4th, 3:55pm (RT)

Many care workers in the UK who were told to get

vaccinated against Covid-19 --- or lose their jobs,

have left the industry en masse for better paid

positions at companies such as Amazon,

creating massive staffing shortages.

According to the Guardian, which spoke to several

care home industry officials, “three-quarters of

care home operators are reporting an increase

in staff quitting since April,” with the reasons

being... “a desire for less stress and for

higher pay” and “to avoid mandatory

vaccination... which comes into
effect on November the 11th.”

The newspaper reported that many care workers

are leaving for other positions in the NHS, where

vaccination has not yet been made compulsory,

and for unrelated jobs at companies such as

Amazon, where they have been offered... a

30%increase in pay and other incentives.

One care worker left their £9.30 an hour job to work

as an Amazon warehouse picker, which pays

£13.50 per hour and also offers a £1,000

joining bonus, according to the report.

In response to the mass exodus, the industry is now

desperately calling on the government to end its

mandatory vaccination policy for care workers,

warning that a “catastrophe” is on the horizon.

National Care Association executive chairman Nadra

Ahmed told the Guardian that the National Health

Service (NHS), will ultimately “have to pick up

this mess” and called on the government to

reconsider its policy, while public service

union Unison declared that ministers

“must immediately repeal ‘no jab, no

job’ laws for care home staff in

England, to avert a staffing

crisis - that threatens to

overwhelm the sector.”

The government must scrap the ‘no jab, no job’ rule

now. Widespread care home closures could be the

consequence if they ignore the warnings. This

would be disastrous for elderly people... and

those who cannot live without care support.

Unison warned that the “draconian” mandatory vaccination

policy is “pushing thousands to the brink of quitting care

work” and said the government is “sleepwalking into a

disaster”... by ensuring a massive shortage of staff

during a pandemic.

The union also revealed that many care workers – who are

already underpaid and overworked – “feel totally under-

valued” and that “being bullied” into taking a vaccine

they didn’t want, was “the last straw” for many in

the industry.

The vacancies for care workers could total more than

170,000 people -- with 70,000 being those who refuse

the jab - after mandatory vaccination is implemented

later this year, according to government estimates

cited in the media.

During the first wave of the pandemic, elderly people in

care homes made up roughly half of all Covid-19

deaths in the UK between March and

September 2020.

Nearly 30,000 residents died and it was later discovered

that a shortage of personal protective equipment

contributed to the problems experienced.

______________________________________

‘More data needed’: Top health officials

reportedly urge White House to ‘follow

science’ & DELAY vaccine booster plans

September 4th, 10:15am (RT)

Top US health officials have called on the White House

to pump the brakes --- on plans to administer Covid

vaccine booster shots to millions of US citizens

later this month, pointing to insufficient data,

according to multiple reports.

While President Joe Biden’s administration already moved

ahead with its booster announcement last month – with

Biden stating that all US adults should receive a third

dose within eight months of their second shot...

beginning September 20th.

US health agencies have said the move could be premature,

as they have yet to approve universal boosters for any of

the three jabs used in the country.

During a White House meeting earlier this week, the heads of

the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centres for

Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) told officials their

agencies may be able to recommend boosters for the

Pfizer vaccine alone sometime in the coming weeks
– and possibly only for certain recipients at that –

according to a Friday report in the New York

Times and corroborated by Axios.

The briefing from the agency heads... suggests Biden’s

September rollout date could have been set too early,

not allowing enough time for regulators to authorize

third doses for the other inoculations.

Asked about that meeting on Friday, a White House spokes-

man told the Times that “We always said we would follow

the science, and this is all part of a process that is now

underway,” noting that the Biden team is seeking a

“full review and approval” for boosters.

While the FDA, CDC and other top health agencies have

publicly backed Biden’s booster plan, citing waning

vaccine-induced immunity in the US, acting FDA

head Janet Woodcock has expressed her

reservations in private... according to

sources cited by the Times... In one

closed-door discussion, Woodcock

reportedly said it was “risky” to

put a hard date on the booster

campaign, before regulators

had an opportunity to look

through the data.

Further controversy was stirred over the booster debate

earlier this week after two top FDA executives involved

in vaccine research abruptly resigned their posts,

reportedly in protest over a number of federal

missteps, with Biden’s premature booster

announcement, apparently, the

last straw.

US health officials have vacillated on the question of

additional vaccine doses in the past. In July, top

White House Covid-19 adviser Anthony Fauci

suggested it was far too early to discuss

boosters, even noting that Pfizer CEO

Albert Bourla had apologized to him

for publicizing the company’s work

on boosters at such an early stage.

Just a few weeks later, however, Fauci changed his tune,

arguing that all US citizens... would “inevitably” need

extra doses... explaining that many vaccines lose

effectiveness over time – a factoid he apparently

forgot to mention in more than a year of prior

regular public appearances .

Pharmaceutical firms stand to reap a massive windfall

from a booster drive, while Pfizer’s Bourla has gone

even further, floating the idea of regular, yearly

Covid-19 immunizations. Between Pfizer and

Moderna – the top two vaccine producers in

the US – $50 billion in coronavirus jab sales

are expected this year alone, according to

Reuters. That figure does not account for

the millions of additional doses that will

be produced and sold as boosters...

which will be sure to further juice

Big Pharma’s already-massive

pandemic profits.

________________________________

Major UK Covid-19 test provider

faces probe by market watchdog,

reportedly still selling tests

September 3rd, 6:54pm (RT)

The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has

opened an inquiry into Expert Medicals – one of the

nation’s major Covid-19 test providers – following

customer complaints. The company still

allegedly sells the tests, though.

Expert Medicals, one of the largest providers of PCR
travel tests in the UK, has been removed from a list
of companies that “self-declare that they meet
the government’s minimumstandards for
COVID-19 testing,” the CMA said, in
a press release, on Friday.

The competition watchdog said it had opened a formal probe

into the test provider since it had been “the subject of a high

number of complaints.” Expert Medicals has reportedly

been accused of failing to provide tests and results in

a timely manner, or even at all, as well as failing to

respond to customer complaints and issue

refunds... when due.

“Our actions today are the next steps in our work to ensure

the PCR testing market works for consumers and we are

preparing to take further action in this sector,” said

Andrea Coscelli, the CMA’s CEO.

One of the cheapest Covid test providers on the UK market,

Expert Medicals has been selling kits for travelers for £28

($39), including postage and packing. The company

received a large number of complaints over delays

in delivery of its tests and customer results,

according to some media reports.

However, the test provider is apparently still able to sell the kits

despite being removed from the government list, the UK’s

‘Which’ media outlet said. That is despite Oncologica –

one of the Covid-19 test laboratories Expert Medicals

used to work with – telling ‘Which’ it is unlikely to

cooperate with the test provider, after it was

pulled from the official list.

Apart from taking action against Expert Medicals, the CMA also

warned further Covid-19 test providers that they should

improve their pricing information, or face some action

from the watchdog.

The move comes about a week after the agency issued

another statement, telling Covid test providers that

some of their “harmful” practices could be in

breach of consumer protection law.

The chief issue concerned some companies advertising PCR

test prices that do not include additional obligatory charges,

or advertising very cheap tests that are available only in

very small quantities or not at all.

Failures to meet the required timeframe and refusals to provide

customers with refunds when due were also on the CMA’s list

of “practices of concern.” The watchdog demanded that test

providers include the full cost of tests in their ads and

provide “honest, accurate and clear timescales on

when tests will be received.”

“PCR test providers should be in no doubt that they need to get

on the right side of the law. If they don’t, they risk enforcement

action,” said the CMA General Counsel, Sarah Cardell.

_________________________________________

How (and why) Israel changed

what “fully vaccinated” means

by Kit Knightly

September 2nd (off-Guardian)

Newspeak definition opens the door for more

authoritarian control, huge Big Pharma

profits…and, potentially, the worst

deception of the entire

“pandemic”.

Israel... has been at the forefront of the vaccination
push ever since November 2020, when they signed

agreements with Pfizer, to run what were

essentially medical experiments on

their civilian population.

They were the first country to roll out the Pfizer vaccine.

They were the first country to try out the (abandoned)
“Green passes” system of medical segregation. And
now they’re the first country to change the terms

of the “get vaccinated and get your freedom
back” contract.

That’s right. Just as “three weeks to flatten the curve”

turned into around 18-months (and counting),

“double jabbed” is now evolving into

“triple jabbed”.

To quote Dr Salman Zarka, Israel’s “coronavirus czar”:

''We are updating what it means to be vaccinated,”

So, there you have it. In Israel, officially, those who have

been injected with two doses of Pfizer’s so-called

vaccine, are no longer counted as vaccinated.

What does this mean?

Well, first of all, it means all those “vaccinated” people

can kiss their recently acquired freedoms goodbye,

unless they’re willing to get at least one

more booster.

According to the Wall Street Journal [paywalled article]:

''Holders of Israel’s vaccine passports must get a third dose

of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine within six months of their

second dose, or lose the so-called green pass that

allows them more freedom.”

It should also be noted that the third booster is not considered

the last. The Israeli Ministry of Health “has not ruled out

further boosters in the future” and the third shot will

only extend the “vaccinated” status for six months,

not permanently.

So, essentially, the precedent has been set that your freedoms

are the state’s to take away on a whim. And, if you comply,

they will simply use your compliance... as an excuse to

take even greater liberties (pun very much intended).

Israel has been the Petri dish for this since the beginning.

If it works there, expect the “booster shot requirement”

to be instituted in other countries all over the world,

fairly quickly.

To all the people who have taken the vaccine, and are now

realising they may have done something foolish. Sorry,

but we did try to warn you this would happen.

Financially speaking, this is yet another boon in a golden

year, for Pfizer, who can now ship even more doses of

their experimental (and unnecessary) gene therapy

to people who are, literally, legally obliged to use

it. If you don’t want to take the jab, just take

some of Pfizer’s new magic anti-Covid

pills instead.

So don’t worry about the death of freedom and democracy

in the name of an almost-completely-harmless disease. At

least the Pfizer shareholders can afford that second

private island, and golden costumes for their

human chess sets.

However, the predictable seizure of freedoms, and obvious

financial motives behind it, aren’t even the worst part.

The potentially far more cynical part comes later. In three

months or so, when the flu season hits and the elderly

and infirm start dying, as they do every winter.

It won’t be called “flu season”, of course. It will be all
be classified as “Covid”. Combined with this new

definition of “vaccinated”, the “fourth wave”

or the “sigma variant”... (or whatever they

call it) could now be used to produce a

whole new manipulated statistic.

Think about it: Every Israeli citizen who gets sick and/or

dies, after being double jabbed but not triple jabbed,

will be officially labelled “not fully vaccinated”.

They could therefore claim that Covid is primarily affecting

“unvaccinated people”, even if the majority of people

getting sick have had two doses of Pfizers

mRNA cocktail.

Just as they used linguistic tricks to turn “deaths from any

cause” into “Covid deaths”, and “asymptomatic positive

tests” into “Covid cases”, they have now created a

loophole to turn “vaccinated people” who get

sick into “unvaccinated people”.

Worse still, it’s possible that, over the coming winter,

people who have been “vaccinated”, may die at an

even greater rate than normal.

If the theory that the mRNA vaccines may cause antibody-

dependent enhancement (ADE) proves correct, a lot of

people could be killed by viruses this winter as a

direct result of being “vaccinated” …and then

be used as evidence to prop up the idea of

“vaccine effectiveness”.

In twenty months of obvious scientific malpractice,
data manipulation, statistical dishonesty, and full
-on linguistic reversal…we may be about to see

the worst lie of all.

This is all supposition at this point, of course. But for anyone

out there thinking “they would never do that”, I remind you

that a man was counted as a Covid death, after shooting

himself in the head. There is, literally, no bar so low

that the powers-that-be couldn’t limbo under it.

Even if time proves my theory wrong, the solid, admitted

reality of the booster-shot system, is bad enough.

Freedom forever, under a dangling sword of

Damocles, and yet another assault on

language as part of a years-long

campaign... to rob our very

words of meaning.

And while all this may seem incredibly cynical, if you

haven’t become incredibly cynical in the last two

years, then you weren’t paying attention.

________________________________________

Japan suspends Moderna

Covid vaccine: as another

million doses are found

contaminated bringing

total to 2.6 million

August 30th, 10:41pm (RT)

Japanese officials have suspended the use of millions

of doses of the Moderna Covid vaccine, after foreign

substances were found in a number of batches
and two people died after receiving jabs
from the affected lots.

The Japanese government discovered the contamination

over the weekend, in a batch of the Moderna Covid

vaccine in Gunma prefecture, close to Tokyo,

forcing officials to temporarily suspend
use of the vaccines.

The decision to suspend a total of 2.6 million doses of

the Moderna vaccines comes after 1.63 million shots

were halted, last week, following the discovery of

contaminants in some vials, in a batch that was

shipped to over 860 vaccination centres

across the country.

While the source of the contamination has not been confirmed,

Moderna and pharmaceutical company Rovi, which

manufactures the Moderna vaccines, said that it

could be due to a manufacturing fault on one of

the production lines, rather than anything

more concerning.

The country’s health ministry has confirmed that two

individuals who were vaccinated, using doses from

the batch have died. However, the cause of death

in both cases is under investigation and officials

claim, that no safety concerns have been

identified yet.

In a statement, Moderna and Japanese distributor Takeda

stated that “we do not have any evidence that these

deaths are caused by the Moderna

COVID-19 vaccine.”

Gunma is now the seventh Japanese prefecture to discover

contaminants in doses of the Moderna vaccine, after

similar incidents in Aichi, Gifu, Ibaraki, Okinawa,

Saitama and Tokyo. It comes as Japan battles

a surge in Covid cases --- that has pushed

nearly half of the country’s prefectures

into a state of emergency.

Since the start of the pandemic, Japan has recorded

1.38 million confirmed cases of Covid and 15,797

fatalities from the virus. So far... Japanese

officials have administered 118,310,106

doses of a Covid vaccine.

_______________________________________

Scientists Discover - Chilling

Similarity Between COVID-19

Infection and Rattlesnake Bite

by Max Gorbachev

August 30th, 6:56pm (Sputnik)

Using machine learning algorithms, researchers analysed

blood samples from hundreds of individuals. They say

the results of their study could be used to better
treat coronavirus patients, as well as
potentially... to save hundreds of
thousands of lives across

the globe.

An international group of scientists claims to have discovered

one of the leading causes of death from SARS-CoV-2.

According to their study, published on August 24th
in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, getting a

severe case of the novel coronavirus, is like

getting bitten by a rattlesnake. An enzyme

that skyrockets, after a person falls ill
with a serious case of COVID-19, is
from the same family as the
enzyme in rattlesnake
venom.

Ironically, the human body contains the secreted A2 p

hospholipase group (sPLA2-IIA) in low concentration,

with the enzyme protecting the organism from

microbes, and fighting off infections.

But in high quantities, sPLA2-IIA is perilous to humans,

as it can "shred" vital organs, said Floyd "Ski" Chilton

...a professor at the University of Arizona, and lead

author of the study.

"In other words, this enzyme is trying to kill the virus... but

at a certain point it is released in such high amounts that

things head in a really bad direction. It is a disease

resistance mechanism until it has the capacity
to turn on the host human", Chilton said.

Professor Chilton and his colleagues discovered this enzyme

in blood samples from patients who had severe cases of

COVID-19. The researchers say that medicines used for

treating snake bites could be repurposed for battling

the coronavirus.

"Because inhibitors of sPLA2-IIA already exist, our study

supports the use of these inhibitors... in patients with

elevated levels of sPLA2-IIA... to reduce, or even

prevent, COVID-19 mortality", said D. Maurizio

Del Poeta of Stony Brook’s Renaissance

School of Medicine, a co-author of

the study.

________________________________

Two Men Die in Japan...

After Receiving 2nd Dose

of Moderna Vaccine

August 28th, 7:24am (Sputnik)

The Japanese Health Ministry said on Thursday

it had halted the use of 1.63 million Moderna

doses from three lots produced at ROVI’s

manufacturing site in Spain.

Two people died: after receiving Moderna COVID-19

vaccine shots that were from the same production

line suspended following the discovery

of ''contaminants''.

According to Japan's health ministry, two men in their 30s

died recently, within days of receiving their second

Moderna doses. Each had a jab from one of three

manufacturing lots suspended on Thursday.

However, the cause of the deaths

is still being investigated.

Japan froze the use of 1.63 million Moderna doses

delivered to 863 vaccination centres nationwide

after reports of ''contaminants'' in some vials.

Spain's ROVI pharmaceutical firm... which is

manufacturing Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine,

opened an investigation - on Thursday - to

determine how vials of the vaccine sent

to Japan were contaminated with

''foreign particles''.

US vaccine maker Moderna is reportedly

conducting a parallel investigation.

Japan's NHK broadcaster cited the ministry

as saying: that the ''contaminants'' were

magnetic and appeared to be metallic

particles. No safety issues linked to

the three lots have been observed.

[A blogger observes: The magnetic property

of the experimental mRNA vaccines was

discovered several months ago, I think

by a Spanish lab... but was ignored,

I suspect, in favour of the dollar.]

____________________________

NHS plans Covid-19 vaccination

for 12-year-olds that would NOT

require parental permission

– reports

August 26th, 12:19pm (RT)

The UK National Health Service (NHS) has reportedly

made plans to vaccinate children as young as 12

without the need for their parents’ permission –

a plan that government advisers have not

yet supported.

Under the NHS’ plan, children between the ages of 12

and 15 would start being vaccinated in less than two

weeks’ time after returning to school following the

summer holidays, according to The Telegraph,

which obtained emails sent by NHS’ regional

offices. The newspaper also reported on

Thursday that the children “would not

need parental consent” to

get vaccinated.

Though Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine has been approved

in the UK for children aged 12 and over... the

Department of Health said on Wednesday

that a decision on the vaccination of

young children had not yet

been made.

Government advisers on the Joint Committee on

Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) have been

reviewing whether to approve widespread

vaccination of children, but had earlier

said only children with certain health

conditions would receive jabs.

Earlier this month, England’s deputy chief medical

officer, Jonathan Van-Tam, expressed his support

for the vaccination of under 18s, claiming to be

“very much in favour” of 16- and 17-year-olds

getting jabbed.

Vam-Tam also said that it was “more likely rather

than less likely” that the number of children

between the ages of 12 and 15 who were

eligible to get vaccinated, would

soon expand.

News of the NHS’ plan angered many people on social

media ,who pointed out that the risk vs reward

conclusion for vaccinating young children,

was still uncertain.

Reform Party leader Richard Tice called the plan

“shocking” while pub entrepreneur Hugh

Osmond called it “grotesque.”

Conservative academic Adrian Hilton --- a former

adviser to Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove

--- pointed out that “12-year-olds cannot

consent to a medical procedure.”

Other Brits protested that “the government does

not own my child” and threatened to pull their

children out of public schooling.

Some supported the idea, with one Welsh social media

user stating that she agreed 12- to 15-year-olds “can

consent” and are “mature enough to make that call,”

but thought it should be “done near to medical care

like mine was, not in school.”

In the United States, the Centres for Disease Control

and Prevention (CDC), advises all US citizens aged
12 and over, to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

Roughly 600,000 children between the ages

of 12 & 15, were vaccinated in less than
a week after Pfizer’s vaccine was
approved for under 16s,
in May.

Many European Union countries, have also started

vaccinating children - with the EU approving Pfizer

for 12- to 15-year-olds in May and Moderna in July.

_____________________________

Physical exercise helps

stroke survivors reduce

risk of death by 54%

August 20th, 12:36pm (Prensa Latina)

People younger than 75 years of age, stroke survivors

who engage in physical activity three to four hours

per week, can lower their risk of death, according

to new data published in Neurology magazine.

