A woman holds a handful of vitamin C. VO IMAGES / Getty Images
By Laura Beil
Consumers have long turned to vitamins and herbs to try to protect themselves from disease. This pandemic is no different — especially with headlines that scream "This supplement could save you from coronavirus."
<p>It also helps to have celebrity enthusiasts. When President Donald Trump was diagnosed with COVID-19, his pill arsenal included Vitamin D and zinc. And in an Instagram chat with actress Jennifer Garner in September, infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci touted vitamins C and D as ways that might generally boost the immune system. "If you're deficient in vitamin D," he noted, "that does have an impact on your susceptibility to infection. I would not mind recommending, and I do it myself, taking vitamin D supplements."</p><p>But whether over-the-counter supplements can actually prevent, or even treat, COVID-19, is not clear. Since the disease is so new, researchers haven't had much time for the kind of large experiments that provide the best answers. Instead, scientists have mostly relied on fresh takes on old data. Some studies have looked at outcomes of patients who routinely take certain supplements — and found some promising hints. But so far there's little data from the kinds of scientifically rigorous experiments that give doctors confidence when recommending supplements.</p><p>Here's what we know today about three supplements getting plenty of attention around COVID-19.</p>
Vitamin D
<p><strong>What it is: </strong>Called "the sunshine vitamin" because the body makes it naturally in the presence of ultraviolet light, <a href="https://www.sciencenews.org/article/vitamin-d-supplements-lose-luster" target="_blank">Vitamin D is one of the most heavily studied</a> supplements (<em>SN: 1/27/19</em>). <a href="https://health.gov/our-work/food-nutrition/2015-2020-dietary-guidelines/guidelines/appendix-12/" target="_blank">Certain foods</a>, including fish and fortified milk products, are also high in the vitamin.</p><p><strong>Why it might help: </strong>Vitamin D is a hormone building block that helps strengthen the immune system.</p><p><strong>How it works for other infections:</strong> In 2017, the <em>British Medical Journal</em> published a meta-analysis that suggested a daily vitamin D supplement <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/356/bmj.i6583" target="_blank">might help prevent respiratory infections</a>, particularly in people who are deficient in the vitamin.</p><p>But one key word here is <em>deficient. </em>That risk is highest during dark winters at high latitudes and among people with more color in their skin (melanin, a pigment that's higher in darker skin, inhibits the production of vitamin D).</p><p>"If you have enough vitamin D in your body, the evidence doesn't stack up to say that giving you more will make a real difference," says Susan Lanham-New, head of the Nutritional Sciences Department at the University of Surrey in England.</p><p>And taking too much can create new health problems, stressing certain internal organs and leading to a dangerously high calcium buildup in the blood. The recommended daily allowance for adults is 600 to 800 International Units per day, and the upper limit is considered to be 4,000 IUs per day.</p><p><strong>What we know about Vitamin D and COVID-19:</strong> Few studies have looked directly at whether vitamin D makes a difference in COVID.</p><p>In May, in the <em>BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health</em>, Lanham-New and her colleagues published a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7246103/" target="_blank">summary of existing evidence </a>and concluded that there's only enough to recommend vitamin D to help with COVID-19 prevention for people who are deficient. That paper made inferences from how vitamin D works against other respiratory tract infections and immune health.</p><p>More than a dozen studies are now testing vitamin D directly for prevention and treatment, including a large one led by JoAnn Manson, a leading expert on vitamin D. An epidemiologist and preventive medicine physician at Harvard Medical School and Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston. That study will analyze if vitamin D can affect the course of a COVID-19 infection. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1551714420302548" target="_blank">The trial</a> aims to recruit 2,700 people across the United States with newly diagnosed infections, along with their close household contacts.</p><p>The goal is to determine whether newly diagnosed people given high doses of vitamin D — 3,200 IU per day — are less likely than people who get a placebo to experience severe symptoms and need hospitalization. "The biological plausibility for a benefit in COVID is compelling," she says, given the nutrient's theoretical ability to impede the severe inflammatory reaction that can follow coronavirus infection. "However the evidence is not conclusive at this time."</p>
