World News
Grave concerns about ‘immunity passports’
France24 – Trapped between the competing urgencies of saving lives from Covid-19 and avoiding economic calamity, some government officials have mooted “immunity passports” as a way through the impasse. But experts told FRANCE 24 that the necessary antibody testing is not reliable enough – and even if the scheme were feasible, it could create a dangerous incentive for some to acquire the virus in order to qualify for the passport.
The global tally of confirmed coronavirus cases surpassed 2 million on Wednesday – a day after researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health warned that the US may need to keep some social distancing measures until 2022, while the IMF predicted that, thanks to “the Great Lockdown”, the world will suffer the worst recession since the Great Depression.
Anxious about both the unfolding economic disaster and the risk of Covid-19 resurging if lockdowns are reversed prematurely, some officials in hard-hit countries have suggested that a system of immunity passports could be a route out of the coronavirus crisis – for some at least. The idea is that people who have already had the disease and thereby gained immunity could be given permits to live their lives mostly like they did before the pandemic.
Shortly after emerging from self-isolation after testing positive for Covid-19, the UK’s Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced in early April that the British government was considering an “immunity certificate” system to allow those who qualify to “get back as much as possible to normal life”.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has also given the idea her backing – putting it in a list of proposals for returning to business as usual in the City of Lights that she sent to the French government. On the other side of the Atlantic, Anthony Fauci, the director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN that immunity passports are “being discussed” in the Trump administration. “It might actually have some merit under some circumstances,” he added.
Over 50 Cell Towers Vandalized Over 5G Virus Fears
PC Mag – Over 50 cell towers in the UK were vandalized over the weekend, with major telecom companies Vodafone, EE, and BT blaming the fraudulent conspiracy theory that 5G connectivity is the cause of coronavirus.
April 10-13 saw a rise in attacks that followed attacks earlier this month. 22 EE phone masts were vandalized, as reported by the I newspaper, and although not all were successful, houses had to be evacuated as a result and arrests were made. EE also confirmed that the majority of towers damaged do not currently support 5G. Vodafone CEO Nick Jeffrey said in a LinkedIn post that 20 masts were damaged, including those providing connectivity to a hospital in Birmingham. BT CEO Philip Jansen said that 11 towers had been destroyed or damaged by arson, and 39 engineers had been verbally abused or physically assaulted.
U.S. News, Politics & Government
Report: Sources believe coronavirus originated in Wuhan lab as part of China’s efforts to compete with US
Fox – There is increasing confidence that COVID-19 likely originated in a Wuhan laboratory, though not as a bioweapon but as part of China’s attempt to demonstrate that its efforts to identify and combat viruses are equal to or greater than the capabilities of the United States, multiple sources who have been briefed on the details of early actions by China’s government and seen relevant materials tell Fox News.
This may be the “costliest government cover-up of all time,” one of the sources said.
The sources believe the initial transmission of the virus was bat-to-human, and that “patient zero” worked at the laboratory, then went into the population in Wuhan.
The “increasing confidence” comes from classified and open-source documents and evidence, the sources said. Fox News has requested to see the evidence directly. Sources emphasized — as is often the case with intelligence — that it’s not definitive and should not be characterized as such. Some inside the administration and the intelligence and epidemiological communities are more skeptical, and the investigation is continuing.
China’s Export Restrictions Strand Medical Goods U.S. Needs to Fight Coronavirus, State Department Says
Products made by 3M, Owens & Minor, PerkinElmer sit in warehouses; GE ventilator production line in Wisconsin nearly brought to a halt
WSJ – New Chinese export restrictions have left American companies’ U.S.-bound face masks, test kits and other medical equipment urgently needed to fight the coronavirus stranded, according to businesses and U.S. diplomatic memos.
Large quantities of critical protective gear and other medical goods are sitting in warehouses across China unable…
Nurses suspended for refusing to treat patients without masks
New York Post – Nurse Mike Gulick was meticulous about not bringing the novel coronavirus home to his wife and their 2-year-old daughter. He’d stop at a hotel after work just to take a shower. He’d wash his clothes in Lysol disinfectant. They did a tremendous amount of handwashing.
But at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, Gulick and his colleagues worried that caring for infected patients without first being able to don an N95 respirator mask was risky. The N95 mask filters out 95 percent of all airborne particles, including ones too tiny to be blocked by regular masks. But administrators at his hospital said they weren’t necessary and didn’t provide them, he said.
His wife, also a nurse, not only wore an N95 mask, but covered it with a second air-purifying respirator while she cared for COVID-19 patients at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center across town in Los Angeles.