A new study has shown that people who walk at least

three to four hours per week or bike at least two to

three hours per week, or the equivalent after

having a stroke, may have a 54 percent

lower risk of death --- from any cause.

'Our results are exciting - because just three to four hours

a week of walking was associated with big reductions in

mortality & that may be attainable for many community

members with prior stroke,' said study Raed Joundi

study author, M.D., D.Phil., at the University of

Calgary in Canada and a member of the

American Academy of Neurology.

The study found the most benefit for younger stroke

survivors. When people under the age of 75

exercised at least that amount, their risk

of death was reduced by 80 percent.

Looking specifically at stroke survivors under 75 years

of age, Joundi et al. found that 11% of patients who

were physically active died and 29% of patients

who were not physically active died.

Meanwhile, stroke survivors over 75 years of age who met

minimum physical activity requirements were 32% less

likely to die—not quite as much of a benefit, but still

a significant number.

''Our results suggest that getting a minimum amount of

physical activity may reduce long-term mortality from

any cause, in stroke survivors,'' Joundi said. ''We

should particularly emphasize this, to stroke

survivors who are younger in age, as they

may gain the greatest benefits from

walking just 30 minutes each day.'

___________________________

Majority of Covid patients in hospital

may have been admitted for OTHER

ailments before testing positive,

leaked NHS data suggests

July 27th, 12:38pm (RT)

Over 50% of Covid patients in England tested positive

only after being hospitalised – likely for other reasons

– leaked NHS data has suggested, raising questions

about the true impact the virus is having on the

healthcare system.

The previously hidden figures --- covering all NHS trusts in

England, showed that as of last week, only 44% of those

classified as Covid patients had tested positive for the

virus, by the time they were admitted to hospital.

Despite broad public testing for the disease, an incredible

56% of Covid hospitalisations involve already-admitted

patients who were administered routine Covid tests,
the Telegraph reported. Forty-three percent of Covid
-positive patients were identified within two days

of admission, while 13% were flagged in the

following days and weeks.

According to the outlet, health officials were instructed last

month to begin placing Covid patients into two categories:

those who were in hospital primarily because of the virus,

and those who were admitted for other reasons. However,

the NHS has, so far, withheld this data from the public.

With the majority of Covid patients being diagnosed after

admission - in some cases weeks later - the leaked data

points to the possibility that the virus may only have a

minor or negligible role, in many hospitalisations

blamed on coronavirus.

The leaked figures also suggest that a large number of Covid

hospitalisations are the result of nosocomial transmission,

meaning that healthcare facilities – rather than restaurants,

stadiums, schools, or other public venues – may be

driving up infections requiring medical care.

Ultimately, the NHS leak indicates that many Covid patients are

actually in hospital for non-Covid reasons, especially when

one considers the widespread and regular use of PCR tests,

Professor Carl Heneghan, director of the Centre for

Evidence-Based Medicine at the University of

Oxford, told the Telegraph.

“When people hear about hospitalisations with Covid, they will

assume that Covid is the likely cause, but this data shows

something quite different – this is about Covid being

detected after tests were looking for it,” he said,

adding that the current data being fed to the

public could lead to “false conclusions”

and exaggerate the virus’ actual

impact on the NHS.

Heneghan described the leaked figures as “incredibly

important” and urged the government to stop

withholding such data.

Tory MP Graham Brady issued a similar call for greater

transparency, noting that even after 18 months of the

health crisis, the government has failed to make

detailed information about hospital admissions

publicly available, on a regular basis.

Brady’s colleague, Conservative MP Greg Clark, said that

he would write to Health Secretary Sajid Javid and urge

him to be more forthcoming with hospital data. The

lawmaker noted that the accuracy of such

information was vital, seeing as it is used

to determine “how quickly restrictions

should be lifted.”

He added that there is a “big distinction” between people

admitted solely for Covid, and those who are in hospital

for something else but “have Covid in such a mild form

that it was not the cause of their hospitalisation."

An NHS data expert who spoke with the Telegraph said that

the government’s published statistics were “despicable”

because they do not provide a “true picture” of how

Covid is affecting public health.

An NHS spokesperson insisted that many patients are

admitted with symptoms linked to the virus, and are

later confirmed Covid cases.. upon receiving a post-

admission test. Other patients in hospital may have

“presymptomatic or asymptomatic” cases, the

spokesman said.

Recent news reports, have been highlighting renewed

pressure on the NHS, with Downing Street suggesting

that the decision to lift many Covid restrictions earlier

this month, has led to an uptick in cases.

However, even senior health officials appear to admit that

the issue cannot be blamed on Covid alone. A letter from

NHS hospital trusts to the government, warned that a

“massive backlog” of patients in need of care, as

well as a large number of medical staff ordered

to self-isolate or on annual leave, was

exacerbating the crisis.

In April it was reported that 4.7 million were waiting for

operations and procedures in England, after the NHS

stopped offering routine care, in order to focus on

Covid patients.

____________________________________

Questions Arise - as More Than

One in Five Danes Infected With

Delta COVID Have 'Corona Pass'

by Igor Kuznetsov

July 27th, 5:07am (Sputnik)

Given the new circumstances, rules for the validity of
the passport should be changed, experts have argued.

However, despite the apparently poorer protection,

the country's medical authorities have urged their

compatriots to fully vaccinate themselves,

emphasising that even a single shot can

still contribute to a milder experience

with the disease.

More than one-fifth of the new, more contagious delta

variant of coronavirus has been found in vaccinated

Danes issued a so-called “corona pass”, the State

Serum Institute (SSI) has warned.

22 percent of those infected with the delta variant
had a valid corona pass after the first shot
when they were found infected.

“The first tests we did of the vaccine showed that they

protected well after the first jab. These were the

studies that led to the vaccine being approved.

Now we have a dominance with delta virus,

and there we have a poorer protection,”

SSI department head Palle Valentiner

-Branth ,told Danish Radio.

According to SSI's latest estimate, the delta variant

accounts for up to 91.2 percent of those newly

infected with coronavirus, making this strain

the most dominant in Denmark.

However, despite the apparently poorer protection, Palle

Valentiner-Branth emphasised that even a single shot

can still contribute to a milder experience with the

disease, if one should become infected.

“You will probably be infected to a lower degree
than if you were unvaccinated, and you will
not be as ill,” he said.

Jørgen Eskild Petersen, a professor at the Department of

Clinical Medicine at Aarhus University, calls it “worrying”

that people can still go out and use their corona pass,

even though they may be infected with the delta

variant. To rectify this, he proposed only

handing out corona passports after
the second shot.

“It is not the vaccines that have changed since
they were introduced, but it is simply a new
virus that is less sensitive to the immunity
that the vaccines provide,”
he underscored.

He cited a major study from England, which showed that

both AstraZeneca, and Pfizer, only gave a 30-percent

protection after a single shot, calling it unreasonable

to grant corona passports, after only a single shot.

However, Danish parties from both left and

right, were against changing the rules.

Liselott Blixt, health spokesperson for the national-

conservative Danish People's Party, argued it was

''too late'' to change the rules now, and, instead,

urged people themselves to take responsibility.

“Keep your distance and make sure you maintain good

hygiene. People are already confused enough and we

are tired of hearing about corona. If we change that

now, then I think we're losing people,” she mused.

The Socialist People's Party, urged Danes to listen to the

SSI and the National Board of Health, in which it has full

confidence.

Palle Valentiner-Branth cautioned fellow Danes that they

can still become infected with only one shot - and urged

them to become fully vaccinated, at the first opportunity.

“When you are fully vaccinated, we rarely see that you get

a breakthrough infection,” Palle Valentiner-Branth said,

citing figures from the SSI, according to which, only
0.1 percent of fully vaccinated people have been
found infected with COVID-19.

As of now, the corona pass becomes valid 14 days after

the first vaccine shot. A valid passport can also be

obtained, after previously becoming infected, or

producing a negative PCR or antigen test.

Denmark has fully vaccinated 50.9 percent of its population.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, it has seen 312,000

cases, with some 2,500 fatalities.

__________________________________________

'Worse Than Useless': UK Councils

Warn 'Pingdemic' May Disrupt Key

Sectors for Weeks to Come

by Oleg Burunov

July 24th, 5:55am (Sputnik)

On Friday, UK Cabinet ministers announced that workers

critical to the food supply industry will be exempt from

the "pingdemic", in order to prevent supermarket

shelves in the country from going empty.

The UK government plans to set up a scheme in order to

let more key workers take daily COVID-19 tests rather

than isolate for ten days... to tackle a possible

economic meltdown over the so-called

"pingdemic".

In the past week, over 600,000 British workers have been

"pinged" by the National Health Service app, telling

them to stay at home for up to 10 days after they
were recorded as being in close contact with
COVID-positive people.

On Friday night, the government said that police, fire service

staff, border staff, transport, and freight, should also be

included in the exemption scheme, which is expected

to resolve increasing numbers of isolating staff.

Earlier that day, Environment Secretary George Eustice and

Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced plans for daily

contact testing for the food and drink industries,

saying that critical food-supply employers will

be exempt from self-isolation, if they test

negative for coronavirus on a daily

basis and are fully vaccinated.

UK Councils Urge London to Clarify
on Self-Isolation Exemptions

The country's councils and companies have, meanwhile, warned

that England may face weeks of "pingdemic" disruption, which

will most likely ride roughshod over key services and the

supply of food.

The British Meat Processors Association urged the government

to publish more information as soon as possible to give "clear,

unambiguous guidance on which sites are exempt [from self-

isolation], which job roles qualify for exemption, and exactly

how these new rules will be applied".

"Our fear is that, if infections keep rising at the current rate, there

will be so many non-exempt workers taken out of the system that,

regardless of those protected 'key sites', the rest of the supply

chain around them will start failing", the association said.

This position was echoed by Richard Harrow, chief executive of the

British Frozen Food Federation, who called the current situation

"worse than useless", with confusion "continuing to pervade".

James Jamieson, chair of the Local Government Association, for

his part, urged Downing Street to clarify what councils and

employers should do, when it comes to exemptions for

their critical workers.

"Residents will need to bear with us if they experience disruption

to some services, if councils are forced to prioritise services that

protect the most vulnerable in their communities", Jamieson

pointed out.

Shadow Environment Secretary Luke Pollard, in turn, insisted that

security of the food supply is fundamental and that empty shelves

in supermarkets "show the system is failing".

"The government caused this chaos by recklessly releasing all

restrictions at once in the face of the Johnson variant, hitting

the accelerator while flinging off the seatbelt", he said, in an

apparent nod to the July 19th lifting of all coronavirus

restrictions in England, touted by Prime Minister

Boris Johnson as "freedom day".

Pollard welcomed the government's "right" move stipulating that

"some critical workers in the food supply sector may be exempt

if fully vaccinated and, crucially, tested daily", adding, however,

that ministers "must be cautious, given the surging

transmission rate".

"Labour warned against removing all restrictions in one go and

we want to see a return of mandatory mask wearing in shops

and the continuation of workplace testing. The rushed plan

ministers have now published looks like a bureaucratic

nightmare for businesses, while being unlikely to be

sufficient. They have a right to be furious", the

shadow environment secretary noted.

Gov't Lifts Stage Four COVID Restrictions

He spoke after the government went ahead with scrapping Stage

Four restrictions on Monday, allowing nightclubs and music

venues to reopen, and lifting the last restrictions on pubs,

cafes, and restaurants and the attendance limits at

weddings and funerals.

Some employers have, however, complained that up to 10% of

their staff cannot work, after being told to isolate for 10 days

by the NHS app.

Downing Street responded by announcing that as of August 16th,

those who have had both doses of the coronavirus vaccine more

than two weeks prior, will no longer have to isolate if "pinged",

but must undergo a PCR-type test as soon as possible, to see

whether they are infected.

COVID-19 death rates in the UK have approached triple figures

this week, peaking at 96 on Monday. The total death toll in the

UK since the first case was identified there in January 2020

stands at 128,980, according to the World Health

Organisation's latest estimates.

________________________________

French hospital goes on

INDEFINITE strike: to protest

Covid-19 vaccination mandate

July 23rd, 6:09pm (RT)

The staff of the hospital in Montelimar, in the French

department of Drome, have gone on indefinite strike

to protest at the new rules demanding they take a

vaccine against Covid-19 by mid-September --

or face losing their jobs.

The strike against “forced vaccination” was announced on

Thursday by the CGT-GHPP trade union, and affects some

200 doctors and 1,500 nurses in the southeastern

French city.

Hundreds of them gathered outside the hospital on Friday,

denouncing lockdowns and vaccine mandates and

chanting “liberté!” (freedom).

The French legislature is finalizing the proposal that would

require all medical professionals in contact with the

vulnerable, to be fully vaccinated by September
15th, or else lose their salaries and even
their jobs.

“We are against mandatory vaccination and vaccine coercion,”

Elsa Ruillere, local union representative, told Sputnik France.

“There is no choice between tests or vaccination: vaccination

is compulsory. No, we don't agree. We want to have the choice

like the rest of the world and we do not want compulsory

vaccination.”

Ruillere says her union supports “free and informed consent”

and is not against vaccination on principle but is against

coercion. Some of the medical workers said they are

waiting for the French-made Sanofi-GSK vaccine,

promised for December.

“We are well aware of the evolution of the virus. We do not

take it lightly,” Ruillere said. However, she and her striking

colleagues point out that, even with the rise in positive

tests for the Delta variant of the coronavirus, there is

no commensurate rise in hospitalizations.

“Yes, we turned ‘red’ but that's in fact due to the positive tests.

In terms of hospitalizations, we are fine at the moment, we did

not need to reopen beds, we have far fewer hospitalized

people than before and fewer people in intensive care,”

she added.

Another union gripe is the lack of public debate, since France’s

National Assembly seems to have simply proceeded on the

advice of the High Health Authority (HAS), which called
the vaccination mandate “justified.”

There have been widespread protests in France since mid-July,

as the government of President Emmanuel Macron imposed

the vaccination mandate on health workers and introduced

a “health pass” requirement to access public venues with

more than 50 people in attendance. The pass requirement

will extend to cafes, restaurants and shops, starting on

August 1st.

There has been a 150% increase in coronavirus cases over

the past week in France, attributed to the Delta variant. The

government says 96% of those infected are unvaccinated.

________________________________________

People jabbed with PLACEBOS

during vaccine trials will have

same privileges as those

‘fully’ vaxxed, UK

minister says

July 23rd, 11:18am (RT)

The UK government views people who were given

placebos during Covid-19 vaccine trials... as fully

inoculated, Britain’s vaccines minister has said,

adding that they would enjoy all the privileges

granted by the NHS Covid Pass.

In remarks given before Parliament on Thursday,

vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi touted the

country’s controversial NHS Covid Pass as

having an “important role to play in

slowing the spread of the virus,”

and urged 'certain businesses'

and large venues, to adopt the

domestic health certificate in

order to “keep their clients
or their customers safe”.

The NHS app can be used to show proof of vaccination

status, negative test results, or natural immunity.

But it seems the urgent need to methodically document

people’s vaccination status, and to use this private

medical information, to grant certain privileges,

contains at least one loophole ----- individuals

who have participated in vaccine trials will

be viewed as “fully vaccinated”, whether

they received a placebo, or an actual

shot, Zahawi said.

It’s unlikely that he misspoke, as he made the same

declaration in two separate exchanges, while

answering questions from Parliament

Labour MP Rupa Huq complained to Zahawi, that several of

her constituents who took part in Novavax trials, are “now

being treated as if they are vax deniers with the texts they

get from the NHS”. She also seemed to suggest they had

been “grounded” --- due to not being considered fully

vaccinated. She pointed to the case of an American

who had participated in the drug trial who said he

felt it was on account of “xenophobia” that he

could not access events that Brits can.

“People think that they are being punished for doing the

right thing. Will the Minister rectify that?” she pressed

Zahawi.

According to the official transcript of their conversation,

Zahawi promised the MP that those in clinical trials,

including that by Novavax, would have their status

on the NHS Covid app recorded as ‘fully

vaccinated’, whether they received

the placebo or the vaccine.

Minutes later, Labour MP Barbara Keeley echoed Huq’s

concerns and asked for a solution to be found for the

“wonderful volunteers” who had joined the

Novavax trial.

“They now find themselves not able to travel, as they

cannot get a vaccine certificate and their vaccines

are not recognised in the EU,” the lawmaker said.

Zahawi repeated his previous position on the matter.

“We are working with other countries to make sure that

that is recognised, but as far as the UK is concerned,

they will be considered fully vaccinated, whether

they have had the placebo or the vaccine,” he

reassured the MP.

The vaccine developed by US-based Novavax has yet

to receive emergency use authorisation in the UK.

Participants in trials for the drug have complained that

they have been denied an approved jab --- due to their

involvement with the clinical tests. The Department

of Health said in June that it would ensure that the

volunteers weren’t disadvantaged by their

participation in the trials.

Britain’s rollout of ITS domestic digital Covid passport

has aggravated many, who see the scheme as a

serious government intrusion, into peoples’

ability to carry out their normal activities.

Notably, Zahawi described the divisive

policy as “discriminatory” while

speaking about the concept,

in February.

However, he later changed his tune. In April, he insisted that

vaccine passports wouldn’t be discriminatory, if they could

also be used by people who had tested negative for

the virus.

__________________________

India reports over 45,000

''Black Fungus'' cases,

Health Minister says

July 21st, 12:05pm (Prensa Latina)

A total of 45,432 cases of mucormycosis (black fungus)

have been reported by states and Uts., till July 15th, of

which, 21,085 affected people are receiving treatment

and 4,252 have passed away, the Health and Family

Welfare Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, said in a

written reply.

A large majority of mucormycosis patients (84.4%),

had reported a history of Covid-19, Mandaviya said.

In the wake of the 2nd wave of Covid-19, an increased

number of mucormycosis cases were reported and
the ministry of health, after thorough gap analysis
and consultations, took a number of steps to
address the problem.

Mucormycosis and other fungal infections, are most

commonly seen as an opportunistic infection. They

are found in those with underlying immunity either

due to diabetes, cancers, particularly hematolo-

gical malignances, etc., or, as a side effect of

the prolonged/irrational use of certain drugs

like steroids, & immunosuppressive drugs

for management of other disorders...

including Covid-19, the minister

explained.

Taking cognizance of the association between elevated

blood sugar levels (in those with pre-existing diabetes
mellitus, or hyperglycemia due to steroid therapy), an
updated Clinical Guidance on the Diagnosis and
Management of Diabetes, at the Covid-19
Patient Management facility, was
issued by the ministry, on
June 11th.

Mucormycosis, which affects patients recovered from this

disease, is acquired by contact with spores of the fungus

present in the environment, or by the skin, through cuts

or open wounds.

It can have serious consequences for

those with AIDS, cancer, or diabetes.

The most common symptoms are poor appetite, weight

loss, tiredness, and necrosis or death of cells and tissue.

In addition to itchy eyes and nose, fever, bloody vomiting,

coughing, and shortness of breath, signs include: one-

sided facial swelling, headache, nasal congestion,

and black lesions on the nasal bridge and the

upper, inner part of the mouth.

_________________________________

‘Save our NHS!’: Some in alcohol

& obesity-ridden Britain fear Tory

bill just passed by MPs, could

privatise the health service

July 16th, 10am (RT)

Many Britons have taken to social media, to register

their anger at the government’s Health and Care Bill

after MPs passed a contentious motion, on its 2nd

reading, with some claiming it will lead to further

NHS privatisation.

On Wednesday evening, the governments Health and

Care Bill passed through the House of Commons by

356 votes to 219... While the bill’s future impact on

the National Health Service (NHS) is disputed, the

movement from paying publicly owned trusts to

private companies to provide services, has

stoked fears that the Tory government

may further privatise the NHS.