Zinc
<p><strong>What it is: </strong>Zinc, a mineral found in cells all over the body, is found naturally in certain meats, beans and oysters.</p><p><strong>Why it might help: </strong>It plays several supportive roles in the immune system, which is why zinc lozenges are always hot sellers in cold and flu season. Zinc also helps with cell division and growth.</p><p><strong>How it works for other infections: </strong><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6457799/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Studies of using zinc for colds</a> — which are frequently caused by coronaviruses — suggest that using a supplement right after symptoms start might make them go away quicker. That said, a clinical trial from researchers in Finland and the United Kingdom, published in January in <em>BMJ Open</em> <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/1/e031662" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">did not find any value for zinc lozenges</a> for the treatment of colds. Some researchers have theorized that inconsistencies in data for colds may be explained by varying amounts of zinc released in different lozenges.</p><p><strong>What we know about zinc and COVID-19:</strong> The mineral is promising enough that it was added to some early studies of hydroxychloroquine, a drug tested early in the pandemic. (Studies have since shown that <a href="https://www.sciencenews.org/article/covid-19-coronavirus-hydroxychloroquine-no-evidence-treatment" target="_blank">hydroxychloroquine can't prevent or treat COVID-19</a> (<em>SN: 8/2/20</em>).)</p><p>In July, researchers from Aachen University in Germany wrote in <em>Frontiers of Immunology</em> that current evidence "strongly <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2020.01712/full" target="_blank">suggests great benefits of zinc</a> supplementation" based on looking at similar infections including SARS, another disease caused by a coronavirus. For example, studies suggest that giving zinc reduces the risk for death from a pneumonia infection. The researchers cite evidence that zinc might help prevent the virus from entering the body, and help slow the virus's replication when it does.</p><p>Another review — also based on indirect evidence — published August 1 in <em>Advances in Integrative Medicine</em> also concluded that <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7395818/" target="_blank">zinc might be helpful in people who are deficient</a>.</p><p>In September, researchers from Hospital Del Marin Barcelona <a href="https://www.univadis.co.uk/viewarticle/eccvid-2020-lower-plasma-zinc-levels-associated-with-increased-risk-of-death-in-covid-19-patients-729760" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reported that among 249 patients studied</a>, those who survived COVID had higher zinc levels in their plasma (an average of 63.1 mcg/dl) than those who died (43mcg/dl).</p><p>Overall, though, the jury is still out, says Suma Thomas, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, who in June led a team that <a href="https://www.ccjm.org/content/early/2020/06/08/ccjm.87a.ccc046" target="_blank">reviewed the evidence for popular supplements</a> in the <em>Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine</em>. Given what's already known, zinc could possibly decrease the duration of infection but not the severity of symptoms, she said, particularly among people who are deficient. About a dozen studies are now looking at zinc for COVID treatment, often with other drugs or supplements.</p><p>Thomas and her colleagues are <a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04342728?term=zinc&cond=covid-19&cntry=US&draw=2&rank=2" target="_blank">comparing symptom severity and future hospitalization</a> in COVID-19 patients who take zinc with and without high doses of vitamin C with those who receive ordinary care without the supplement. Results are expected soon, she says.</p>
Vitamin C