Then, last week, a nurse on Gulick’s ward tested positive for the coronavirus, which causes the disease COVID-19. The next day doctors doing rounds on their ward asked the nurses why they weren’t wearing N95 masks, Gulick said, and told them they should have better protection.
For Gulick, that was it. He and a handful of nurses told their managers they wouldn’t enter COVID-19 patient rooms without N95 masks. The hospital suspended them, according to the National Nurses Union, which represents them. Ten nurses are now being paid but are not allowed to return to work pending an investigation from human resources, the union said.
They are among hundreds of doctors, nurses and other health care workers across the country who say they’ve been asked to work without adequate protection. Some have taken part in protests or lodged formal complaints. Others are buying — or even making — their own supplies.
In Texas a Battle Brews Over Voting by Mail
WSJ – Republicans and Democrats in Texas are locking horns over coronavirus-related efforts to expand voting by mail, with Republicans arguing it can fuel voter fraud and Democrats warning that disallowing it could harm turnout and sway results.
The Texas Democratic Party has filed two lawsuits against state election officials and Republican Gov. Greg Abbott to extend the state’s limited mail-in eligibility. A state district judge Wednesday afternoon said he would grant Democrats an injunction to allow Texans to vote by mail; state…
Trump’s Coronavirus Claims Collapse When Met by Limits on Powers
Bloomberg – President Donald Trump said Monday he had the “ultimate authority” to dictate to states how to reopen their economies, and that he’d craft his plans with advice from a council of top business, medical, and political leaders.
By Wednesday, both claims fell apart. He retreated from ordering governors to reopen, after constitutional scholars and even some conservative Republicans said it was beyond his power. And he backed away from an economic council, announcing he’d hold a marathon series of calls with business leaders instead.
For the president, it’s becoming a pattern.
Trump’s public statements on the coronavirus outbreak show him running into the limits of his power, as well as his ability to bend events, politicians and even the national narrative to his will. While he’s previously used his political standing and bluster to compel cabinet members and fellow Republicans to carry out his wishes, he’s found a virus that’s killed more than 27,000 Americans so far to be undeterred by his usual tactics.
Governors and business leaders, at the same time, are insisting on vastly expanded testing capacity and increased access to medical supplies before they consider relaxing social distancing practices that have crippled the economy and frustrated the president.
Police thy neighbor: Virus fears fuel quarantine shaming
AFP – Some complain about joggers panting on passers-by. Others wonder what to do when they overhear drunken partygoers rejecting quarantine measures. Still more question whether people they see in the street are really on “essential” business.
Local social media networks, long places for recipe swaps and restaurant tips, are rapidly becoming sites where neighbors police neighbors during the global coronavirus pandemic.
And as users test the line between civic duty and intrusive surveillance — often trying to shame their peers into obeying social distancing rules — experts worry that a practice once frowned upon is becoming normalized.
“It distresses me greatly to see a few uncaring louts who scoff at the safety rules that are meant for all of us to get through this awful situation,” said one user on a listserv for a wealthy suburb of the capital Washington, which has seen a slew of complaints about people ignoring distancing guidelines.
“I have a suggestion – if you see such behaviors as mentioned above – why not take photos/videos of the offenders? This could discourage their dangerous behaviors,” said another.
Online shaming is nothing new — and neither is neighbors keeping tabs on one another — but never in history have so many people had such a high stake in enforcing social rules, or such a fast and accessible platform on which to do so.
“There is a sense that if you do it you can save lives… With COVID-19, we’re scared and there is an urgency to enforce the social distancing rules. Shaming is really one of the only tools we have,” says Dr Emily Laidlaw, an associate professor at the University of Calgary who studies privacy law and online shaming.
Examples are rife on platforms such as Nextdoor, a hyperlocal social media network which demands users post under their real names and verify their locations.
“My neighbors are all drunk and having a party next door. One of them went on a loud tirade near my door that another month of quarantine is stupid and that he wasn’t going to do it,” posted one frustrated resident of a middle class west Los Angeles neighborhood recently.
Economy & Business
22 MILLION JOBS VANISH IN MONTH
“The labor market is showing us what I think we all know, that the economy is falling off a cliff at an unprecedented rate,” said one economist.
NBC – Around 5 million more people filed for first-time unemployment claims last week, as the job market in every sector of the economy continues to be devastated by the coronavirus pandemic.
The staggering weekly number comes as President Donald Trump weighs plans to pull back on the social distancing measures that have shuttered businesses across the country, and reopen parts of the economy as soon as May 1.