Following the vote, Green Party leader Caroline Lucas

called on her supporters to join their campaign to

scrap the bill, which she claimed “entrenches

privatisation & does nothing to address
the social care crisis.”

Lucas was backed up by Labour MP and Corbynite

Zarah Sultana, who said the Tory privatisation

would “open the floodgates to cronyism, &

incentivises cuts & closures.” She vowed

to keep fighting against what she called

an “NHS Corporate Takeover Bill.”

With #SaveourNHS trending on Twitter, many commenters

jumped to slam Boris Johnson’s government... One person

said he didn’t realise there could be a more “destructive”

government than that of former Prime Minister Margaret

Thatcher, who oversaw widespread privatisation,

adding “Johnson’s government are evil,

terrifyingly so. #ScrapNHSBill”

While many criticised the government, others highlighted

the nation’s hypocrisy, as the UK, one of Europe’s fattest

and most alcoholic states, suffers immensely under the

strain of alcohol- and obesity-induced illness. The

government estimates that it spent over £6 billion

on treating obesity related illness in 2014-2015,

with around two-thirds of the UK’s adult

population considered overweight... or

obese. In 2020, more than one million

people in the UK were hospitalised

due to obesity-related illnesses.

Meanwhile, it is estimated that the effect of UK alcohol

consumption costs the NHS around £3.5 billion each

year, marking a huge increase from the decade

before ...when the spend was around

£2.7 billion a year.

One person noted that while people were locked down to

“save the NHS,” it’d be equally effective if people looked

after themselves, to stop them being unnecessarily

hospitalised for being fat.

Others concurred, one said the country is too soft on fat,

claiming “obesity is crippling our NHS.” Another

suggested the NHS stop treating fat people

and save billions.

“How long before obese people are called selfish, for

putting a strain on the NHS?” one commenter asked,

stating that the country should move from the Covid

-19 track-and-trace system, to fitness trackers.

We “don’t need 107 new hospitals”, wrote one Twitter
user, responding to a Labour MP who proposed new

investments in the NHS, adding that the country

should focus on ...preventing the UK from

“being the most obese country

in Europe.”

Another person admitted to being a “big lad” and said it

was his fault and he should foot the bill. “Obese people

shouldn't get anything from the NHS if they need it,

They should be made to pay for it,” he wrote.

The NHS has been at the centre of many policy discussions

in recent months, following a year in which it was tested

extensively by Covid-19. In June the government passed

a new law that would ban the advertising of unhealthy

food before 9am, although it won’t come into effect

until the end of 2022. The law hopes to stamp out

childhood obesity, which is also rife in the UK.

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____________________________________

Some Britons angry, as
govt quietly passes bill
making Covid-19 vaccines

mandatory for carehome
staff in England

July 14th, 12:38pm (RT)

Some Britons have slammed the government after

the UK parliament voted on Tuesday to make

vaccines compulsory for care home staff
in England, unless they have medical

exemption. There are others that

back the move.

On Tuesday the British parliament voted by 319 votes to 246

to make Covid-19 vaccinations mandatory for those working

in England's care homes. As a result, from October, anyone

who works in a Care Quality Commission-registered care

home in England, must prove they have been jabbed

twice in order to retain their job. Some people will

be medically exempt.

While the bill was criticised in the house by Tory MPs, as there

had been no impact assessment published before the vote,

its passing was also slammed by some on social media.

On Wednesday, references to the Nuremberg Code – a post-

WWII convention that seeks to protect people from cruelty

and exploitation... including non-voluntary medical

procedures... trended on Twitter, as exasperated

Britons claimed that the UK government has

contravened the more than 70-year-old

principle, by making vaccines

compulsory for work.

“The UK is now a medical fascist state” wrote politician

David Kurten, leader of the Heritage Party, blasting the

vote to make what he termed “experimental injections”

compulsory. He added that “those who did not vote

against are responsible for breaking the

Nuremberg Code.”

One person claimed that the British MPs must either be

“stupid or paid off,” while another asserted that they

were now guilty of committing crimes against

humanity, adding the hashtag #nuremburg2,

a reference to the convention and the

historic Nazi war crimes trials.

However, these opinions were not held by everyone, and

a number of people were keen to point out the need for

workers in care homes to be vaccinated, reiterating

anger from earlier in the year when it emerged that

care workers, many of them from non-white back-

grounds, had a certain hesitancy in taking the

Covid-19 vaccine.

“On the one hand, obviously staff should be vaccinated as

they are caring for societies most vulnerable,” one lady

wrote, adding that her mother, a care home resident,

may now lose seven “valuable carers that are sadly

victims of vaccine misinformation.”

This sentiment was reinforced by Dr Rohin Francis, a

cardiologist and Youtuber who ran a poll on Twitter,

asking “Should healthcare workers, including care

home staff, have mandatory covid vaccination?”

Around 9% of the 941 people who voted

answered "no."

Meanwhile, human rights barrister Adam Wagner sought

to dispel the myth that “the Covid-19 vaccines are

experimental,” also sharing a document which

outlined why mandating Covid shots is not in

conflict with the Nuremberg Code. It’s

“difficult policies to protect vulnerable

people which involve trade-offs in

personal autonomy,” he wrote in

a tweet.

In June, the government said that 78%, or 1.2 million, care

home staff had received the vaccine, despite vaccinations

being open to care home staff for seven months.

Analysis from February suggests that frontline healthcare

staff were showing a degree of scepticism in taking the jab.

While many white staff had been inoculated, only 37% of

black staff were jabbed.

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_______________________

Autistic People in UK
are Suffering From

'Intolerable Treatment'

at Inpatient Facilities,

Report Says

by Oleg Burunov

July 13th, 2:03pm (Sputnik)

Earlier on Tuesday, the British Department of Health and

Social Care claimed that the number of people with

autism in the country's mental health hospitals

has decreased by around 30%, over the

past few years.

A UK House of Commons committee has called for a ban

on all new long-term detentions of autistic people and

individuals with learning disabilities, except

admissions for forensic cases.

In a new report released on Tuesday, the Health and Social Care

Committee claimed individuals can be subjected to "intolerable

treatment", including "abusive restrictive practices", at

inpatient facilities across the UK.

The survey claimed that autistic people and those with learning

problems can be kept for "long periods of time in facilities that

do not meet their needs" and that such individuals are kept

long distances from their families and friends.

The report also referred to the "fatal misunderstanding" that

autistic people at inpatient facilities are treated as if their

conditions are illnesses, not a fundamental part of

their identity.

This results in a situation where they start to suffer from mental

or physical illnesses, something that is then used to justify

their detention.

The MPs pointed to a "shocking" six-year average stay of autistic

people in assessment and treatment units, which should be

closed in the next few years amid the "immediate action on

the use of restrictive practices by staff".

The lawmakers stressed that some descriptions of the use of

physical restraint and long-term segregation at in-patient

facilities are not "worthy of a 21st century healthcare

system". According to them, bespoke community

care should be offered, instead of individuals

being detained in hospitals.

Committee chairman Jeremy Hunt, for his part, insisted it is

a "national shame" that "far too many" people are still

being detained.

This was followed by a Department of Health and Social
Care spokesperson, stressing that the government's
priority is "to ensure autistic people and people
with learning disabilities are supported to
live well in their communities, receive

safe and high-quality care, and are
treated with dignity and respect".

The spokesperson also claimed the department is "building"

on an alleged 30-percent reduction in the number of autistic

inpatients and those with learning disabilities "with

additional funding to cut admissions further and

support the discharge of these patients back

into the community".

According to statistics from the UK's National Health Service

(NHS), there are about 2,000 people with autism and/or

learning disabilities, who are still being locked away

in the country's inpatient units... on a long-

term basis.

_________________________________

France’s call not to recognize

Russian, Chinese vaccines

unacceptable — diplomat

July 8th, 3:48pm (TASS)

The French Foreign Ministry’s call not to recognize Russian

and Chinese vaccines in the EU is unacceptable, Russian

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said

on Thursday.

"Such remarks are unacceptable. This is a hybrid of racism,

imperial hegemonism and neo-Nazism: entire peoples are

denied equal rights and opportunities, and this is being

done in violation of laws, ethics and morals, pushing

the world towards confrontation at a moment when

it endures the most difficult trials by the
pandemic," she said, in her Telegram
channel, on Thursday.

"The nerve, the cynicism and brutality, with which the Western

states fight for profit, abandoning their own humanistic ideals

- without thinking about the fates of millions of people during

humanity’s fight against the pandemic - are shocking,"

the diplomat said.

"The people who authored these words have nothing to do

with the France that gave humanity the ideals of liberty,

equality and fraternity," Zakharova added.

_________________________________

Real-world evidence clearly shows

Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 jab

both ‘safe & effective’ - British

science journal Nature reports

July 7th, 11:16am (RT)

World-leading academic journal Nature has published

a new analysis of Russia’s flagship coronavirus jab,

Sputnik V, saying its efficacy has been

demonstrated, despite the EU and

others dragging their feet on

approving it for use.

The article, published on Tuesday by Australian science

journalist, Bianca Nogrady, describes the formula,

developed by Moscow's Gamaleya Institute, as

"the subject of fascination and controversy

since the Russian government authorized

its use last year, before early-stage trial

results were published." The news that

the country had become the first in the

world, to register a jab against the

virus, was met with a mixture of

surprise and derision, by the

Western commentators.

However, Nogrady goes on to say, "evidence from Russia

and many other countries, now suggests it is safe and

effective." Approved in 67 countries, and with all

the published data seemingly in, Nature accepts
that there is little doubt that the vaccine works.

Despite a number of companies in the EU vying for the rights

to manufacture Sputnik V, the bloc's central regulator, the

European Medicines Agency, is still conducting a drawn-

out review of the evidence behind the jab. Two member

states, Hungary and Slovakia, have jumped the gun

and begun including the Moscow-made formula

in their national immunization programs.

However, the article notes, there are still some questions

about monitoring for side effects, which are thought to

be similar to such formulas as those made by Astra-

Zeneca and Johnson & Johnson.

While some vaccines, most notably AstraZeneca's, have been

thought to be associated with very rare side effects such as

blood clots, Russian scientists have insisted that there is

no record of major adverse events from their jab.

Revealing in June that he himself had received two doses of

Sputnik V, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that “now

more than 20 million – 23 million – … have already been

vaccinated [in Russia]... you can see everything is fine

with us. Thank God, we haven’t had such tragic

situations, after vaccination, as [have

occasionally been seen] following

the use of AstraZeneca or

Pfizer elsewhere.”

For the EMA, Nogrady notes, this could be a sign that Russia's

population surveillance system is not robust enough to detect

any cases. However, she notes, several studies are underway

in countries that have already approved the jab, like Argentina,

Venezuela and Turkey, so more evidence will soon be available

to wary regulators.

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__________________________________

England’s legal Covid-19 restrictions

to be dropped - in two weeks - PM

Johnson says, despite warning

‘more deaths’ on way

July 5th, 4:24pm (RT)

(updated 20hrs ago)

Nearly all of the remaining Covid-19 curbs in England,

including all legal restrictions, will be lifted on July

19th, despite an increase in cases and the

expectation of more deaths from the

virus, Prime Minister Boris

Johnson said.

Face masks will no longer be required on public transport,

nightclubs will reopen and the limit on group sizes in

private homes to six people, will all be scrapped,

Johnson told a press conference on Monday.

Other limits on the number of people at weddings and funerals

will also end, as will social distancing requirements and

limiting bars and restaurants to table-service only.

Johnson said England was still seeing a rising number of

Covid-19 infections and hospital admissions -- warning

that there could be 50,000 cases per day by July 19th.

“We must reconcile ourselves sadly to more deaths from

Covid,” he said, adding that the government must take a

“careful and balanced” decision on restrictions.

Johnson said he expects the government will be able to

lift the majority of remaining restrictions on July 19th,

with a review of the latest health data, set for

July 12th.

The national test, trace and isolate system will remain in

operation from July 19th, Johnson said, although the

government is looking at different arrangements for

fully-vaccinated people, and for children. People

must still self-isolate if they test positive for

the virus, or are ordered to quarantine by

NHS Test and Trace.

The PM also indicated that restrictions

could be re-introduced down the line.

"I didn't want people to feel that this is, as it were, the

moment to get demob happy... it is very far from the

end of dealing with this virus," Johnson said.

"Obviously, if we do find another variant that doesn't

respond to the vaccines... then clearly, we will have

to take whatever steps we need to do to protect

the public."

As the restrictions are lifted, the government will no

longer require people to work from home and a

limit on the number of people allowed to visit

care homes will be dropped. A statement is

set to be made this week by the UK’s

Education Sec., Gavin Williamson,

on the 'possible end' of so-called

classroom “bubbles” which are

designed to protect schools

from Covid outbreaks.

Johnson said the pace of the UK’s vaccine rollout would

also speed up so that people under 40 years of age will

be offered their second dose eight weeks after their
first, as opposed to the current 12-week interval.

Speaking alongside the PM on Monday, England’s chief

medical officer Professor Chris Whitty warned of the

potential pressure Covid-19 may place on the

National Health Service (NHS) next winter.

“This coming winter may be very

difficult for the NHS, and I don’t

think that’s a particularly

controversial point,”

he said.

On Monday the UK reported a further nine deaths within 28

days of a positive Covid test, and more than 27,000 new

infections. The current rate of infection, is 230 per

100,000 people, and, in the last seven days, there

has been a 50% increase in new cases

compared to the previous week,

according to the latest

government data.

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________________________________

Delta Variant of COVID-19

Claims Lives of 50

Vaccinated Britons

June 28th, 5:28pm GMT (Sputnik)

The Delta variant of COVID-19 has killed just

over 100 people in the UK — but 50 of those

were fully-vaccinated.

A briefing paper by Public Health England (PHE)

published Friday, showed that just 117 people

had died of the so-called "Indian" variant of

concern, out of just over 92,000

identified cases.

The figures represent a mortality rate of just 0.13

per cent — less than a twentieth of the overall

2.88 per cent for UK cases, since the start
of the pandemic.

But worryingly, 50 of those who died had been given

both doses of the coronavirus vaccine, although all

of those were in the over-50 age group... which

accounts for 99 per cent of deaths in the UK.

Eight people under the age of 50 died of the Delta

variant, but none were fully-immunised against

COVID-19 and only two had even received

their first jab.

"Does this mean the vaccines are ineffective? Far

from it," statisticians, David Spiegelhalter and

Anthony Masters, wrote for The Observer on

Sunday. "It's what we would expect from
an effective but imperfect vaccine".

Fears of the Delta variant, thought to be more transmissible

than other strains of COVID-19, prompted Prime Minister

Boris Johnson's government to postpone the final lifting

of lockdown restrictions by four weeks from June 21st,

to July 19th, to buy time to get all the over-40s

double-vaccinated.

The latest PHE data, published on Monday afternoon,

showed just three deaths nationwide — despite new

infections soaring by almost 70 per cent week-on-

week. Almost 23,000 new cases were recorded

on Sunday. Another ray of hope, was that

hospital admissions had only risen by

10% over the past week, with 227
new patients admitted with
the virus, on Sunday.

______________________________

300+ confirmed cases of

heart problems among

teen recipients of

Pfizer vaccine

June 23rd, 3:37pm (PressTV)

The United States’ Centres for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC) is to host a panel of experts on

Wednesday, to discuss the more than 300

confirmed cases of heart problems

among adolescents who have

received the Pfizer/BioN

Tech vaccine.

During the session, the experts will hear a risk-

benefit analysis about whether the shots can

cause myocarditis, as well as cases of

inflammation of the heart lining.

"These cases are rare, and the vast majority have fully

resolved with rest and supportive care," said the CDC

director Rochelle Walensky last week.

Although 300 cases out of 20 million adolescents who

have received their shots is not a great number, many

believe that it is still likely higher than what would

otherwise be expected for the age group.

The vaccination of adolescents in the US was begun in

mid-May after the CDC voted 14 to 0 in favor of the use

of the mRNA vaccine made by the Pfizer/BioNTech.

A federal advisory panel claimed that children between

12 to 15 years old can receive the COVID-19 vaccine

made by the Pfizer and BioNTech.

This came as, according to the national polls, only a

limited number of families were eager to get their

children inoculated.

Nearly a month later, the CDC announced that the

preliminary findings from two vaccine safety

monitoring systems suggest a higher-than

-expected number of cases of heart

inflammation after the second dose

of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in

young men.

More than half of the myocarditis or pericarditis cases

reported to the US Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting

System after patients had received Pfizer/BioNTech

vaccines were in people between the ages of 12

and 24, the CDC said on June 10th, 2021.

The body also promised to hold a meeting of its Advisory

Committee on Immunization Practices... to further
evaluate the evidence and assess the risk of
myocarditis after mRNA vaccinations
for COVID-19.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed

at the following alternative address:

www.presstv.ir

________________________

US Warns of Illness Caused

by Hand Sanitizers ...in

Latest COVID-19 Update

June 22nd, 10:35pm GMT (Sputnik)

Hand sanitizers --- a ubiquitous presence during the

coronavirus pandemic, threaten users with nausea,

dizziness and occasional adverse events requiring

treatment by healthcare providers, the US Food

and Drug Administration (FDA) warned

on Tuesday.

"FDA reviewed case reports submitted to FDA and cases

from calls to US poison control centres... of adverse

events after applying alcohol-based hand sanitizers

to the skin. While the majority of cases resulted in

minor or minimal effects, some cases resulted in

treatment by a health care professional," an
FDA press release said.

The FDA explained in the release that common symptoms,

including headache, nausea, and dizziness, typically

result from fumes released by alcohol-

based sanitizers.

Consumers should limit use of sanitizers to well-

ventilated areas, and to use soap and water,
when available, the FDA said.

"The best way to prevent the spread of infections and

decrease the risk of getting sick, is by washing your

hands, frequently, with plain soap and water, for at

least 20 seconds", it said.

Some 50 cases of serious adverse events have
been identified after applying alcohol-based
hand sanitizers, all reported after the
coronavirus pandemic sent much of
the US into lock-down mode, in
March 2020, the FDA added.

(and no, it's not April Fool's Day!)

________________________

New Season of Pandemic?

Chinese Researchers Discover

New Coronaviruses in Bats

Similar to COVID-19

by Max Gorbachev

June 12th, 11:03am GMT (Sputnik)

The news comes amid heightened attention over

the origins of the infectious disease, which

-- according to John Hopkins University --
has killed 3.7 million people worldwide.

Initially, scientists brushed aside

allegations that SARS-CoV-2
was a man-made virus, as
conspiracy theories.

While the international community is yet to gain the upper

hand in the fight against COVID-19, Chinese scientists

say they have discovered a new batch of corona-

viruses similar to the infectious disease that
has been ravaging the world.

According to their study, researchers collected samples

of urine, faeces, and saliva from small bats that lived in

the forests of Yunnan Province, between May 2019

and March 2020. They assembled 24 novel

coronavirus genomes, including "four

SARS-CoV-2-like" diseases.

Scientists write that one strain of the virus discovered

in the bat species Rhinolophus pusillus had a striking

resemblance to SARS-CoV-2, although there were

differences in spike proteins, which are used to

attach to cells they infect.

Researchers note their discovery demonstrates that

viruses related to COVID-19 continue to circulate in

bat populations and in some regions "may occur

at a relatively high frequency".

Origins of the Virus

The news comes amid heightened attention over the origins

of the infectious disease that has so far infected 175 million

and killed 3.7 million (number provided by Johns Hopkins

University). At the beginning of the pandemic, scientists

said the virus originated in bats, and jumped on an

intermediary animal (most likely a pangolin),

and then to humans.