<p><strong>What it is: </strong>Also called L-ascorbic acid, vitamin C has a long list of roles in the body. It's found naturally in fruits and vegetables, especially citrus, peppers and tomatoes.</p><p><strong>Why it might help:</strong> It's a potent antioxidant that's important for a healthy immune system and preventing inflammation.</p><p><strong>How it works for other infections: </strong>Thomas cautions that the data on vitamin C are often contradictory. One review from Chinese researchers, published in February in the <em>Journal of Medical Virolog</em>y, looked at <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jmv.25707" target="_blank">what is already known about vitamin C</a> and other supplements that might have a role in COVID-19 treatment. Among other encouraging signs, human studies find a lower incidence of pneumonia among people taking vitamin C, "suggesting that vitamin C might prevent the susceptibility to lower respiratory tract infections under certain conditions."</p><p>But for preventing colds, a 2013 Cochrane review of 29 studies <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD000980.pub4/full" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">didn't support the idea</a> that vitamin C supplements could help in the general population. However, the authors wrote, given that vitamin C is cheap and safe, "it may be worthwhile for common cold patients to test on an individual basis whether therapeutic vitamin C is beneficial."</p><p><strong>What we know about Vitamin C and COVID-19: </strong>About a dozen studies are under way or planned to examine whether vitamin C added to coronavirus treatment helps with symptoms or survival, including Thomas' study at the Cleveland Clinic.</p><p>In a review published online in July in <em>Nutrition</em>, researchers from KU Leuven in Belgium concluded that the <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD000980.pub4/full" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">vitamin may help prevent infection</a> and tamp down the dangerous inflammatory reaction that can cause severe symptoms, based on what is known about how the nutrient works in the body.</p><p>Melissa Badowski, a pharmacist who specializes in viral infections at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy and colleague Sarah Michienzi published an extensive look at all supplements that might be useful in the coronavirus epidemic. There's <a href="https://www.drugsincontext.com/can-vitamins-and-or-supplements-provide-hope-against-coronavirus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">still not enough evidence to know whether they are helpful</a>, the pair concluded in July in <em>Drugs in Context</em>. "It's not really clear if it's going to benefit patients," Badowski says.</p><p>And while supplements are generally safe, she adds that nothing is risk free. The best way to avoid infection, she says, is still to follow the advice of epidemiologists and public health experts: "Wash your hands, wear a mask, stay six feet apart."</p>From Your Site Articles
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Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg is seen in a video conversation in Stockholm, Sweden on April 22, 2020. Jessica Gow / TT News Agency / AFP / Getty Images
By Priyanka Jaisinghani
COVID-19, "stay-at-home" orders and enforced physical distancing has made us more dependent on digital when it comes to connection and communication at both a local and global level.
<p>In the early months of the pandemic, marginalized communities were disproportionately affected and the realities of a widening inequality gap were apparent. What was once thought to be an equalizer had become the opposite.</p><p>Where COVID-19 has removed the option for young people to take to the streets to voice their concerns about these surfacing inequalities, staying at home (and off the streets) hasn't translated to staying silent.</p><p>Recently, we've witnessed how young people are rallying around issues such as climate change, racial injustice and voting rights, using digital as their platform and driving civic engagement.</p>
Civic Engagement Redefined
<p>Long-lasting impact requires changes from the bottom up. Civic engagement means working to make a difference in our communities to promote quality of life in a community, through both political and non-political processes.</p><p>We're seeing how, across multiple issues, young people are becoming active participants in driving dialogues with policy-makers, on a state and federal level. In addition, they are empowering the citizens of the communities in which they reside, taking an active role in shaping the future we hold.</p>1. Racial Justice
<p>Across the U.S., we saw the rise of the racial justice movement through Black Lives Matter. Hundreds of protestors came to the streets, from New York to Nevada, acknowledging, supporting and condemning the long-existing inequalities faced by the black community. We saw this movement propel beyond the streets, throughout social media, and to the polling stations.</p><p>Young activists were demanding not only awareness but also change. In this digital space, young people started sharing resources and information for others to educate themselves about the pressing need for racial justice. They were able to mobilize support to inform, educate and shape citizen action. They shared links to petitions, offered advice for safe protesting practices, created templates for emailing authorities, listed bail funds and black-owned restaurants and businesses in need of support. They used social media to support the various needs of this movement – and continue to do so.</p>2. Climate Change