State-mandated lockdowns have choked vast portions of the once-booming economy, kicking a total of 22 million people out of work and launching the nation into the worst crisis since the Great Depression.
Some coronavirus stimulus checks were deposited into wrong bank accounts
New York Post – Some Americans say they haven’t gotten their coronavirus stimulus checks because the feds sent the money to the wrong bank accounts.
Several taxpayers tried to check the status of their payments on the Internal Revenue Service’s website only to discover the agency put the money in accounts they didn’t recognize or no longer use.
“My stimulus got sent to the wrong account and it won’t let me update it despite you guys saying we could. I guess I’ll just get evicted,” one Twitter user griped to the IRS on Wednesday.
“You sent my check to the wrong account number!” Lydia Cooper tweeted Thursday morning. “I’ve had my account for years. Bank says there’s nothing they can do.”
The problem appeared when people logged into the IRS’s “Get My Payment” app, which encountered glitches Wednesday as millions of Americans waited for their share of the $2.2 trillion stimulus bill Congress passed last month.
The app told some taxpayers their money had been deposited and displayed the last four digits of the account number where it was sent. But some users said the account number was outdated or just plain wrong.
“You’re jubilant because you’ve been waiting to get that money. And you look down and the bank account number is not even close,” Chris Rodriguez of Lansing, Michigan, told USA Today, which reported on the problem Wednesday.
IRS spokeswoman Jodie Reynolds told the paper she had not heard about checks being sent to the wrong accounts, but she indicated the money should be rejected by banks and returned to the IRS if that has indeed happened.
“The payment isn’t going to bounce back and just sit here,” Reynolds told USA Today. “We will turn around and cut them a paper check and make sure they get their money.”
The IRS said 9.8 million people had checked the status of their stimulus check and 1.6 million had submitted direct deposit information by late Wednesday afternoon as its “Get My Payment” tool ran at “record volumes.”
Science & Technology
Moscow tests satellite killer
The National Interest – The test of the PL-19 Nudol, a so-called “direct-ascent anti-satellite” weapon, highlights Russia’s expanding space arsenal, according to Gen. John Raymond, Space Command commander.
“Russia’s DA-ASAT test provides yet another example that the threats to U.S. and allied space systems are real, serious and growing,” Raymond.
Observers expected the April 2020 trial. It was just the latest in a series of tests of the PL-19. Russia last launched a Nudol rocket back in December 2018.
Direct-ascent weapons arguably are the least sophisticated anti-satellite weapons. Essentially just medium-weight rockets, like the kind space agencies use to boost small payloads into low-Earth orbit, DA-ASATs are cheap to develop and easy to use but only can threaten low-flying spacecraft.
Health
US may need to practice social distancing until 2022 to reduce coronavirus spread, say Harvard researchers
NaturalNews – Americans may need to continue practicing social distancing measures until 2022 to prevent large outbreaks of the coronavirus. The unsettling prediction came from researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health after they created computer models to simulate how the SARS-CoV-2 virus might spread over the next five years. The models explored various scenarios that demonstrated how the virus could return should social distancing measures end too early.
Drinking alcohol may heighten risk of getting coronavirus, WHO suggests
USA Today -As the coronavirus pandemic leaves millions stuck at home, alcohol sales have risen drastically nationwide, with spirits and premixed cocktails in high demand.
The World Health Organization, however, says alcohol may put people at increased risk for the coronavirus, weakening the body’s immune system and leaving drinkers at risk for other risky behaviors that could increase the likelihood of contracting coronavirus.
It does work as a disinfectant on surfaces, but too much alcohol consumption can actually make the body less capable of handling the coronavirus. A 2015 study published in the journal Alcohol Research found that excessive alcohol consumption is associated with “adverse immune-related health effects such as susceptibility to pneumonia.”
Pandemic Exhaustion: Coronavirus Affecting Sleep For 77% Of Americans
StudyFinds – It’s hard enough to fall asleep when times are normal, but add an extra viral pandemic to the mix and millions of Americans are finding themselves up all night due to worry, anxiety, and fear for the future. A recent piece of research surveyed 1,014 Americans on their sleep habits in the wake of the coronavirus situation, and 76.8% admitted their sleep has indeed been affected.
Commissioned by SleepStandards, the survey encompassed Americans of various ages (18-65) and consisted of 56% women and 43% men.