As the pandemic swept more and more countries, allegations

started appearing that the outbreak began due to a leak in a

laboratory in Wuhan, where the first known cases of COVID

-19 were reported. These claims were supported by several

high-ranking US politicians, ex-Secretary of State Mike

Pompeo and former President Donald Trump, who

accused Beijing of a cover-up and called for
an international investigation.

Chinese officials, for their part, alleged that COVID-19

patient-zero came from the United States, claiming

the virus may have originated at a US military

base in Maryland that hosts the nation's

biological defence programme.

The majority of scientists dismissed the allegations of

a Chinese lab leak --- as wild conspiracy theories and

misinformation. The World Health Organisation, too,

rejected the allegations, saying in a report, written

with Chinese scientists, that it is "extremely

unlikely" COVID-19 was man-made.

At the end of May, The Wall Street Journal wrote, citing

previously undisclosed documents... written by US

intelligence, that three employees of the Wuhan

Institute of Virology sought medical care for a

disease similar to COVID-19, three weeks

before Chinese authorities reported the

first case of COVID... There has since

been a ''change in attitude'' towards

the lab leak scenario, with several

officials voicing regret that the

international community did

not pay attention to

this hypothesis.

The same month, the Biden administration announced
a new probe into the origins of COVID-19. The move

prompted a rebuke from Beijing --- which accused

Washington of "political manipulation” and said

the White House "does not care about facts

and truth, nor is it interested in serious

scientific origin tracing".

____________________________________

EU adds another rare blood

condition as side effect of

AstraZeneca coronavirus

vaccine

June 11th, 8:25pm (PressTV)

Europe’s drug regulator on Friday identified another

very rare blood condition as a potential side effect

of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine and said it

was looking into cases of heart inflammation

after inoculation with all coronavirus shots.

The European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) safety

committee said that capillary leak syndrome

(CLS) must be added as a new side effect to

labeling on AstraZeneca’s vaccine, known

as Vaxzevria.

People who had previously sustained the condition,

where fluids leak from the smallest blood vessels

causing swelling and a drop in blood pressure,

should not receive the shot, the EMA added.

The regulator first began looking into these cases, in

April and the recommendation adds to AstraZeneca’s

woes after its vaccine was associated with very rare

and potentially lethal cases of blood clotting, that

come with a low platelet count.

Last month, the EMA had advised against giving a

second AstraZeneca shot to people with that

clotting condition... known as thrombosis

with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS).

The committee reviewed six validated cases of CLS

in people, mostly women, who had received

Vaxzevria, including one death. Three
had a history of the condition.

More than 78 million Vaxzevria doses have
been administered in the European Union,

Liechtenstein, Iceland & Norway,

and Britain.

In a statement, AstraZeneca pointed to the extreme

rarity of CLS cases, at less than 1 in 10 million

vaccinated individuals.

Britain’s regulator, the MHRA, said it was considering

precautionary advice for people with a history of CLS

but does not see a causal link with the vaccine.

Two of eight reports of capillary leak syndrome

following AstraZeneca vaccination in the UK

were in people with a history of the

condition, and 40 million doses of

the vaccine had been given,

it said.

Separately, the EMA said it was continuing its probe

into cases of heart inflammation known as myo-

carditis and pericarditis, primarily following

inoculation with the Pfizer/BioNTech, and

Moderna mRNA shots, but also, after
the J&J and AstraZeneca vaccines.

US health officials said on Thursday they had

registered a higher-than-expected number of

heart inflammation cases in young men who

received a second dose of the mRNA shots,

though a causal relationship could not

be established.

Both Pfizer and Moderna have acknowledged the

observations but said a causal association with

their vaccines has not been established.

BioNTech said adverse events, including myocarditis

and pericarditis, are being regularly and thoroughly

reviewed by the companies and regulatory

authorities.

“More than 300 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech

COVID-19 vaccine have been administered globally

and the benefit-risk profile of our vaccine

remains positive.”

(Source: Reuters)

______________________________________

The stuff of nightmares?

Fewer than 1 in 10 adults

sleeping well during UK’s

Covid lockdowns,
study says

March 29th (RT)

Are you having trouble falling asleep at night,
or can’t sleep as well as you used too? Don’t
be surprised – fewer than one in 10 adults in
the UK are managing to sleep well during
Covid lockdowns, researchers say.

Since the pandemic began over a year ago, researchers

say our quality of sleep has seriously deteriorated. A

team from the University College London (UCL) has

been looking at 70,000 people over the past year

--- and their response to the pandemic. The

researchers measured how they were

following government advice each

week, how their mindset changed,

and how they were doing mentally.

The study found that when the pandemic started, many

people couldn’t sleep because of fear of catching Covid.

Less than a third (28.7%) of those surveyed now report

being stressed by Covid – a big drop even from the end

of 2020, when almost one in two (45.1%) feared
catching the coronavirus.

Dr. Elise Paul, the report’s lead author and a researcher

in epidemiology & healthcare at UCL, said the findings

show that many “have suffered from poor sleep quality”

during the pandemic, adding that lockdown brought

major disruption to normal daily routines, or
changes to living circumstances.

Stress is also likely to be a factor [in sleep quality], especially,

as those from groups living in more stressful circumstances,

such as people with lower household incomes and those with

mental or physical health conditions, are reporting higher

levels of poor quality sleep.

The researchers say that less than one person in 10 reports

sleeping well now, with study participants saying finances

and job security are weighing heavily on them. One-third

of respondents, on average, cited money woes as a
cause for worry.

People with lower household incomes, with a mental or

physical health condition, those with lower levels of

education, and people from ethnic minority back-

grounds, reported higher levels of ‘very poor’

sleep quality.

Conversely, people over 60 years of age, those in good

health, men, those of white ethnicity, and people not

living with children, reported sleeping better over

the past year.

The researchers said that now that lockdown restrictions

are starting to ease across the UK, people are beginning

to sleep better.

The UCL study is also part of a larger international project

that looks at people's mental health, across 70 countries.

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_______________________________

US Health Agency Says
AstraZeneca May Have Included
‘Outdated Information’ in
COVID Vaccine Trial

March 23rd (FNA)

A US health agency, on Tuesday, said that AstraZeneca

may have included outdated information in trial results

of its COVID-19 vaccine, potentially casting doubt
over published efficacy rates.

It comes just one day after the findings of a large US trial

showed that the vaccine was safe and highly effective,

and throws into question, whether AstraZeneca can

seek US clearance for the vaccine next month,
as planned, CNBC reported.

The Data Safety Monitoring Board “expressed concern that

AstraZeneca may have included outdated information from

that trial, which may have provided an incomplete view of

the efficacy data,” the US National Institute of Allergy
and Infectious Diseases, said in a statement.

“We urge the company to work with the DSMB to review the

efficacy data and ensure the most accurate, up-to-date

efficacy data be made public as quickly as possible,”

it said.

The NIAID was notified of the concerns late Monday, along with

AstraZeneca, and the Biomedical Advanced Research and

Development Authority. Led by White House Chief Medical

Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci, the NIAID is part of the

National Institutes of Health.

On Monday, the US trial results showed that the coronavirus

vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of

Oxford, is 79% effective in preventing symptomatic

illness, and 100% effective against severe

disease and hospitalization.

The findings were welcomed as “surprisingly positive” and

“good news for the global community”. It was thought the

trial data could help to bolster public confidence in the

shot, and move it a step closer, to US emergency
use authorization.

AstraZeneca did not immediately respond

to a CNBC request for comment.

Shares of AstraZeneca dipped 0.7%

during Tuesday trading in London.

AstraZeneca said it planned to prepare for the primary analysis

to be submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration for

emergency use authorization, before mid-April.

Data from the late-stage human trial study was based on more

than 32,000 volunteers across 88 trial centres in the US, Peru

and Chile.

The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine had been temporarily

suspended in several countries after reports of blood

clots in some vaccinated people. Health experts

sharply criticized the move, citing a lack of

data, while analysts expressed concern

about the impact on vaccine uptake,
as the virus continues to spread.

AstraZeneca said on Monday, that the independent

DSMB had found no increased risk of blood clots.

Ruud Dobber, executive vice president of AstraZeneca’s

biopharmaceuticals business unit, told CNBC’s

“Squawk Box”, on Monday, that it was: “very

pleasing to see that, even with a magnifying

glass, the Data Saftey Monitoring Board

didn’t see any imbalance between the

vaccinated group and the

placebo group”.

“So, that gives us a lot of confidence,” he added.

Europe’s drug regulator said, earlier this month,
that its initial investigation of possible side
effects concluded that the shot is safe
and effective, adding that the
benefits still outweigh
the risks.

The World Health Organization and the International

Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis, have

recommended that countries continue to

use the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

Late last year, AstraZeneca faced criticism from US

health experts over the results and methods used

in their phase 3 vaccine trials. Analysts at US-

based health care and biotech investment

bank, SVB Leerink, said at the time that

they believed the vaccine would

“never be licensed in the US”.

AstraZeneca pushed back against the criticism, saying

the studies “were conducted to the highest standards”

and that more data would follow.

______________________________

German Study Reveals Why

AstraZeneca Vax Can Cause

Brain Blood Clots as WHO,

EU Give Jab Green Light

by Ilya Tsukanov

20.03.2021 (Sputnik)

AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine, developed by the

pharma giant together with Oxford University, uses

a modified chimpanzee adenovirus vector to enter

cells, release and transport genes to cell nuclei,

and stimulate the formation of antibodies. This

month, nearly two dozen nations temporarily

suspended use of the vaccine amid safety

concerns.

Researchers at Germany’s Greifswald University Hospital

have completed a study of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus

vaccine, concluding that “in rare cases”, the

preparation can create antibodies which

lead to the formation of blood clots in

the brain’s venous sinuses.

In a press statement Friday, scientists explained that they

reached their conclusions, by studying samples provided

by Germany’s vaccine regulator. Analysis of the samples

of six patients who had developed blood clots after

getting vaccinated, determined that, in some
patients, vaccination triggers the activation
of platelets --- small colourless cell
fragments of bone marrow in our
blood, which, ordinarily, form
clots to stop bleeding and

heal injuries.

On the basis of these findings, the researchers proposed

a course of treatment using drugs that assist against

thrombosis, but stressed that such treatment is

possible only after blood clots are detected,

and not on a preventative basis.

Greifswald University Hospital shared the findings with

the German Research Association for Thrombosis and

Hemostatis, who subsequently issued new guidelines

for patients taking the AstraZeneca vaccine - urging

them to seek medical assistance if they suffer from

headaches, dizziness or vision problems, for more

than 3 days after being jabbed. The association

stressed that the complication is “very rare”
and that it couldn’t be ruled out that it is
brought on by “other causes.”

Commenting on the research, Greifswald University Clinic

professor Dr. Andreas Greinacher similarly told reporters

“very, very few people will develop this complication,”

and “if it happens, we now know how to treat
the patients.”

The results of the scientists’ findings, set to be published
in the British medical journal The Lancet in the coming
days, echo the independently reached conclusions of
a group of Norwegian researchers, who issued their
own report this week, attributing blood clots in
some patients jabbed with the AstraZeneca
preparation, to an overly strong immune
system response.

The Norwegian scientists’ work was based on an examination

of 3 Norwegian healthcare employees, who were admitted

to hospital, suffering from acute pain, severe blood clots
in unusual places, including their stomachs and brains,

bleeding, and low platelet counts. One of the workers
died on Monday shortly after being admitted for care.
All 3 were healthy and under the age of 50.

The evidence by the German and Norwegian researchers

contradicts fresh statements by the European Medicines

Agency (EMA) & the World Health Organization, both of

which announced this week, that AstraZeneca’s
vaccine, is safe for use.

At least 20 countries temporarily stopped inoculation
using the company’s vaccine in early March amid
growing reports of complications and deaths
from blood clots, but many countries,
including Germany and France,
decided to lift suspensions
after receiving the all
clear from the EMA.

On Friday, Chancellor Merkel of Germany said
she would “definitely” get vaccinated with
the AstraZeneca preparation --- but
that she... “would like to wait

[her] turn”, before
doing so.

The AstraZeneca jab has yet to be approved by the US

Food and Drug Administration, with reports citing

Biden administration officials indicating that

Washington is debating whether or not to
dump millions of doses of the vaccine
now sitting in US manufacturing
facilities abroad, including to
the EU, Brazil and Britain.

In other news... ssh...

Bill Gates says he is ‘not very surprised’

by the spinal cord damage caused by

AstraZeneca’s Coronavirus vaccine.

___________________________________

Health Minister Says Lebanon

Currently Suspending Usage

of AstraZeneca Vaccine

March 17th at 14:27 GMT

(Source: Al-Manar Englih Website)

Caretaker Minister of Public Health, Dr. Hamad Hasan, on

Wednesday told the Voice of Lebanon Radio station that

Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health was currently

suspending the usage of the AstraZeneca

vaccine pending the decision of the

international health authorities.

“The ministry does not take any hasty decisions that

might endanger the citizens’ health,“ Dr. Hasan
affirmed.

He went on to explain that the first shipment of AstraZeneca

vaccine was supposed to arrive to Lebanon in mid-March,

yet the company had postponed the delivery date, “which

rules out any commercial intentions involving the vaccine.”

Dr. Hasan added that the private sector sought to secure the

Russian and Chinese vaccines for private initiatives, and

that the ministry had not prevented, but rather,

encouraged, private sector companies to

do so.

“The Ministry of Health has given permission to more than

thirty pharmaceutical companies and drug warehouses to

negotiate with vaccine companies abroad, provided that

the vaccine is provided to citizens free of charge,” he

added, stressing that free vaccination for citizens is

a nonnegotiable decision.

He finally added that next week, the state’s vaccination

campaign will begin to target age groups that range

between sixty-five and seventy-five years, as well

as those suffering from chronic diseases.

_________________________________

Spanish Drug Regulator

Probes Death of Woman

Vaccinated With
AstraZeneca

17.03.2021 (Sputnik)

The Spanish medicines agency is looking into the death

of a woman who suffered a brain bleed, caused by a

blood clot, days after getting an AstraZeneca shot,

the Health Ministry said, on Wednesday.

"AEMPS, other regulators and the European medicines

agency, EMA, are gathering data and conducting a

thorough investigation, to determine whether,
in addition to a temporal connection to the

administration of the vaccine, there was

a possible causative relationship",
a statement read.

The 43-year-old received the first dose of the AstraZeneca

vaccine on March 3rd & reported a headache within hours,

which was dismissed as a common side effect. She sought

medical help 10 days later, after her symptoms worsened.

The surgery revealed a brain bleed and swelling. She

died on Monday.

The Health Ministry said she had suffered an ischemic

stroke, which transformed into a brain haemorrhage.

The woman was among three people, reported to have

developed a combination of unusual symptoms: blood

clots & a low count of platelets -- which may point to

an "abnormal activation of the coagulation system,

associated with the formation of blood clots in

unusual places".

___________________________________

Italian Prosecutors Open

Manslaughter Probe -- as

Man Dies After Receiving

AstraZeneca Vaccine

March 16th (FNA)

Prosecutors in Italy, launched a manslaughter probe, into

the death of a 57-year-old music teacher, Sandro Tognatti,

who died on Sunday, a day after obtaining AstraZeneca's

coronavirus vaccine, the Daily Mail reported on Monday.

A preliminary investigation was launched in Northern Italy's

Biella judiciary, and the teacher's cause of death remains

unknown. They emphasized that there is no connection

to AstraZeneca's vaccine, at this time, and that an

investigation is being conducted, to see whether

someone has a case to answer.

It comes after one health worker died and three others became

ill as a result of clots after receiving the vaccine, despite the

fact that the EMA, the World Health Organisation, and

AstraZeneca, all say the vaccine is safe.

Meanwhile, Italy has also suspended the use of all AstraZeneca

vaccines due to concerns that they cause blood clots, with

France and Germany following suit and stating that they

are awaiting guidance from European regulators.

It came as earlier in the day Italy reintroduced lockdown measures,

with 13 of the country's 21 regions now in a "red zone", which

means schools, restaurants, stores, and museums must

close, and people are prohibited from leaving their

homes, except for work, health, or other

important reasons.

Seven more regions have been designated as "orange zones",

with shops and beauticians permitted to remain open except

during a night-time curfew, while all other businesses must

close, and citizens' movement outside the local area, is

limited. Only Sardinia is in a "white zone", that is not

under lockdown.

On Monday evening, the EMA insisted that immunization with

the AstraZeneca vaccine must continue. The EMA said earlier

that there was no need to stop using the vaccine because

"the benefits outweigh the risks of side effects", but the

agency's review is still ongoing, with a new study

expected to be released on Thursday.

Ireland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, and Bulgaria

have all suspended vaccinations with the AstraZeneca jab. One

batch of vaccines believed to be connected to clots has been

seized by Austria, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.

AstraZeneca said on Sunday that it had found no evidence of

increased risk of blood clots from its COVID-19 vaccine after

conducting a careful review of safety data of over 17 million

inoculated people across the EU and the UK.

EU countries and drugmaker AstraZeneca have been in dispute

over the vaccine for quite some time now, with the ministers

enforcing export bans on the company's vaccines.

The decision by some European countries to suspend the use

of the vaccines comes as a third wave of the novel coronavirus

sweeps the continent, forcing leaders to reimpose lockdowns

as vast swaths of the population remain unprotected. Cases

of COVID-19 are also on the rise in European countries,

such as Spain, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland,

the Netherlands, and Sweden.

Due to the ongoing vaccine supply crisis in the EU, some member

states have lost trust in Brussels and decided to make early

orders, separately.

Thus, Hungary turned to Russia and China in a bid to ensure a

sufficient number of vaccine doses. As a result, the country

has the best results in the EU in terms of vaccinated people,

far ahead of all the heavyweight EU countries.

_____________________________________

Norwegian Medical Worker

Dies --- After Receiving

AstraZeneca Shot

15.03.2021 (Sputnik)

One of the three medical workers hospitalised in Norway

with unusual symptoms after receiving a shot of the

AstraZeneca vaccine has died, the director of the

Norwegian Drugs Agency said, on Monday.

The three people, aged under fifty, were taken to an Oslo

University hospital on Saturday for blood clots, bleeding

and a low count of platelets. Similar symptoms were

reported in Denmark.

"Rikshospitalet said that one of those hospitalized

has died", Steinar Madsen told a news conference.

He said the drug regulator was looking into all reports

of patients developing potentially deadly blood clots.

Norway and several other Nordic countries suspended the

use of the UK-Swedish drug on Thursday amid concerns

over the drug’s safety. More nations have since paused

the AstraZeneca rollout, including Germany.

________________________________

Ireland Becomes Latest Nation

to halt rollout of AstraZeneca

Vaccine --- Following New

Reports of Blood Clotting

March 14th (FNA)

Ireland put the brakes on plans to administer the AstraZeneca

COVID vaccine, following in the footsteps of other countries

that have suspended its use, over concerns that the drug

may be linked to blood clotting.

The Irish Department of Health confirmed to the media that the

rollout of the jab had been “temporarily deferred”, RT reported.

The decision came at the urging of Ireland’s National Immunisation

Advisory Committee, following four new cases of “serious”
blood clotting, that occurred in adults who received
the vaccine in Norway.

Ireland's Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ronan Glynn, said

shelving the drug was a “precautionary” measure and

stressed that there was no established link between

the medical issues and the vaccine.

The European Medicines Agency is currently investigating the

issue. AstraZeneca has said that it is conducting its own

review, and will share any new information

“without delay”.

The new advisory comes just two days after Irish medical

officials approved the AstraZeneca vaccine, for people

older than 70.

Officials had previously determined that only people under

the age of 65 should be given the drug --- amid concerns

about limited data on its efficacy for older age groups.