<p>The youth-led climate change has become dominant online. Every Friday, young people lead a digital #ClimateStrike to raise awareness of important legislative initiatives and create tangible ways for individuals to get involved in the fight against climate change.</p><p>As a leading example, to commemorate this year's Earth Day, youth held a 72-hour, live-streamed "digital march" with protests, speeches, and more. This "digital march" was attended by more than 200,000 viewers. Young people are pivoting their strategies and applying them to a digital space. We know when the streets are safe again, they will continue their activism by marching to raise awareness both on the streets and digitally.</p>3. Voting Rights
<p>Voting is another pertinent issue coming to the fore. In <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/315761/lack-voting-information-hamper-youth-turnout.aspx" target="_blank">a Gallup poll</a>, four out of five (79%) young people say "the coronavirus pandemic has helped them realize how much political leaders' decisions impact their lives"; three in five say "they are part of a movement that will vote to express its views."</p><p>As a result of these changing attitudes, young people are having conversations with their families and finding ways to get politically active. They're donating funds to campaigns, volunteering their time to raise awareness around voting and creating social campaigns to try to influence other people to vote and register to vote.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDUxMTg0Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMzg2OTcxNn0.AkqUpUNFBQm9qJhYK1ET2Nx_74OlOKaa0XdF-cRCuEY/img.jpg?width=980" id="0edf5" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f6e1d0f9874383be19f0bba0625aa61e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/10/3-ways-covid-19-has-changed-youth-activism/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em></p>How social media is used in the U.S. for political issues. Statista
<p>It's inspiring to see young people around the world deeply engaged in the digital space and continuing their activism. They have played a critical role in calling for change and transformation in society. From climate to health to politics, young people are the most affected. The only way to make progress is to build back better. They're building upon existing issues and movements, creating new alliances and driving conversations and action. This generation is also building upon the same values and ideas of those before them to change the status quo and find ways to enact change for a better future.</p>From Your Site Articles
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The sudden loss of smell and taste is a very common symptom of COVID-19 and does not occur with flu or colds. svetikd / Getty Images
By Alexander Freund
At first glance, the symptoms caused by SARS CoV-2 resemble those we know from a "normal flu."
<h2>Frequent Symptoms of COVID-19 </h2><ul><li>Fever</li><li>Dry cough </li><li>Loss of smell and taste</li></ul><h2>Other Symptoms That Sometimes Occur </h2><ul><li>Sniffles</li><li>Muscle aches </li><li>Tiredness/fatigue</li><li>Sore throat</li><li>Shortness of breath</li><li>Headaches</li><li>Pneumonia </li></ul><h2>Rare Symptoms of COVID-19 </h2><ul><li>Diarrhea (more likely in children) </li><li>a rash on skin, or discoloration of fingers or toes </li></ul><p>Sneezing is not a symptom caused by the novel coronavirus. So if you have to sneeze all the time and have a runny nose, you probably have a cold or a normal flu. </p><p>The sudden loss of smell and taste, on the other hand, is a very common symptom of COVID-19 and does not occur with flu or colds, even though they can sometimes also temporarily cause you not to smell or taste as well as usual because of a stuffy nose and inflamed throat. </p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDUyMDM2Ny9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NDAzMzk4Mn0.k-6UkY-nm9Npm4kV5KTnUn6q7VSKWKLShvjMI5dEyMQ/img.png?width=980" id="eafdf" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cbbd7dbea7d320ad40c37168831b2473" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