It isn’t hard to figure out why so many people’s sleep patterns have changed recently; just about everyone’s life has been affected by COVID-19. As far as alleviating some of that worry and insomnia, 46% said that avoiding the news has helped them sleep better. Others read before bed for better shuteye (40%), use sleep supplements (27%), practice meditation or yoga (21%), or have sex (16%).
When respondents were asked why exactly the coronavirus is keeping them up at night, anxiety was the top response (48%). The second most frequent answer was worrying about the safety of loved ones (26%), followed by loneliness (23%) and a generally inconsistent sleeping schedule (23%).
So, how exactly are sleep patterns changing? In all, 58% are sleeping at least one hour less than before the coronavirus emerged. Meanwhile, 22% haven’t seen their average sleep duration change all that much, and 19% are actually sleeping more. Although that may have something to do with having more free time.
Another noteworthy finding from the survey was that 70% of respondents believe a lack of sleep makes them more vulnerable to the coronavirus.
10 Home remedies you can find in your kitchen
NaturalNews – Home remedies can relieve common ailments including colds, indigestion and rashes. When you have home remedies on hand, you are well-equipped to deal with ailments swiftly and effectively. Use the following tried-and-tested remedies the next time you need a quick fix.
Honey
Raw honey is an excellent source of antioxidants that promote healthy skin. To moisturize dry skin, mix one teaspoon of honey with mashed banana and apply the paste as a face mask. Leave it on for at least 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can also rub honey on areas that are prone to fungal infections, such as the skin in between the toes and the groin. You can also use honey to heal wounds and burns thanks to its antimicrobial properties.
Green tea
Green tea is packed with plant compounds known as catechins that prevent the growth of odor-causing bacteria, especially in the mouth. To get rid of oral bacteria, steep two tea bags in warm water and use the solution as a natural mouth wash.
Baking soda
Baking soda is the crystallized form of sodium bicarbonate, a natural antacid that you can use to treat heartburn or acid reflux. It also works as a cleaning agent. If you have plaque or discolored teeth, sprinkle enough baking soda to cover the toothbrush bristles and brush your teeth as usual. Additionally, you can use baking soda to treat bee stings and rashes. Just make a paste by mixing equal parts of baking soda and water and apply it to the affected area to reduce itchiness.
Coconut oil
Coconut oil contains high concentrations of lauric acid, a healthy fatty acid that helps kill acne-causing bacteria. Coconut oil also acts as a natural moisturizer to keep the skin hydrated, which can help minimize the appearance of acne scars.
Beer
Beer is an excellent source of B complex vitamins that promote hair growth. Moreover, the malt and hops used to create beer are packed with protein, which provides structural support to hair strands, nails, skin cells and muscles. To boost hair health, use beer instead of commercial shampoo. Beer will not only cleanse the scalp of impurities, but also promote soft and shiny hair.
Black pepper
Black pepper is a potent remedy for chronic cough and sore throat thanks to a natural antibiotic known as piperine. To relieve a persistent cough, steep freshly ground black pepper in boiling water for 15 minutes. Strain and drink with a teaspoon of honey to enhance black pepper’s antibacterial effects.
Red chili
Red chili peppers contain capsaicin, an active compound that can relieve joint pain and swollen muscles. Chili peppers can also reduce inflammation and treat infections in the gastrointestinal tract. (Related: Chili peppers found to be a powerful natural cure for depression.)
Red wine
When consumed in moderation, red wine can improve overall cardiovascular health and regulate blood sugar levels. But it can also be used as a topical remedy for cold sores. A compound in red wine known as resveratrol can inhibit the spread of the herpes virus that causes cold sores. To treat sores, leave a few drops of wine on a shallow dish and leave it covered overnight. Once the wine has congealed, apply it to the sore and let it sit for five minutes.
Coffee
A persistent headache can interfere with the day’s activities. The next time you feel a headache about to occur, grab a cup of coffee. Caffeine constricts dilated blood vessels caused by headaches and provides immediate relief. Caffeine also blocks adenosine receptors, which are neurotransmitters involved in pain transmission.
Bananas
If you have a hard time falling asleep, eat a banana before bed. The high magnesium and potassium content of bananas can promote relaxation and greatly improve sleep quality due to its calming effects on the mind and body. Bananas also help regulate the body’s sleep-wake cycle thanks to an amino acid known as tryptophan.
Pantry staples, such as honey, coffee and baking soda, double as effective home remedies for minor ailments like headaches, scrapes and inflammation. Organic foods offer several immune-boosting nutrients and medicinal compounds, so avoid processed ones, or better yet, make your own staples out of fresh ingredients.
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