Denmark announced on Thursday that it would suspend use

of the AstraZeneca vaccine for two weeks, after some
recipients of the jab developed blood clots. Norway

followed suit, describing the move as a

“cautionary decision”.

Austria, Iceland, Italy, and a number of other countries have also

postponed or restricted their rollout of the jab, after reviewing

the worrying reports about potential adverse reactions.

The World Health Organization has insisted that the vaccine can

still be used, as there is no established link between the drug

and the blood clotting.

______________________________________________

Looking into Palantir:
Activists want NHS
to come clean about

secretive deal with
data-mining company

Under a deal negotiated in secret with the British government,

shady data firm Palantir will continue to manage NHS data for

two years. Activists calling for transparency have now

brought the NHS to court.

When the British government unveiled its ‘Covid-19 data store’

last March, controversial “spy tech” firm, Palantir, was given

control of the data collected from the public, which included

sensitive data, such as patients’ ages, addresses, health

conditions, treatments & whether they smoke or drink,

among other private information. Given the contract

for a nominal fee of £1 ($1.40), Palantir was only

supposed to hold this data until the end of the

coronavirus pandemic, but was awarded a

second £23 million contract in December,

ensuring the data-gathering project will

continue until at least December 2022.

The government’s data store – used to inform its pandemic

response – was criticized last March for its reliance on US

tech firms, like Microsoft, Amazon, & the aforementioned

Palantir, to handle Britons’ data. According to an NHS

impact assessment, Palantir processes data that

includes details on patients’ sex lives, political

views, and religious beliefs.

The government inked the deal behind closed doors, and

large sections of the contract are redacted – including

sections laying out who has access to patient data,

how it will be used, and with which third parties it

will be shared. Readable in the contract is a line

stating that, after the coronavirus pandemic

subsides, the database may be repurposed

for “general business-as-usual monitoring.”

Activists with OpenDemocracy and lawyers with Foxglove

Legal this week sued the NHS, claiming that the renewed

deal with Palantir warranted a fresh impact assessment

and demanding public consultation over the deal,

which was awarded without the usual

tender process.

As news of the lawsuit broke on Wednesday, the Bureau

of Investigative Journalism also revealed that Palantir

executives had been lobbying the NHS for access to

patient data since summer 2019, six months before

the coronavirus first cropped up in China.

According to emails seen by the bureau, Palantir’s UK boss,

Louis Mosley, hosted a meal attended by Lord David Prior,

chair of NHS England, in July. In the days afterwards, he

thanked Mosley, for supplying him with “watermelon

cocktails,” and asked him to get in touch with ideas

to help the NHS “structure and curate our data.”

In the months afterwards, Palantir offered demonstrations of

its services to Prior and his colleagues at its San Francisco

offices, and at the World Economic Forum in

Davos, Switzerland.

In October 2019, NHS bosses reportedly met with representatives

of Microsoft, Amazon, and vaccine manufacturer AstraZeneca, to

discuss the creation of a “single, national, standardised, event-

based longitudinal record for 65 million citizens,” which would

be built in the following two years and contain medical and

genetic records of every single UK resident. Palantir was

said not to be present at the meeting, but Mosley

reportedly told Prior, shortly afterwards, that
he had a “very positive meeting” with a
top NHS official, in private.

Like the mythical seeing-stone it’s named after, Palantir is

a company shrouded in secrecy. Launched by billionaire

Peter Thiel, Palantir received start-up funding from the

CIA and counts multiple US government agencies, law

enforcement departments, and military branches

among its clients. Its true number of employees

is unknown, and former workers are,

reportedly, often forbidden from

talking to the media.

Its software has been used by police departments to
profile likely offenders, and predict future crime; by
the military to predict roadside bombings in Middle

Eastern war zones; and by immigration authorities
to help track, apprehend, and deport illegal
immigrants – a partnership it has tried
to keep under wraps, before.

With both Palantir and the NHS seemingly keen on continuing

their partnership, Foxglove director Cori Crider told the BBC

that her aim is to prevent the government using “the

pandemic as an excuse: to embed major tech firms

like Palantir in the NHS, without consulting

the public.”

"The datastore is the largest pool of patient data in UK history.

It's one thing to set it up on an emergency basis, it's a

different kettle of fish to give a tech firm like Palantir

a permanent role in NHS infrastructure," she added.

(Source: RT)

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________________________________

Decline in Sperm Counts Caused by

Chemicals Threatens Humanity's

Existence, New Book Claims

by Andrei Dergalin

26.02.2021 (Sputnik)

Dr. Shanna Swan, leading environmental and reproductive

epidemiologist at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai,

has warned of a potential threat to the very survival of the

human race, in her new book.

According to Axios, Swan’s work points at an apparent decline

in sperm counts, that has been "falling for decades", with the

major reason for this development being chemicals that

"disrupt the body's hormonal system".

"If you look at the curve on sperm count and project it forward

— which is always risky — it reaches zero in 2045," she said.

"That's a little concerning, to say the least."

The book, titled "Count Down: How Our Modern World Is Threatening

Sperm Counts, Altering Male and Female Reproductive Development,

and Imperilling the Future of the Human Race", notes factors such as

an increase in "boys with clear genital abnormalities" and a "decline

in anogenital distance in infant males", as well as "earlier appearance

of puberty signs among girls”"

Such outcomes are apparently related to "changes in hormones or

endocrines", with Swan and her colleagues reportedly blaming the

so called "everywhere chemicals" such as phthalates and

bisphenol-A, which are found in things like cosmetics,

plastics and pesticides, and which affect endocrines.

"Chemicals in our environment and unhealthy lifestyle practices in

our modern world are disrupting our hormonal balance, causing

various degrees of reproductive havoc," Swan suggested.

She did point out, however, that other factors, such as growing

obesity levels and smoking, also negatively affect both male

and female fertility.

"The current state of reproductive affairs can't continue much

longer without threatening human survival," Swan warned.

________________________________________

Click to read - then ask yourself why UK
says you do NOT have any choice... !!!

Hong Kong to let citizens choose which Covid-19 jab they
receive, amid safety concerns and low vaccine confidence

_______________________________________________

UK to deliberately expose

volunteers to Covid-19
in world's first trial after

study given green light

February 17th (RT)

The world’s first Covid-19 human challenge study has

received ethics approval in the UK, with 90 healthy

volunteers to be exposed to the virus in the

coming weeks, in an attempt to learn
more about Covid’s effect on
the body.

Researchers have started their search for 90 people aged

18-30 who will willingly expose themselves to Covid-19 as

part of a study to learn more about the virus, which has

killed more than two million people worldwide after the

government announced the trial had received ethics

approval on Wednesday.

The British government said the study, which is backed

by £33.6 million of taxpayers’ money, will “play a key

role in developing effective coronavirus vaccines

and treatments.”

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng added that, while

there has been significant progress with regards to

vaccine and treatment development, more
research is required.

The Covid-19 virus being used in the study has been

created by a team at Great Ormond Street Hospital

for the Children NHS Foundation Trust, in London,

in collaboration with industry-leading clinical

company, hVIVO.

Volunteers will be 'compensated' for their

time and their participation in the study.

On Sunday the UK hit its target of inoculating 15 million

of the most vulnerable people against Covid-19 and

now aims to vaccinate 32 million people, all
at-risk groups, by May.

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________________________________

Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID shot

less effective against South

African variant: Study

February 7th (PressTV)

British drugmaker AstraZeneca AZN.L said on Saturday

its vaccine developed with the University of Oxford

appeared to offer only limited protection against

mild disease caused by the South African

variant of COVID-19, based on early

data from a trial.

The study from South Africa’s University of the Witwatersrand

and Oxford University showed the vaccine had significantly

reduced efficacy against the South African variant,

according to a Financial Times report published

earlier in the day.

Among coronavirus variants currently most concerning for

scientists & public health experts, are the so-called British,

South African and Brazilian variants, which appear to

spread more swiftly than others.

“In this small phase I/II trial, early data has shown limited

efficacy against mild disease primarily due to the B.1.351

South African variant,” an AstraZeneca spokesman said

in response to the FT report.

The newspaper said none of the more than 2,000

trial participants had been hospitalized, or died.

“However, we have not been able to properly ascertain its

effect against severe disease and hospitalization, given

that subjects were predominantly young healthy

adults,” the AstraZeneca spokesman said.

The company said it believed its vaccine could protect

against severe disease, given that the neutralizing

antibody activity was equivalent to that of other

COVID-19 vaccines that have demonstrated

protection against severe disease.

The trial, which involved 2,026 people, of whom,
half formed the placebo group, has not been
peer-reviewed, the FT said.

While thousands of individual changes have arisen as the

virus mutates into new variants, only a tiny minority are

likely to be important or change the virus in an

appreciable way, according to the British

Medical Journal.

“Oxford University and AstraZeneca have started adapting

the vaccine against this variant and will advance rapidly

through clinical development so that it is ready for

Autumn delivery should it be needed,” the

AstraZeneca spokesman said.

On Friday, Oxford said their vaccine has similar efficacy

against the British coronavirus variant, as it does to the

previously circulating variants.

(Source: Reuters)

_____________________________

It’s not just Covid-19
that’s killing Britons…

alcohol is taking them
out in record numbers

by Chris Sweeney

February 3rd (RT)

Chris Sweeney is an author and columnist who has

written for newspapers such as The Times, Daily

Express, The Sun and Daily Record, along with

several international-selling magazines. Follow

him on Twitter @Writes_Sweeney

Sales of booze have soared during lockdown, while alcohol-

related deaths leapt by 16% last year. Experts are calling for

higher prices, and urgent campaigns to tackle the UK’s

notoriously liberal attitude to drinking.

Newly released figures have uncovered shocking statistics,

which reveal that England and Wales have just recorded the

biggest death toll from alcohol since records began in 2001.

In the first nine months of 2020, there were 5,460 deaths,

a dramatic 16.4 percent increase, compared to 2019.

While it’s impossible to prove direct causation, there is

certainly a link to the first nationwide lockdown

between March and June.

Drinking during lockdown has soared in the UK. Weekly

wine sales at Waitrose’s 338 supermarkets are up by a

third, beer by 49 percent, while spirits such as rum and

tequila have risen by 64 percent and 56 percent.

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chair of Alcohol Health Alliance

UK, warned: “Alcohol dependence is often triggered by a

number of factors including bereavement, job insecurity,

mental health conditions or troubled relationships.

“All of these issues have been exaggerated greatly, during

the pandemic, for many. We must start preparing now, if we

wish to limit future harm.”

That’s a grim warning and, with a new lockdown set to

continue in some form for months, the numbers are

expected to keep rising.

Julie Breslin of the drug, alcohol & mental health charity,

We Are With You, said: “While it is hard to pin-point the

exact reasons behind the rise, front-line services have

seen how social isolation and the anxiety of living

through a pandemic, has led to an increase in

potentially harmful drinking.

“At the same time people are understandably concerned

about placing extra strain on health services at the

current time, with many struggling alone.”

That extends to another unwanted trend: the numbers seeking

help for alcohol addiction has fallen by 20 percent since 2014.

Experts agree that for a variety of factors, alcoholics in Britain

are becoming more hesitant to seek help. This has only been

exacerbated by the lockdown with some individuals

completely cut off from the outside world.

Breslin added: “We know that around 4 out of 5 dependent

drinkers aren’t accessing any kind of support. Sadly, these

statistics show the impact of what occurs when a majority

of people with an issue with alcohol, are not accessing

treatment or support, especially in a country with such

a heavy drinking culture as the UK.”

A breakdown of the numbers, proves that

lockdown is the main driver behind the rise.

The first quarter of 2020 was statistically similar to other

years, but the second and third quarters showed large

jumps - mirroring the beginning of lockdown in March.

The hardest hit group by age is those between 55-64 and

We Are With You has created a dedicated helpline, to try

to reach them.

“Many are unable to see their loved ones or friends, and are

drinking more as a way to cope with increased loneliness,

isolation and anxiety,” explained Breslin.

“Our research showed that at the end of last year more than

one in two over 50s were drinking at a level that could cause

health problems now or in the future, with nearly one in four

classed as high risk or possibly dependent.”

Healthcare workers are concerned that the advanced age of

most victims points to years of alcohol misuse. So this is a

problem that, even with intervention, may take many years

to curb.

Another way to categorise the data and one which

shows another strong pattern, is by location.

Compared to 2001, London and Scotland are the only

UK regions to have witnessed a drop in deaths.

All the other parts of the UK have seen an increase. However,

in the more affluent areas of the south east and south west

of England, the rise has been minimal. Conversely, the

northern regions of England have seen significant

rises, which reflects their lack of relative

economic prosperity.

Similarly, economically challenged Northern Ireland had already

suffered record deaths in 2019, showing a jump of 18 percent.

Professor Gilmore cautioned: “It is easy to forget how lax the

present regulation is for this psychoactive and addictive drug.

“In France, for example, there is a complete ban on broadcast

advertising and of sports sponsorship by alcohol producers,

and is it sensible for alcohol to be available 24/7, for example

at petrol stations?

“Most importantly of all, the government must set out an

alcohol strategy to tackle the alcohol harm crisis once

and for all. This strategy must be science-based and

introduce measures to support and transform the

lives of harmful drinkers, their families and

communities.”

One possible initiative is to introduce Minimum Unit Pricing

(MUP), which dictates the minimum price per unit of alcohol

and legally bars producers from selling at lower prices.

It makes all drinks less attractive to consumers, but stronger

spirits like vodka, whisky and gin will cost relatively more

than lower strength options such as beer or wine. The

difficulty though, much like smoking, is that alcohol

has inelastic demand, meaning price rises will

result in a less than proportionate effect

on demand.

Scotland became the first country in the world to introduce

MUP in May 2018, at a rate of 50 pence per unit. The nation

has the highest alcohol death rate of anywhere in the UK,

but it has been decreasing.

Alison Douglas, chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland,

said: “Scotland continues to experience considerably

higher levels of alcohol-specific deaths than England

and Wales. Every death from alcohol is preventable,

and we should not be seeing these high numbers.

“The evidence from the evaluation of MUP, so far, is

encouraging. It appears to be having the intended

effect on alcohol consumption, with a reduction of

4 to f5 percent in off-sales in Scotland, compared

to England and Wales, in the first year.

“It is particularly encouraging that it is poorer, heavier

drinkers – who are more likely to become ill or die due

to alcohol use – that have cut down most.

“Now it looks like we may be beginning to see this translate

into health benefits, with alcohol deaths having reduced by

over 10 percent in 2019.”

There are now calls for the Scottish government to increase

the rate above 50 pence, as it has been eroded by inflation.

Wales brought in MUP last year (also at 50 pence), and there

are plans to do it in Northern Ireland too, but England, is

currently abstaining.

While it may be time-consuming to introduce legislation to

tackle the current deaths spike, Professor Gilmore points

to a quicker solution: “There are steps the government

should take in the next few weeks that would start a

fightback against alcohol harm. The chancellor

needs to increase alcohol duty by two percent

above inflation, in the upcoming budget.

“Alcohol is now 74 percent cheaper than it was 30 years ago,

and its availability at low prices, is having a catastrophic

impact on our nation’s health.”

While most of the attention is directed at the increased death

toll, there are serious secondary effects. Alcohol misuse has

a devastating impact on home life, children and employment,

and can lead to families falling into poverty or suffering

mental health issues.

For example, men are six times more likely to commit

domestic abuse if they have problems with alcohol.

Leading calls to support families struggling, The National

Association for Children of Alcoholics said: “We must

remember that alcoholism is a family problem, rarely

isolated. Behind these statistics are mothers and

fathers whose children will have been living with

the chaos of an alcoholic household. They take

on caring roles and try to make everything okay

for mum or dad.

“There will be countless children right now who feel that

their parent’s untimely death was their fault. But with

greater accessible help and support for families, we

can help to break the cycle, find healthy ways to

cope with lockdown, and bring these

numbers down.”

Despite variations across ages and locations, there is no

doubt that alcohol is having a devastating effect on the

UK and killing too many. It is tattooed across daily life,

with millions of Brits correlating drinking with

enjoyment. Serious change has to happen

if the rising death toll is to be reversed.

Professor Gilmore warned: “Alcohol harm is not taken

seriously enough in the UK as drinking is so deeply

ingrained in our culture.

“We must not forget that alcohol is an addictive and

harmful substance that needs to be better regulated.

It is linked directly to around 200 health conditions

including seven forms of cancer, as well as heart

disease and strokes.

“We must, therefore, all start to take our health seriously,

create safe spaces for those who wish to talk about the

harmful effects of alcohol and carefully reassess our

own relationship with alcohol.

“The latest figures serve as a stark reminder of what

we risk when we do not take alcohol harm seriously.”

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_________________________

UK Covid-19 variant has mutated again

with some worrying new genetic

changes, scientists say

February 2nd (RT)

A UK scientist who advises the government has warned

of a “worrying” and “spontaneous” mutation of the

British Covid-19 variant which may impact the

efficacy of the vaccines currently in use.

“The mutation of most concern, which we call E484K,

has also occurred, spontaneously, in the new Kent

strain in parts of the country too,” Calum Semple,

a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for

Emergencies, told BBC radio on

Tuesday morning.

The new and perturbing E484K mutation had already

been reported in a technical briefing published by

Public Health England but had not been widely

noticed outside of scientific circles.

“A limited number of B.1.1.7 VOC (variant of concern)...

genomes with E484K mutation have been detected,”

said the summary of the briefing.

Dr. Julian Tang, a virologist at the University of Leicester,

said the mutation was worrying, but not unexpected.

“The acquisition [of the E484K mutation] may be due to a

recombination with one of the South African/Brazilian

variant viruses that may have co-infected the same

cell – as we see with different influenza viruses

– but this is rarer with coronaviruses,”

he explained.

The Kent strain, also widely referred to as the British variant,

has been proven to be more contagious, while this new

mutation may reduce the efficacy of the vaccines

currently being administered around the UK.

“If this E484K mutation is acquired by most of the UK B.1.1.7

variants – the recent reassurances from recent studies

showing that mRNA vaccines will still offer optimum

protection against the original UK variant – may
no longer apply,” Tang said.

The E484K mutation has already been seen in the South

African and Brazilian variants but while the mutation is

likely to affect vaccine effectiveness, it is unlikely to

make the current jab redundant.

Studies conducted on the South African variant show that

the mutation is capable of evading parts of the immune

response induced by natural infection or vaccination.

__________________________________

'Vaccine for All Mankind':

Lancet Article Validates

Sputnik V Efficacy at 91.6%

02.02.2021 (Sputnik)

This is the well-respected medical journal's second

publication about Sputnik V since September 2020.

It's dedicated to Stage 3 of the vaccine's
clinical trials.

Sputnik V is safe, efficient, and provides full protection

against severe cases of COVID-19 - this is the key

takeaway from a publication in The Lancet. It

took months of research for Russian

immunologists.... and for 19,866

volunteers to complete Phase III

of the clinical trials, which have

confirmed a 91.6% efficacy.

The other important finding is the immunogenicity of the

Russian jabs. The 14,964 volunteers, who received

actual shots of Sputnik V developed 1.3-1.5 times

more antibodies against the novel coronavirus

than those who recovered from COVID-19.

During the study, the remaining 4,902

participants received a placebo - as

was required by the rules of regular

large-scale clinical trials.

The trial included a group of volunteers aged 60 to 87,

showing impressive results for this particular age

strata. Surprisingly, Sputnik V's efficacy among

the elderly, was comparable to the 18-60 age

group (91.8%).

When it comes to safety, the Independent Data Monitoring

committee has confirmed 94% of all adverse effects were

mild. No serious adverse effects or allergies connected

with the product were detected, and most mild

complications were limited to flu-like

symptoms or headaches.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund - the country's

sovereign wealth fund - established to make equity

co-investments, primarily in Russia, alongside

international strategic and financial investors,

is currently tasked with ramping up Sputnik

V's production & international distribution.

RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev has hailed The Lancet
publication, saying "this is a great day in the
fight against the COVID-19 pandemic":

"The data published by The Lancet proves that not only

Sputnik V is the world's first registered vaccine, but

also one of the best. It fully protects against
severe COVID-19, according to data which
has been independently compiled, then
reviewed by peers and then published
in The Lancet.

''Sputnik V is one of only three vaccines in the world with

an efficacy of over 90% but outperforms them in terms

of safety, ease of transportation due to its storage
requirements of +2 to +8 degrees, and a more

affordable price. Sputnik V is a vaccine for

all mankind".

Globally, only 4 vaccine developers, including the

Gamaleya Institute, have published their Phase 3

clinical trial results, in leading peer-reviewed

medical journals. Sputnik V, is one of only

three vaccines in the world with a proven

efficacy of over 90%. Other vaccines
show lower efficacy rates, such as
62.1% for AstraZeneca, 50.4% for
Sinovac, & 79.3% for Sinopharm.

However, it beats the other vaccines with an efficacy of

over 90%, providing easier logistics, lower price, and a

longer lasting immune response achieved through so-

called "heterogeneous boosting", and the use of
two different vectors, in two separate shots

The RDIF has repeatedly said that Sputnik V is ready to

help increase the efficacy of other vaccines, with an

efficacy rate below 90%, by providing one of Sputnik

V's shots. It's already cooperating with AstraZeneca

to increase its efficacy from 62.1% to a higher level

by adding a Sputnik V shot to AstraZeneca.

'Easy to Produce and Convenient to Deploy'

With criticism of only several months ago gradually waning

in the face of solid data, many Western scientists have

also welcomed the new publication.

"The development of the Sputnik V vaccine has been

criticised for unseemly haste, corner cutting, and an

absence of transparency. But the outcome reported

here is clear & the scientific principle of vaccination

demonstrated, which means another vaccine can

now join the fight to reduce the incidence of

COVID-19", according to Dr Ian Jones from

the University of Reading and Dr Polly Roy

from the London School of Hygiene &

Tropical Medicine, who were not

involved in the peer review of

the article in The Lancet.

Research Director at France's National Institute of Health

and Medical research, Cecil Czerkinsky, emphasises

Sputnik V's definite advantages, when it comes to

logistics, as well as its formulation:- "The interim

results of the Phase 3 clinical trials of the Sputnik

V COVID adenovirus vector vaccine, are fairly

impressive. This vaccine appears to be highly

efficacious & immunogenic across age groups.

This is, clearly, good news ---- as this dual

formulation vaccine is comparatively easy

to manufacture - and to deploy - amid the

anticipated global shortage of vaccines

and logistical problems in vaccination

rollouts of temperature-sensitive

vaccines recently authorised

for emergency use".

In Argentina – a country that has already received a

shipment of the Russian vaccine and launched

a successful immunisation campaign, health

professionals praised the product's efficacy:

"The paper, published in The Lancet, confirms successful

results and provides additional information about the

efficacy and the safety of this vaccine in different

subgroups", says Omar Sued, the President of

Argentina's Society of Infectologists.

"From the public health point of view, the efficacy of the

vaccine was very high. The safety profile was very good.

The dissemination of this information is vital for

informing the scaling up and rollout of this

vaccine worldwide".

"Presently, the world needs all the good vaccines that it

can get against COVID-19", says David Livermore, a

Professor of Medical Microbiology at the UK's

University of East Anglia. "And these are

impressive results: Sputnik V is the first

adenovirus vector vaccine to achieve

the 90% efficacy seen with the two

mRNA vaccines".

In the meantime, as the number of people getting their

shots of vaccines against coronavirus grows, US

scientist, Hildegund C.J. Ertl, from the Wistar

Institute's Vaccine & Immunotherapy Centre,

highlights that Sputnik V "is 100% effective

in preventing serious disease or death ---

which, in the end, is the most crucial

parameter; we can all deal with the

sniffles, as long as we stay out of

the hospital or the graveyard".

"Even after a single dose, of this prime-boost regimen,

protection against disease was at 87.6%. Sputnik V is

thus, more effective than the AZ or J&J. Sputnik V,

which, unlike the equally efficacious RNA vaccines

of Pfizer and Moderna, can be stored in the fridge,

will be of tremendous value to combat the global

COVID19 pandemic".

Expanding Reach

Sputnik V was developed in May of 2020 by the Russian

Health Ministry's Gamaleya National Research Centre

for Epidemiology and Microbiology. The vaccine was

designed, using a well-known and reliable human

adenoviral platform, and it's also one of the least

expensive in the world, with a price of $10 per

shot. At the end of last year, the product

received approval for use in a full-scale

domestic vaccination campaign in

Russia that began in December

2020 and is completely free

for Russian citizens.

According to the RDIF, Sputnik V has been registered in

16 countries. It's expected that within the next few days

shots of the Russian vaccine will be administered to

people in:

Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Palestinian Authority,

UAE, Paraguay, Hungary, Armenia, Algeria, Bosnian

Serb Republic, Venezuela, and Iran.

More than 50 nations have requested 1.2 billion doses of

Sputnik V, with the RDIF's partners in India, Brazil, China,

South Korea, and other countries, preparing to produce

the vaccine for the global market.

______________________________

WHO warns pregnant women

NOT to take Moderna

Covid-19 vaccine

January 26th (RT)

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued new

guidance on the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine, including

worrying advice that pregnant women should not get

the jab unless they are at high risk of exposure.

The WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on

Immunization issued a series of recommendations on the

Moderna vaccine Tuesday, advising that pregnant women

should not take the shot, unless they are health workers

or at particularly high risk of exposure.

“While pregnancy puts women at a higher risk of severe

COVID-19, the use of this vaccine in pregnant women is

currently not recommended,” SAGE wrote.

WHO director of immunisation Kate O'Brien said that clinical trials

of the Moderna vaccine were needed on pregnant women.

The report also stressed that the vaccine should be administered

in two doses with an interval of 28 days between each shot, with

the possibility of extending this interval up to 42 days,

if necessary.

The SAGE report also emphasised the need for the vaccine to be

administered in facilities where treatments for allergic reactions

are readily available. The group of experts issued guidance on

the rival Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine several weeks ago.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US and the

Independent Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices said

that there was insufficient evidence to suggest the Moderna and

Pfizer vaccines were suitable or not for pregnant women, as

neither contains the virus itself and they therefore cannot

cause Covid-19 but insufficient data was available to

make a call.

The latest guidance from Public Health England supports this

position, stating that, “The early Covid-19 vaccines do not

contain organisms that can multiply in the body, so they

cannot infect an unborn baby in the womb.”

____________________________________

People in English-Speaking Countries,

Scandinavia, Get Drunk Most Often,

Global Survey Finds

25.01.2021 (Sputnik)

The 2020 edition of the Global Drug Survey has found that

residents in English-speaking countries and Northern

Europe drink to intoxication more often than in any

other region of the world.

"Based on data from > 90,000 people who drink, respondents

to GDS from predominately English-speaking countries and

Scandinavia, get drunk more times per year than in any

other country," the report's executive summary read.

The survey defined drunkenness as “having drunk so much

that your physical and mental faculties are impaired to the

point where your balance / speech was affected, you
were unable to focus clearly on things and that
your conversation and behaviours were
very obviously different to people
who know you.”

UK residents top the list with 34 episodes of intoxication

per year, or almost every 10 days. Next come Australia

and Denmark with 32 episodes, and Finland with

28 episodes.

The least frequent drunk drinkers reside in South America

— people in Argentina and Colombia get intoxicated fewer

than seven times per year, according to the findings.

The global average is 21 episodes of intoxication per year.

Men aged 25 and younger get drunk most frequently (28

times per year), while women aged 25 and older, get

drunk the rarest (12 times per year). Regrets about

excessive consumption are common among
33% of respondents, the poll found.

One in 30 women younger than 25 seeks emergency medical

treatment from intoxication, which is almost three times
more than among men and women aged 25 and older.

The survey was conducted in 25 countries from November 7th
to December 30th 2019 --- before the COVID-19 pandemic.

______________________________________________

Israel’s Coronavirus Chief Says

1st Dose of Pfizer’s Vaccine
Less Effective Than
Company Presented

by Arty Katkov

24.01.2021 (Sputnik)

Over two million Israelis have already had their first

Pfizer shot, while over 400,000 have had the second.

Israel’s coronavirus commissioner has criticized the

Pfizer vaccine and warned that it may not protect

against new strains of the virus.

During talks among Health Ministry officials ahead of

Tuesday’s cabinet meeting on the issue of nationwide

lockdown, Dr. Nachman Ash said that the protective

effect of the first dose of the vaccine is “lower than

Pfizer presented”, Army Radio reported.

Pfizer has previously claimed that trials of the vaccine it

produced with BioNTech show it is roughly 52% effective

around 12 days after the first shot is administered and

becomes about 95% effective ''a number of days'' after

the second dose.

The Israeli government signed a deal with Pfizer and

BioNTech in November for 8 million doses of their

COVID-19 vaccine. Israeli Health Minister Yuli

Edelstein has ordered healthcare workers to

prepare to administer up to 250,000 daily

injections in the coming days.

At the same time, there were some issues reported during

the mass vaccination in Israel. Last week, media reported

citing health ministry officials, that at least 13 Israelis have

suffered mild facial paralysis as a side effect after getting

the Pfizer vaccine. The report said, however, that the

country's health ministry recommended the patients

should go ahead with the second sot of the vaccine,

but only if the paralysis passes.

Earlier, some 240 Israelis have been diagnosed with

the coronavirus, days after being vaccinated.

Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus cases in Israel

topped 10,000 on Tuesday morning - an all-time high

since the pandemic began - despite lockdown

measures and vaccination efforts.

_______________________________

Senior Doctors Attack UK Decision

to Make People Wait 12 Weeks for

Second Dose of COVID Vaccine

January 23rd (FNA)

Senior doctors criticized the decision to make people wait

12 weeks for a second dose of the Pfizer vaccine in the

UK, calling for the wait to be halved.

The UK is the only country to have introduced such a

long gap, flouting a World Health Organisation (WHO)

recommendation, the British Medical Association

(BMA) announced, The Independent reported.

“What we're saying is that the UK should adopt this best

practice based on international professional opinion,”

Dr. Chaand Nagpaul, its council chairman, said,

adding, “If the vaccine's efficacy is reduced....

then, of course, the risk is, that we will see

those who are exposed maximally to

the virus, may get infected.”

It emerged on Friday that the Sage advisory group
had raised a possible risk of triggering a “vaccine-

resistant mutation”, by delaying second doses.

However, both the chief medical officer and the chief

scientific adviser, have backed the decision to rip up

the original promise of a second Pfizer dose, after

just three weeks.

Chris Whitty, the medical officer, stated it was a "public

health decision" that would allow "many more people

to be vaccinated much more quickly".

And Patrick Vallance, the scientific adviser, told the

Downing Street press conference, “The most risky

thing in terms of new mutations is to have very

high prevalence.”

But the WHO recommended a gap of 4 weeks

between doses --- to be extended, only in

exceptional circumstances, to 6 weeks.

Pfizer has announced it has tested the level of protection

given by its vaccine, only when the two doses are given

up to 21 days apart.

Nagpaul said he understood the “rationale” behind the

decision to delay the second dose to 12 weeks, but

argued it was “difficult to justify”.

“Most nations in the world are facing challenges similar

to the UK in having limited vaccine supply and also

wanting to protect their population maximally,”

he told BBC Breakfast time show.

“No other nation has adopted the UK's approach. We think

the flexibility the WHO offers, of extending to 42 days,

is being stretched far too much to go from 6 weeks

right through to 12 weeks," Nagpaul continued,

adding, “I do understand the trade-off and the

rationale but if that was the right thing to
do, then we would see other nations

following suit.”

There is no similar concern over the 12-week wait for
a second dose of the Oxford-Astra-Zeneca vaccine,

which is being made in the UK.

Its trials provided greater confidence that the first dose

can continue to provide protection for at least a few

months before the booster shot.

The researchers found it delivered 64.1 percent protection,

compared with 70.4 percent after two full doses and – in a

baffling result – 90 percent in people who received one

half dose, followed by one full dose.

_____________________________

Hacked emails allegedly detail

how EU drug regulator was

pressured to approve Pfizer

jab despite ‘problems’

January 18th (RT)

An alleged cache of email exchanges between EU officials

and the European Medicines Agency show that the drug

regulator was uncomfortable about fast-tracking

approval for the Pfizer and Moderna Covid jabs,

Le Monde has reported.

The EMA has claimed that the contents of the messages,

which were obtained by hackers and published on the

dark web, were tampered with in order to undermine

confidence in the drugs, without providing further

details. However, the agency acknowledged to the

French newspaper that the correspondences

reflect “issues and discussions” that took

place in the lead-up to the decision to

grant approval to the vaccines. The

agency said it can’t specify which

documents are genuine.

Some of the “discussions” appear to have been less than

congenial. For example, in a document dated November

19th, a senior EMA official described a “rather tense,

sometimes even a little unpleasant” conference

call with the European Commission regarding

the review process for the drugs. The official

said he felt there was a clear “expectation”

that the vaccines would be approved. A

day later, the same individual had an

exchange with the Danish Medicines

Agency --- in which he expressed his

surprise that Ursula von der Leyen,

the president of the European

Commission, had announced

that the Moderna and Pfizer

jabs could receive the green

light before the end of

the year.

“There are still problems with both,” the unnamed

EMA official noted in the leaked correspondence.

According to Le Monde, the hacked documents primarily

detail issues that the EMA had with the Pfizer/BioNTech

drug. The regulator apparently had three “major issues”

with the vaccine: certain manufacturing sites used for

its production had not yet been inspected, data on

batches produced for commercial use were still

missing, and, most importantly, available data

revealed qualitative differences between the

commercial batches and those used during

clinical trials.

The EMA expressed particular concern about the last point,

noting that mass production had decreased the purity of

the RNA contained in the vaccine. The Pfizer jab uses a

mRNA strand, a sequence of molecules that tell cells

what to ‘build’ in order to produce a disease-

specific antigen.

The EU drug regulator signaled that it was worried that less

rigorous manufacturing methods would make the vaccine

less effective and safe. However, Pfizer appears to have

agreed to make the necessary adjustments, in order to

meet the EMA’s standards.

Despite its hesitancy, it appears the EMA understood that it

was under a clear deadline. In an email exchange between

colleagues at the agency, one employee said the EMA needs

to “accelerate the process to align [with other agencies],”

and risks facing “questions and criticisms” from Brussels,

the media - and the general public - if it did not fast-track

approval.

The Pfizer jab was granted approval by the EU on December

21, while the Moderna variant was given the go-ahead earlier

this month. Since then, numerous reports have emerged of

both drugs being linked to adverse effects in countries

around the world, prompting investigations by health

authorities.

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_______________________________

Woman who suffered convulsions

after taking Pfizer Covid jab being

screened for permanent neuro-

logical damage, son tells RT

January 18th (RT)

After a video of his mother’s condition went viral, the

son of a woman who was hospitalized after receiving

Pfizer’s Covid jab told RT that, even though he was

not an anti-vaxxer, he had serious doubts about

the drug’s safety.

Brant Griner issued an appeal on Facebook last week,

after his mother began experiencing serious medical

issues... several days after taking the vaccine. In a
now-viral post, Griner shared a video of his mother

shaking uncontrollably, as she attempted to walk,
using nearby walls and a door to support herself
as she inched forward.

“Mom is getting even worse today and I still don’t have

any answers from doctors as to how to fix this. Please

pray for her. I can’t stand to see my mom this way. It

makes me want to cry. knowing I can’t do anything

to help her. Please don’t take the covid19 vaccine,”

he wrote.

The message and accompanying video has been

shared nearly 160,000 times, and has racked up

more than 35,000 comments.

Some replies questioned the truthfulness of Griner’s story,

but he told RT, in an interview, that there was nothing

fictitious about what had happened to his mother.

He stressed that she had been eager to take the

vaccine because she had wanted to do every-

thing she could, to lessen the chance of

spreading the virus to her own elderly

parents. Griner declined to disclose at

which hospital his mother received the

vaccine, explaining that he didn’t want

the facility to become the target of an

online harassment campaign.

“I’m not in any way shape or form an anti-vaxx person.

My mom wasn’t – she was all for the vaccine before

this happened,” he said.

Griner described his mother as a “very healthy” 45-year

-old who had never before suffered from any kind of

serious disease or health condition. According to

the Louisiana resident, she woke up with a

headache a day after receiving the shot.

Several days later, she began suffering

from “seizure-like movements” in her

left leg. By the fourth day, she had

“no control” over her legs, & was

rushed to the emergency room.

The hospital determined that she was experiencing a

“neurological reaction,” he said, adding that doctors

believe the medical condition was caused by “the

metals in the vaccine.”

Although the headaches have been a daily occurrence,

the convulsions have been sporadic, Griner explained.

Sunday was the first day she had not experienced a

headache, and her uncontrollable leg movements

also seemed to be less severe, he said.

Now discharged from the hospital, Griner’s mother is

undergoing tests and her doctors are hopeful that

she will make a full recovery, provided there is

no permanent brain damage.

Although he has been smeared, by some, as peddling

disinformation, Griner insists he initially had nothing

against the jab. “I wanted it to be good. My mom

wanted it to be good. That’s the reason she got

it. Everybody wants their immunity. Everybody’s

ready for Covid to go away,” he said. Now,

however, he seems less sure about

being inoculated himself.

If it’s going to cause reactions like what it

caused to my mom, it’s not worth it to me.

Since posting the video of his mother, Griner says he

has received messages from “hundreds” of people

sharing their stories, about vaccines triggering

serious medical episodes. One woman who

contacted him said she was experiencing

“continuous” health issues, after

receiving the Moderna
Covid shot.

In a follow-up video posted by Griner on Saturday, his

mother explained that she opted to have the jab to

“protect her parents” and that, so far, MRI scans

and blood tests have not revealed any

underlying condition that might have

prompted the adverse reaction.

“Before you take this vaccine, please think. It has

definitely changed my life,” she said in the video,

as she held back tears.

Pfizer said in a statement to RT that it was “researching”

the case, but has so far been unable to “confirm” it.

“Neuromuscular disorders have not been a safety

signal identified to date,” a representative of the

pharmaceutical firm said.

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______________________________

Second Dose in Doubt After
Pfizer Vaccine Reportedly

Leaves Dozen of Israelis

With Facial Paralysis

17.01.2021 (Sputnik)

At least 13 Israelis have suffered mild facial paralysis

as a side effect, after getting the Pfizer vaccine,
media reported, citing health ministry officials.

According to Israeli news site Ynet, doctors estimate

that the number of similar cases could be higher

and are questioning if they should administer

the second dose of the vaccine to those

who suffered facial paralysis.

However, the country's health ministry recommends

they should go ahead, but only if the paralysis

passes, the report says.

The Israeli government signed a deal with Pfizer and

BioNTech in November for 8 million doses of their

COVID-19 vaccine. More than 20% of Israel's 9

million citizens has so far received the first

vaccine dose since the rollout began. At

least two elderly people with chronic

underlying conditions died after

being inoculated.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, the Epoch Times reported -- citing

the data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System

(VAERS) -- that 55 people in the United States have died

after receiving Moderna or Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines.

In some cases, patients passed away, just hours

after being injected.

The media outlet reported around 96 life-threatening cases
following COVID-19 vaccinations, as well as 24 permanent

disabilities, 225 hospitalisations, and 1,388 emergency

room visits, in the US.

_____________________________________

Belgian Resident Dies 5 Days

After Receiving Pfizer

COVID-19 Vaccine

15.01.2021 (Sputnik)

A resident of Belgium has died five days after receiving
Pfizer/BioNTech's vaccine against COVID-19, the

Federal Agency for Medicines and Health

Products (FAMHP) said in a statement,

adding that an investigation has

been launched.

"On 14 January 2021 … the FAMHP was informed of the

death of an 82-year-old with health problems, five days

after vaccination. The case will be further investigated

to determine whether there is a causal link between

vaccination and the individual's death", the agency

said in a statement on Thursday.

An investigation is also ongoing in Norway after 23 people

died after being inoculated with Pfizer/BioNTech's vaccine

against the disease, the Norwegian Medicines Agency

said, on Thursday.

Several European countries, including the Netherlands and

Bulgaria, have reported instances of individuals suffering

adverse side effects, such as swelling around the eyes

and rashes, after receiving Pfizer/BioNTech's vaccine

against the coronavirus disease.

European Union member states launched their mass

vaccination campaign, using the US-German vaccine,

in late December.

________________________________

About 100 people
Report Side effects After Pfizer
Vaccine Shots in Netherlands,
Reports Suggest

15.01.2021 (Sputnik)

About 100 people in the Netherlands reported developing

side effects after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine developed

by Pfizer/BioNTech, the NOS broadcaster reported on

Friday, citing pharmacovigilance centre Lareb.

Lareb director Agnes Kant told NOS that severe allergic

reactions to the Pfizer shot were identified in two cases

in the Netherlands.

"These people had symptoms such as rashes and swelling

around the eyes. They received treatment and recovered

quickly," Kant said.

The health expert added that other cases of side effects are

more usual for the post-vaccination period and include

headache, fatigue and pain at the injection spot.

According to Kant, such side effects are logical

consequences of the vaccination, as shots

activate the immune system.

"We thought that 20 to 25 reports [of side effects] would occur

for every 10,000 vaccinations, so this is in line with our

assumptions. But not all cases of side effects are

reported to us," Kant added.

The Netherlands launched its vaccination campaign on

January 6th, with medical workers being the priority

group to receive the vaccine. According to the

latest data, approximately 47,000 people

have received the shots.

A number of counties have shared data on the side effects

of Pfizer’s vaccine. The Norwegian Medicines Agency said

on Thursday that specialists are investigating the deaths

of 23 people, who died after being vaccinated with the

Pfizer vaccine.

Moreover, the Israeli Health Ministry said in late December

that one in 1,000 vaccinated Israelis developed mild side

effects from the vaccine --- while Bulgaria reported four

side effect cases, after inoculating nearly 5,000 people.

_____________________________

Norway Links 13 Deaths to

Pfizer Vaccine’s Side Effects

January 15th (Sputnik)

4 days before New Year’s Eve, inoculation with

the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine began in Norway.

Since Svein Andersen (67) at Ellingsrudhjemmet

elderly home became the first Norwegian to take

the jab, over 33,000 Norwegians have received

the vaccine in the subsequent weeks.

It was announced in advance that the vaccine may

cause side effects of varying severity, and now the

Norwegian Medicines Agency has mapped which

ones have occurred in the country. A total of 29

side effects were reported, yet with an

alarming share of deaths.

“Of these, there are 13 deaths, nine serious side effects

and seven less serious side effects”, medical director

of the Norwegian Medicines Agency Steinar Madsen

told national broadcaster NRK.

A total of 23 deaths have been reported by the Norwegian

Medicines Agency, in connection with the vaccination.

However, only 13 of these have been assessed so far.

All surveyed deaths have occurred among frail, elderly

patients in nursing homes. All of the dead are over 80

years old and some of them are even over 90.

“It seems that some of these patients get such severe side

effects in the form of fever and malaise, that it can lead to

a very serious illness even a more serious one, which

may lead to death”, Madsen said.

At the same time, Madsen emphasised that these cases

are rare and that many thousands of frail people have

been vaccinated, without a fatal outcome. “Frail”

means patients with advanced heart conditions,

dementia, chronic obstructive pulmonary

disease and other serious diseases.

Madsen said his authority is not worried about

the extent of side effects confirmed so far.

“We are not alarmed by this. It is quite clear that these

vaccines have very little risk, with a small exception

for the most frail patients”, Madsen said.

The nine patients who have had serious side effects

complained of allergic reactions, strong malaise

and severe fever. The seven less serious side

effects included severe pain at the

injection site.

Still, the Norwegian Medicines Agency cautioned

the authorities to carefully consider the order

of vaccination.

“Doctors must now carefully consider who should be

vaccinated. Those who are very frail and at the very

end of life, can be vaccinated after an individual

assessment”, Madsen said.

This is in line with the recommendations released by the

Norwegian Institute of Public Health, earlier this week.

Previously, six people died during the Pfizer/BioNTech

vaccine trials, but only two of them were actually

given the vaccine. The other four were given a

safe placebo solution of salt and water.

As of today, Pfizer and Pfizer and the Centres for Disease

Control and Prevention (CDC) are looking into the death

of a doctor who died after taking the jab. The 56-year-

old doctor at Miami’s Mount Sinai Medical Centre

died 16 days after receiving the vaccine,

developing a rare blood disorder.

Norway has seen over 57,000 cases

of Covid-19 and over 500 deaths.

______________________________

UK nurse catches COVID-19

three weeks after getting

Pfizer vaccine

January 10th (Press TV)

A British nurse has caught COVID-19 three weeks

after getting the vaccine, prompting experts to

issue warnings that it would take time for

immunity to build up.

The nurse, who has been working for the Hywel Dda

University Health Board area in west Wales, said that

she got the virus while waiting for the second dose

of the Pfizer-BioNtech jab, which was first rolled

out in the UK last month.

She said she was “angry and heartbroken”

about catching the fatal disease at this stage.

"It gave me peace of mind. It made me feel safer and

that I was doing the right thing for my family... but it

gives a false sense of security," she said.

The nurse, who asked not to be identified, said she

was told it would take 10 days for the vaccine to

offer some protection, however, she started

feeling unwell three weeks later.

She said she had "quite severe symptoms" of a bad

cough, high temperature and breathlessness, and

that she was shocked when she tested positive.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Executive of Hywel Dda

health board, Dr Philip Kloer, said that, although

a COVID vaccine “reduces your chance of

suffering” from the virus, no vaccine is

ever 100% effectual.

On Friday, the Welsh First Minister warned people

receiving the vaccine to “continue to act in a

precautionary way.”

Professor Tim Spector, who heads up the ZOE Symptom

Tracker App study, has also said that some junior NHS

staff members have contracted the virus after getting

the shot.

"We are getting reports of reinfections, some soon after

vaccination, "I'm a junior doctor and have had Covid

twice: the last one five days post vaccination..."',
he wrote on Twitter.

"Remember vaccinations take several weeks to have

a preventive effect so keep alert and keep logging!"

This comes after a 56-year-old American doctor in South Florida

died two weeks after getting a first dose of a Pfizer vaccine.

Two weeks after getting a first dose of a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine,

a 56-year-old American doctor in South Florida has died, the US

media have reported.

Dr. Gregory Michael, a Miami-Beach obstetrician, was in good

health, the Sun-Sentinel reported. He received his first dose

of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on December 18 at Mount

Sinai Medical Center.

However, small spots began to appear on his feet and hands

after three days and he went to the emergency room at

Mount Sinai, where he had worked in private practice

for 15 years.

Michael’s blood count was far below normal ranges, and he

was admitted to the intensive care unit. Doctors tried for

two weeks but could not raise his platelet count.

The doctor was “conscious and energetic” through the

process, but just days before a last resort surgery, he

suffered a stroke and died.

Health officials from Florida and the Centers from Disease

Control and Prevention (CDC) are investigating whether

the vaccine played a role in his death, which possibly

is the country's first death linked to the vaccine.

Also, a California nurse tested positive for the coronavirus

more than a week after receiving Pfizer vaccine.

Matthew W., 45, who works at two different local hospitals,

said in a Facebook post on December 18 that he had

received the vaccine.

He told the ABC News affiliate that except for his arm, that

was sore for a day, he had suffered no other side-effects.

However, six days later on Christmas Eve, he got sick after

working a shift in the COVID-19 unit. He got the chills and

later came down with muscle aches and fatigue.

He then went for a test, to find that he was infected

with the COVID-19 virus, the day after Christmas.

________________________________________

Killer vaccine? 'Healthy' South Florida

doctor died 2 weeks after receiving

COVID-19 vaccine

January 8th, (Press Tv)

A 56-year-old doctor passed away this week, two weeks

after getting his first dose of a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine,

the Sun-Sentinel reported.

Two weeks after getting a first dose of a Pfizer COVID-19

vaccine, a 56-year-old American doctor in South Florida

has died, the US media have reported.

Dr. Gregory Michael, a Miami-Beach obstetrician, was in

good health, the Sun-Sentinel reported.

Health officials from Florida and the Centers from Disease

Control and Prevention (CDC) are investigating whether

the vaccine played a role in his death, which possibly

is the country's first death linked to the vaccine.

The doctor received his first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech

vaccine on December 18 at Mount Sinai Medical Center,

according to his wife, Heidi Neckelmann.

Small spots began to appear on his feet and hands after

three days and he went to the emergency room at Mount

Sinai, where he has worked in private practice for 15

years, according to reports.

According to his wife, Michael’s blood count was far

below normal ranges, and he was admitted to the

intensive care unit.

Doctors tried for two weeks but could not raise Michael’s

platelet count. “Experts from all over the country were

involved in his care,” she wrote. “No matter what

they did, the platelets count refused to go up.”

Michael was “conscious and energetic” through the process,

but just days before a last resort surgery, he suffered a

stroke and died.

Michael's wife said that he spent the pandemic delivering

hundreds of babies and was a COVID-19 vaccine advocate.

Iran cancels import of US' Pfizer COVID-19

vaccines after Leader bans it

The Iranian Red Crescent Society announced the news in

the wake of a national address by Ayatollah Khamenei.

On Friday, the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) said the

import of American Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines had been

cancelled after Leader of the Islamic Revolution

Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei banned the

purchase of coronavirus vaccines

produced by the US & UK.

“The import of 150,000 doses of the coronavirus vaccine

[developed by] Pfizer Inc from the United States to the

country by the Iranian Red Crescent Society is

cancelled,” the IRCS spokesman Mohammad

Hassan Qosian Moqaddam told IRNA

on Friday.

US COVID-19 vaccines more dangerous

than the virus: Professor

US COVID-19 vaccines are more dangerous than the virus

itself, because they have not been tested properly, says

E Michael Jones, an American writer and former professor.

In an interview with Press TV, Professor Jones said, “The

people in America, right now, are afraid of the vaccines.

_____________________________________________

Investigation launched as 2 people die

in Norway nursing home... days after

receiving Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine

5th of January, 2021 at 8:45pm (RT)

The Norwegian Medicines Agency has announced that

two nursing home residents passed away, days after

receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine,

and that an investigation has been launched

into the deaths.

“We have to assess whether the vaccine is the cause of

death, or if it is a coincidence that it happened soon

after vaccination,” Medical Director Steiner

Madsen said, in a statement about

the deaths.

He also noted that, because people of advanced age are

receiving the vaccine first, it is entirely possible the

deaths could be coincidental. Around 400 people

die every week in Norwegian nursing homes.

The agency, along with the National Institute

of Public Health, are looking into the deaths.

Reported side effects from the vaccine have been minor

and temporary, although there have been reports of

allergic reactions in the US and UK among people

who had a history of such.

Numerous government officials have received the

Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, including US Vice

President Mike Pence. Vaccinations with

the drug began in Norway on

December 27th.

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_________________________________

Family of Mexican Doctor Paralysed

After Pfizer Shot Calls for Additional

Vaccine Studies

05.01.2021 (Sputnik)

Carlos Palestino, the brother-in-law of Mexican doctor

Karla Cecilia Perez, paralysed hours after receiving

Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, has told Sputnik

that the vaccine should be exposed to additional

testing to find out whether it can cause such

severe side effects.

The Mexican Health Ministry said that it started the research

on the incident, saying that Perez had been diagnosed with

encephalomyelitis (inflammation of the brain and spinal

cord). Before the inoculation, Perez experienced an

allergic reaction to antibiotics called trimethoprim

and sulfamethoxazole that can cause similar

severe adverse reactions.

"We are not insisting that it was caused by the vaccine...

However, it is necessary to clarify whether it is connected

to the inoculation with the vaccine. We are not arguing

that it was the reason. There should be a research to

confirm it", Palestino said.

Perez's brother-in-law stressed that the doctor's relatives

had decided to draw the attention of the media to the

incident, not to discourage people from vaccination,

but to make sure that Perez would be cured

adequately and this case would be studied

to prevent further incidents.

"The main goal is to care for the health of my sister-in-law,

to make sure that she will have no complications. Since it

is a new case, no one is able to determine its nature.

That's why it's necessary to disseminate [information]",

Palestino said, adding that Perez's relatives did not

support "the anti-vaccination movement" and did

not have "any political or economic interest" in

boosting publicity around the case.

On 30 December Perez was paralysed several hours after

being inoculated with the COVID-19 vaccine developed

by US-based Pfizer and German BioNTech

pharmaceutical companies.

Earlier that month, the US Centres for Disease Control and

Prevention reported on 4 cases of partial facial paralysis

experienced by the recipients of the Pfizer vaccine.

__________________________________

'Alarming' number of US

health care workers, are

refusing COVID-19 vaccine

by Kenneth Garger

(New York Times)

US health care workers are first in line to receive

the COVID-19 vaccine - but an alarming number

across the country are refusing to do so.

Earlier this week, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine disclosed

that about 60 percent of the nursing home workers

in his state have so far chosen not to get vaccinated.

More than half of New York City’s EMS workers have

shown skepticism, The Post reported last month.

And now California and Texas are experiencing

a high rate of health care worker refusals,

according to reports.

An estimated 50 percent of front-line workers in Riverside

County in the Golden State opted against the drug, the

Los Angeles Times reported, citing public

health officials.

More than half of the hospital workers at California’s St.

Elizabeth Community Hospital who were eligible to

receive the vaccine, did not, the newspaper.

And in the Lone Star State, a doctor at Houston Memorial

Medical Center told NPR earlier this month, that half the

nurses in the facility would not get the vaccine, citing

political reasons.

The excuse shared by the Texas nurses was echoed in a

recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey that found 29%

of health workers were “vaccine hesitant,” the

Times reported.

Majority of Ohio nursing home workers

not taking COVID-19 vaccine

Survey respondents leaning against taking the vaccine

said, among other reasons, that they were concerned

how politics influenced the development of the

vaccine, the newspaper reported.

A nurse at a California hospital, who chose to not take

the vaccine, because she is pregnant, said her co-

workers who chose the same path as she,
believe that they don’t need the vaccine
to make it through the pandemic.

“I feel people think, ‘I can still make it until this ends,

without getting the vaccine,’” April Lu, a 31-year-old

nurse at Providence Holy Cross Medical Centre,

told the Times.

A high percentage of vaccine refusal among not just

health care workers, but the general population,

could be problematic, Harvard epidemiologist

Marc Lipsitch told the newspaper.

“Our ability as a society to get back to a higher level

of functioning depends on having as many people

protected as possible,” said Lipsitch.

_______________________________

Boston doctor says he almost had to be

INTUBATED after suffering severe allergic

reaction from Moderna Covid vaccine

26th of December, 2020 (RT)

A physician in Boston said he suffered one of the worst allergic

reactions he’s ever experienced after receiving Moderna’s

Covid-19 jab, following a string of similar cases resulting

from Pfizer’s vaccine.

Dr. Hossein Sadrzadeh, a hematology oncology fellow at Boston

Medical Center, was given the drug on Christmas Eve. The health

care worker, who has a severe shellfish allergy, said his heart

began to race after taking the vaccine. Initially, he thought his

increased heart rate was due to anxiety he had about the jab,

stemming from reports of serious medical episodes

occurring after people with allergies were injected

with Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine.

However, he soon realized that he was suffering from something

far more dangerous. Within minutes, Sadrzadeh’s tongue and

throat began to tingle and go numb, a reaction that he

associated with his shellfish allergy. Even more

concerning, his blood pressure then dipped

so low that it wasn’t even detectable with

a monitor.

Luckily, the doctor had brought his own EpiPen, which he

administered on himself before hospital staff rushed him

to the emergency room. He was given several medications,

including steroids and Benadryl. A record of his hospital

visit stated that he was admitted to the ER for “shortness

of breath, dizziness, palpitations and numbness after

receiving the Covid-19 vaccine.”

By Friday morning, he said that he was feeling normal. But

the doctor seemed to suggest that the episode could have

been far more harrowing had he not come prepared for

the worst.

“I feel that if I did not have my EpiPen with me, I would be

intubated right now, because it was that severe,” he said,

adding that it was the worst allergic reaction he had

experienced since he was 11 years old.

The physician said he now recommends that people with

allergies receive the vaccine in a hospital setting, instead

of getting it from a clinic or local provider.

“I knew the symptoms. I had the experience. I was a physician,

and I was scared to death. Imagine someone who does not

have the information,” he noted. Sadrzadeh has offered

Moderna a blood sample in an effort to help the firm

identify what ingredient in the vaccine may have

triggered the allergic reaction.

“I really don’t want anybody to go and experience

this and go through this event that I had,” he said.

The concerning case is the first of its kind to be linked to the

Moderna jab. Officials with the Food and Drug Administration

and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are

investigating at least six cases of severe allergic

reactions occurring in people who took the

Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. However, it is still

being determined whether an ingredient

in the vaccine is responsible for the

health episodes.

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No Sputnik V for you!
EU insists only ‘approved’

Covid vaccines allowed
--- after Orban says

Hungary is in talks
with Russia & China

October 31st, 2020 (RT news agency)

EU member states will be allowed to use only official

EU-approved Covid-19 vaccines, Brussels said --- in

response to remarks by Hungarian Prime Minister

Viktor Orban that Budapest was negotiating for

shots with Russia and China.

“There is no question that any vaccine that is, or could

be, made available on the territory of the European

Union would have to comply both with the quality

standards that are expected for these types of

products in the EU and follow the approval

procedures” currently in effect, European

Commission spokesman Eric Mamer said

at a press conference on Friday, asked

about Orban’s comments.

While not calling out Orban by name, Mamer’s comments

came after the Hungarian PM said Budapest was talking
to Beijing and Moscow and hoping to have two or three

different vaccines by early next year.

The first shipment of vaccines should arrive in December

or January, and Hungary will be able to “declare victory

over the pandemic” by next spring, Orban said on

Friday in a radio interview.

It appears that Brussels will not allow Hungary to do so,

however, as the bloc has signed agreements with

AstraZeneca, Sanofi-GSK, and Johnson and

Johnson for “safe and effective vaccines”

against the coronavirus, once they

complete the clinical trials.

“We are not in negotiations with either Russian or Chinese

companies,” Mamer added. “That is the European vaccine

strategy. All member states have signed up to this process.”

Johnson & Johnson had paused its trials in mid-October,

citing an “unexplained illness” in one of the participants.

AstraZeneca had also halted their trials over a UK

volunteer experiencing complications, but

restarted them, even after a Brazilian

volunteer died on October 20th.

Russia was the first in the world to register a coronavirus

vaccine. Dubbed ‘Sputnik V’, it is based on the adenoviral

vector platform previously studied and considered safe,

and is currently undergoing phase-three trials. Moscow

has applied for the World Health Organization’s (WHO)

Emergency Use Listing program, which would allow

accelerated approval of the vaccine for use.

Brussels and Washington have objected to the Russian

vaccine, ostensibly on the grounds of safety. The US

also appears to have leaned on governments to

pressure them away from ‘Sputnik V’. On

October 16th, the US embassy in Kiev

announced that Ukraine “will NOT

be buying Russia’s [Covid-19]

vaccine, which has not

passed clinical trials

for safety!”

Meanwhile, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has

expressed his distrust of Western pharmaceutical

companies, accusing them of being “all about

profit.” Duterte said he would seek a deal to

buy the vaccine from China or Russia ---

which Manila was prepared to pay for.

Some 2,000 doses of the Russian vaccine were sent to

Venezuela in early October, after the authorities in

Caracas asked for help due to US & EU sanctions

ravaging the country’s healthcare system.

The virus, which was first detected in China in December

2019, quickly spread around the world, with the WHO

declaring a pandemic in March. Almost 45.5 million

people have been infected so far, with 1.18 million

deaths attributed to the virus. Much of Europe

and the US have locked down in an effort to

slow the spread, with disastrous economic

consequences.

The EU’s Mamer did acknowledge that “at some point”

vaccines produced outside the bloc “may” be

considered for distribution, but declined

to elaborate.

ALSO ON RT.COM

Are Western attacks on the Russian Covid-19

vaccine a corporate cold war against humanity?

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_____________________________________

Maduro says Venezuelan scientists
developed medicine that ‘cancels
100% of Covid-19’ --- with no
side-effects

October 26th, 2020 (Source - RT)

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says his country has

designed “a highly effective antiviral”, which decimates

coronavirus --- without any side effects. The drug will

be presented to the WHO for certification, he added.

"I want to say that Venezuela has developed a medicine

that annihilates 100% of the coronavirus," Maduro said

on Sunday, describing it as a “highly effective antiviral.”

It was designed by the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific

Research (IVIC), which has been working on a cure for

the virus for the past six months, he noted.

The medicine is based on a molecule called TR-10,

which was isolated and, when pitted against the

virus, proved its absolute effectiveness,

he claimed.

Maduro said the study has already been reviewed by

experts and scientists, and will be presented to the

World Health Organization (WHO) so that it can

certify its findings.

As he touted the potential breakthrough in Covid-19 therapy,

Maduro said Venezuela looks forward “to offering this

treatment to the world,” congratulating the IVIC on

“this great contribution to humanity.” Mass

production of the drug will be facilitated

through “international alliances,” he

said, without elaborating.

The newly-developed drug is completely safe, the institute

claimed, insisting it “does not affect healthy molecules in

the body” and does not result in any side effects.

The studies were conducted on virus cells isolated from

Venezuelan coronavirus patients, Gabriela Jiménez, the

minister of science and technology, said.

The molecule is an ursolic acid derivative, which “has

shown 100 percent inhibition of virus replication in

vitro [outside of a living organism],” she said, as

cited by EFE News Agency.

Earlier this month, Venezuela became the first Latin

American nation to receive Russia’s Sputnik V

Covid-19 vaccine. Around 2,000 people are

expected to be immunized in Venezuela

as part of the phase III trial. It was

registered in Russia in August

--- making it the world’s first

registered Covid-19 vaccine.

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___________________________________________

Brazilian Volunteer in Clinical Trials
of Oxford Anti-Covid Vaccine
Dies, Health Authority Says

17:13 GMT 21.10.2020 (Sputnik News Agency)

It's not clear yet whether the late participant

was receiving the vaccine... or a placebo.

A volunteer from Brazil who was taking part in

the Oxford coronavirus vaccine trials has died,

the country's Health Regulatory Agency

Anvisa confirmed.

According to the agency, they were notified about

the death of a 28-year-old volunteer on 19 October.

The person's death has apparently occurred as a

result of "complications from COVID-19", Globa

newspaper reported.

Anvisa did not, immediately, clarify whether the
volunteer was taking the vaccine or the placebo,

and the situation is still under review.

The anti-COVID vaccine in question is being developed

by the University of Oxford in partnership with British-

Swedish multinational pharmaceutical giant

AstraZeneca. It is presently in the third

stage of clinical trials in Brazil, UK,

India and South Africa.

AstraZeneca has refused to comment on

the situation so far, amid the lack of an

official position.

___________________________________________

Pippa Bartolotti: No Compassion

in Capitalism during Covid-19

October 12th, 2020 (FNA)

Pippa Bartolotti, former Leader of Wales Green party, says

a capitalist system sacrifices people for the sake of the

economy, as witnessed in the coronavirus outbreak in

the US.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with FNA, Mrs. Bartolotti

said the mismanagement of the US Administration is obvious

during the Covid-19, and added, “The queuing for miles at

foodbanks, the attitude of the banks in withholding

stimulus checks to the poverty stricken, the many

thousands of homes with no water supply because

they could not pay the bills, the empty shelves in

supermarkets, are all juxtaposed against the

$500-billion in bail-out gifts made to the

already wealthy, pointing the long finger

of mismanagement at a system which
is weak at best, failing at worst.”

Pippa Bartolotti is an author and political activist. She

served as the Wales Green Party Leader from 2012

for four years, and then as the joint-deputy leader

until 2017. She is now based in the US.

Below is the full text of the interview:

Q: Do you believe that Americans are benefitting from the

“all-time high market” during the coronavirus outspread?

A: ''It is becoming more and more evident that markets, just

like GDP and other monetary measures, do not reflect the

true health of a nation. Indeed, even the words ‘strong

economy’ are more a reflection of hubristic neo-

liberalism than reality. Covid-19, whilst a death

knoll for too many, is allowing many ordinary

people a space for reflection & consideration.''

''The queuing for miles at foodbanks, the

attitude of the banks now in withholding

stimulus checks to the poverty struck,

the many thousands of homes with no

water supply, because they could not

pay the bills, the empty shelves in

super-markets, are all juxtaposed

against the $500-billion in bail-out

gifts made to the already wealthy,

pointing the long finger of mis-

management at a system

which is weak at best,

failing at worst.''

Q: Why does Donald Trump firmly insist on

Americans returning to work? Does this

put the lives of Americans at risk?

A: ''The cracks in the system are widening. When a country,

for so long reliant on a ‘just in time’ policy discovers that

the policy is in fact ‘just too late’, there is panic at the
top. Food shortages are very close. Starvation has an

immediacy, like no other. Never before have so

many people lived more than one day’s walk

from a food supply. Urban dwellers will take

to the streets -- and system collapse will be

inevitable. That's why there's huge pressure

to get people back to work. For those who do

not, run a 'very high risk' of losing their lives,

their legs or their loved ones, engineering a

situation whereby people start demanding

to go back to work, is likely. There is no

compassion in capitalism. People will

be sacrificed, to prop up what passes

for the economy.''

Q: How do you believe the capitalist system

implemented in the US can deal with the

coronavirus outbreak?

A: ''I believe that those who have been working the

capitalist system for their own ends, will find it

almost impossible, to change the way they do

things. Even if they did, there would be great

suspicion and mistrust. Capitalism has failed

us. It cannot stand up to disasters such as a

virus pandemic, and it will not be able to

stand up to the problems brought by

climate change. Ordinary people are

likely to become disengaged from a

system, which they can now see with

their own eyes, has impoverished the

vast majority. Of course the mass media

plays a big part in what news and current

affairs people may or may not hear about,

but the mounting numbers of dead --- the

lack of equipment for doctors and nurses,

cleaners and front line workers, the pitting

of state against state for PPE & ventilators

will not be forgotten. Advanced capitalism

- otherwise known as vulture capitalism -

leaves no room for doubt – for capitalism

to survive, it has to put itself before the

needs of the people who've unwittingly

made it such as success.''

''Ultimately it is down to individuals themselves to value

their lives and their loved ones above the economy.

Right now, we are seeing the magnificent sight of

cleaner air and resurgent wildlife, whilst at the

same time allocating a diminishing importance

to consumerist spending. This in turn will cut

manufacturing demand. As the price of dollar-

backed oil & fracked gas plummets, we hover

on the brink of a complete re-evaluation of our

economy, our priorities, and the way we live.

The people of the world could go back to

the old ways, but why would they?''

______________________________________

YOU ARE ADVISED ON NHS/GOV. WEBSITES: Phone

119 if you're in England, Wales or Northern Ireland

(BUT THIS 119 NUMBER DOES NOT WORK - yet the

Scotland number given below will result in friendly,

expert [non-privatised] GOOD help and advice)

So phone 0300 303 2713 if you're

in Scotland, England, or Wales!

P.S. The tests themselves are of very dubious value

as they are complicated, self-administered, and

controlled by (privatised) non-medical staff, who
are more alert to their own ''safety'' than yours!

_______________________________________________

Privatisation to Blame for
Track and Trace Disaster

--- Not the NHS

23:12 GMT 27.09.2020

by Tommy Sheridan

For over a week now I have been racked with the pain

of an aggressive bout of Shingles and largely confined

to bed and ordered to swallow daily medication

designed to undermine the virus and relieve

my pain.

However no amount of tablets in the world could relieve

my anger at this dishonest, deceitful, and corrupt Tory

government which is literally privatising the National

Health Service before our eyes and playing an

almighty con-trick on the public with the

shabby and shameful assistance of the

pathetically docile and deferential

mainstream media.

The NHS Track and Trace system that Unscrupulous Johnson

and Hopeless Hancock keep bleating on about doesn’t exist.

They privatised it in June, to reward Tory donors with

lucrative government contracts, despite the dubious

and dodgy records of performance, including criminal

behaviour, of those Tory supporting companies. This

privatised system is an expensive, chaotic cock-up,

and no proper or honest journalist should ever allow

it to be associated with the NHS.

Privatised Track and Trace System is a Shambles

The ‘world beating’, privatised scheme is not just incapable

of testing enough people locally or timeously - it has had to

send off almost 200,000 swabs and tests to other countries

to be processed, as the testing lab network introduced by

the private providers has proved woefully understaffed,

ill-prepared and overrun.

To add insult to world-wide embarrassment and bemusement

we now learn that the over-hyped but essential App system

required to facilitate the effective operation of any test

track and trace scheme, is not compatible with the

existing NHS England data systems, meaning that

users of the App cannot currently input positive or

negative results from tests carried out at NHS

hospitals or Public Health England Labs (PHE)

labs, according to the app’s website.

And just in case anyone doubted the shambolic nature of the

whole situation, the information that tens of thousands of

tests couldn’t be input to the new contact tracing App

was discovered by accident, when NHS England

informed a man who was trying to input his test

results that it wasn’t possible to do so, only a

day after a massive public launch, costing

tens of millions to advertise.

Track and Trace in England is
NOT an NHS Run Service

It was launched on Thursday, after months of delay, but

within twenty-four hours came the humiliating admission

that more than 60,000 tests couldn’t be input, thereby

making a mockery of the whole system. A comedic,

expensive, politically criminal reality, which was

confirmed by the Tawdry Tory government

last Saturday:

“The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) has said

it is “working urgently” to make sure people can add their

positive test results to the app who are not given a code

to do so”.

What is infuriating and merits investigation by the Trades

Description enforcement officers is the use of ‘NHS COVID

-19 app’ to describe this privatised system on Twitter, as

the ignominious truth was revealed.

Repeat it over and over again. It is NOT an NHS Track

and Trace system and it is NOT an NHS Covid-19 app.

It is a farce designed and delivered entirely by private

companies at great cost to the public purse. Ministers

like Hancock should be sacked - or resign - over this

whole fiasco, but to sack him would take leadership

from Johnson, and to resign would require integrity

from Hancock. Neither of them possesses leader-

ship qualities or integrity.

Channel 4 Report Rare Exposure

of Privatisation at Heart of NHS

Take the time to check out the Channel 4 News Report the

other night, which uniquely examined the background of

the test and trace mess and exposed the fact that the

responsibility for the current omnishambles lies with

the Tory privateers and the companies they

appointed, not the NHS.

The Tories were irresponsibly slow in setting up a track

& tracing system to get to grips with the Covid19 threat.

All across the world, without exception, the countries

which have dealt best with the Covid19 pandemic and

protected their citizens and economies, are the ones

who responded quickest to the threat and introduced

robust and extensive test, track and trace systems.

The World Health Organisation advice couldn’t have been

simpler, so even dodos like Johnson and Hancock cannot

claim they didn’t understand the “test, test, test” advice

issued away back on 16th March. World Health

Organisation head, Tedros Adhanom

Ghebreyesus, said then to the world:

“… there has not been an urgent enough escalation in testing,

isolation and contact tracing, which should be the "backbone"

of the global response … it is not possible to "fight a fire

blindfolded", and social distancing measures and hand-

washing will not alone extinguish the epidemic”.

Yet the Tories didn’t launch a track and trace system until 28th May,

over two months after the World Health Organisation exhortations.

An allocation of £10 billion was announced and testing was

originally conducted at 8 Public Health England Labs and

44 NHS Labs. Scotland launched their own distinct Test

and Protect scheme.

Within weeks the privatising instincts and intentions of the

Tories in relation to the NHS, were laid bare. The Covid19

crisis brings out the best in public servants like health

and care workers, but exposes the creed of greed

which courses through the Tory blue veins of the

rich and powerful.

Behind the scenes lobbying and promises of sinecures and

future paid consultancy posts, led to Hancock appointing

consultancy firm Deloitte to take over the track and trace

scheme. They built the website for booking tests, the one

that advises thousands seeking tests to travel hundreds

of miles to get one, and then sub-contracted private firms

like Serco, Sodexo and G4S, to run testing centres. How

much each company is being paid is not entirely clear,

but no tendering process was carried out. Private

consultancy firm Deloitte was awarded money,

allocated originally to the NHS, to pick and

choose their pals and pay them juicy sums

to run testing centres under the flag of

the NHS.

Test swabs were to be sent to a series of ‘Lighthouse Labs’

for processing with a mixture of private and public labs.

The private labs used different equipment to the public

ones, leading to kit compatibility problems whenever

help was requested. Latest figures show that the

number of tests turned around in 24 hours has

dropped from an uninspiring 32% a week ago,

to a positively pathetic 14% this week. So

much for super duper Tory Peer Dido Harding

who was appointed head of the new Health

Protection Agency, whatever the hell that’s

supposed to be, despite not possessing

any health service skills, qualifications

or experience. She has been a high heid

yin at Sainsbury, Tesco and Talk --- but

would you trust her to keep the health

service well-funded & in public hands?

Outsourcing Giants are Modern Day
Pirates Pillaging the NHS

If someone tests positive, contact tracers employed by Serco

and Sitel are paid to plot the infected person’s interactions

with people during the infectious period. Serco’s tracing

contract alone is worth £108 million, but will rise to

£432 million if it continues into 2021.

This huge privatisation of a vital health service responsibility

is carried out in camouflage. Like Pirates in the lawless days

of high seas robbery who used to sail under dishonest flags

to dupe and surprise their unsuspecting victims before

pillage and robbery, so the private companies running

the track & trace system are allowed by government

to describe their operation as NHS Test and Trace -

when it is nothing more or less than a profit driven

exercise in ripping off the public purse and

denying the NHS vital monies.

The Pirate analogy is entirely appropriate here. Serco

is a company soaked in dishonesty and exuding

incompetence and fraud in equal doses. They

were fined £19.2 million last year, after a six

year Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation

into a massive scam in connection with a

prisoner electronic tagging scheme which

unearthed fraudulent claims for tagging

dead people, people who didn’t live at

the addresses submitted, and people

who were actually in prison. The fraud

raked in millions dishonestly for Serco

& G4S and the admission to the fraud

is what prevented a criminal trial.

Under the Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) scheme Serco

and G4S avoided criminal charges by paying back millions to

the Ministry of Justice, admitting guilt to three of the many

charges and paying fines and SFO investigation costs. G4S

paid £121 million back to the Ministry of Justice, Serco

paid back £70 million. G4S paid a fine of £38.5 million

and £5.9 million costs to the SFO. Serco paid £19.2

million and £3.7 million respectively.

Of G4S the SFO director Lisa Osofsky said:

“G4S Care & Justice repeatedly lied to the
Ministry of Justice, profiting to the tune of
millions of pounds --- and failing to provide

the openness, transparency and overall
good corporate citizenship --- which
UK taxpayers expect and deserve
from companies entering into

government contracts.”

Her comments on Serco were equally damning.

They were, she said: “engaged in a concerted
effort to lie to the Ministry of Justice in order
to profit unlawfully at the expense of
UK taxpayers.”

Companies Guilty of Criminal Fraud

Given Multi-Million NHS Contracts

Deloitte was complicit in the 2011-2013 electronic tagging scandal

as they were supposed to monitor and check the activities and

books of Serco and G4S, but failed miserably. They were

investigated by the Financial Reporting Council and pled

guilty to financial incompetence charges - coughing up

£4.2 million to pay a fine that was reduced by £2 million

because they pleaded guilty. Clearly, deep pockets in

the corporate world ensures you avoid proper justice.

Imagine just how much Serco and G4S defrauded the

public purse by, if they agreed to pay back £191

million in connection with their criminal scam?

Both companies pay for expensive PR, to try and convince us

these criminal frauds were the actions of rogue directors and

not part of the DNA of outsourcing firms existing like parasites

on billions from the public purse. The Serco contract to house

5,000 asylum seekers awarded last year is worth £1.9 billion

alone. It reminds me of the consciously dishonest defence

against illegal phone hacking offered up by the putrid News

of the World before the extent of their illegality was partially

exposed and they were compelled to close down the rag.

Deloitte, Serco, G4S, Sodexo, Sitel and several other

profit crazed outfits, desperate to get their hands-on

public money which should be invested in public

services, are the villains behind the test and

trace system in England and Wales. It should

NEVER be referred to as ‘NHS Track and Trace’.

How can companies like Serco, with their

criminal past, continue to secure massive

public contracts? Serco’s CEO is a former

Bullingdon Club member and brother of

recently retired Conservative MP

Nicholas Soames. His name is

Rupert Soames and he has

said he wants Serco to:

“cement the position of
theprivate sector” in
the NHS supply chain.

The current junior health Minister is Edward Argar.

Guess who he worked for before being elected to

Parliament? Yep. He was Head of Public Affairs

for Serco. The contact tracing contract they

were awarded was not subject to any tender.

Deloitte has advised the Tories for years on how to

cut NHS budgets, through staff reductions and

increased outsourcing. Now they are in the

heart of the health service and in charge
of a vital service. The track and tracing

disasters are theirs, but they will seek

to shift blame onto the NHS and hope

to undermine public confidence in it

and support for it. They must not be

allowed to succeed.

Hidden under all the headlines of anti-lockdown protests

the other day, the Tories have removed ear-wax syringing

from the NHS, and a private pharmaceutical NHS supplier

has raised the price of Lithium tablets from £3 to £87 a

packet for people with bipolar. These are not isolated

decisions. The no-deal Brexit Johnson is hoping for,

and the free trade deal with America, are absolutely

critical dangers to the survival of the NHS. It is one

of the many reasons Scottish independence is now

so popular. We love the NHS and we will not allow

the cold, cruel, callous and unrepresentative Tories

in London to sell it off. The NHS is being privatised

before our eyes. We will defend ours in Scotland,

via independence. England and Wales must

mobilise decent citizens and the trade
union movement to defend theirs,
before it is too late.

_____________________________________________

Image: Pollution Causing More Deaths Worldwide Than War or Smoking: Lancet Prensa Latina - Environmental pollution, from filthy air to contaminated water, is killing more people every year than all war and violence in the world.

Aluminium levels have long been linked with
Alzheimer’s-related mental damage, but the relationship
has never been conclusively proven scientifically.

Your Health Page

_________________________________

Minister for Disabled People Penny Mordaunt MP: End the uncertainty for disabled people who are having their adapted vehicles taken away