<p>These typical symptoms can occur, but do not have to: In very many cases, the COVID-19 infection proceeds with no symptoms or with only mild ones.</p><p>According to Germany's public health agency, the <a href="https://www.rki.de/EN/Content/infections/epidemiology/outbreaks/COVID-19/COVID19.html" target="_blank">Robert Koch Institute,</a> the average incubation period for COVID-19 is 5-6 days, but it can be up to 14 days.</p><p>Those who feel unwell or simply below par should not go to work, school, etc. and should reduce their social contacts. </p><p>A self-diagnosis is not always useful. If you are not sure or are worried, you should call a doctor or a COVID-19 hotline. Please do not go to the hospital or doctor's office on your own initiative, as COVID-19 is highly infectious. If there is doubt, the doctor or a test center will carry out a coronavirus test so you know whether you have been infected or not.</p>
<h2>Most Frequent Transmission Paths </h2><p>The main transmission route for SARS-CoV-2 is the inhalation of virus-laden droplets or aerosols that are released when infected people breathe, cough, speak, sing or yell. For this reason, a minimum distance of 5 feet should be maintained to other people. </p><p>If you stay for extended periods of time in small, poorly ventilated or unventilated rooms in which an infected person is present, the risk of infection increases. That is why regular and effective airing is so important. </p><p>Provided the minimum distancing is maintained, transmissions occur less frequently outdoors because the air is generally in motion. </p><p>Contact transmission through contaminated surfaces cannot be ruled out, especially in the immediate vicinity of an infectious person. </p>
<h2>Effective Measures for Risk Minimization </h2><ul><li>Keeping a distance to other people</li><li>Compliance with hygiene rules</li><li>Wearing protective face masks </li><li>Frequent airing</li><li>Rapid isolation of people who have tested positive</li><li>Identification and early quarantine of close contacts</li></ul><p>Keeping a distance, washing hands, wearing masks and regular airing prevent the spread not only of the new coronavirus, but also help against the flu and other infectious diseases. </p>
<h2>Flu or Cold? Here Are the Little Differences</h2><p>On average, adults catch a cold two to three times a year, and children up to as many as 10 times a year. But how do you tell if it is a normal cold or the flu?</p><p>Even doctors can have difficulty telling the difference between a case of influenza infection and a common cold when confronted with a patient's symptoms.</p><p>With a cold, most people get a scratchy throat, then a runny nose and eventually develop a cough. Those symptoms, as well as fever and headache, can plague a person for days, making them feel listless.</p><p><span></span>By comparison, the flu hits you all at once: A flu patient's head and limbs ache, a dry cough begins, one's voice becomes hoarse, painful throat aches occur and a high fever (up to 105°F), often accompanied by chills, can knock you out in short order. One just wants to stay in bed, feels exhausted, has no appetite and can sleep for hours on end.</p><p>A common cold typically passes within a few days and most symptoms go away after about a week. The flu is more tedious, keeping a person bedridden for at least a week, in some cases requiring several weeks before a person truly feels healthy again.</p><p>The RKI's Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO), recommends that all German residents at high risk of serious illness get an annual flu vaccination. That group includes people 60 and over, people who are chronically ill, pregnant women, and residents at senior and nursing homes. Beyond that, STIKO urges those who have a lot of contact with others (i.e., medical workers or those in public businesses or institutions) to protect themselves through vaccination as well.<br></p>
<h2>When Should Antibiotics Be Used?</h2><p>Most colds and flu cases are caused by viruses, against which antibiotics are useless. </p><p>Antibiotics strengthen the body's defenses by killing or hindering the growth of bacteria, but they also attack the cell walls or metabolic processes of micro-organisms. Penicillin, for instance, destroys the cell wall synthesis of bacteria. Porous cell walls make it impossible for pathogens to survive, literally causing them to burst. But this only works on bacteria, not viruses.</p><p>Antibiotics do, however, make sense in instances in which bacteria enter the body via a weakened immune system and begin to multiply. That process can lead to infection, sometimes permanently damaging the body's organs. Pneumonia, tonsillitis, cystitis or meningitis are most often caused by bacteria — thus, it makes sense to fight them with antibiotics. </p><p><em>Editorial note: This article from early February 2020 has been updated in line with the current data situation.</em></p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from<a href="https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-symptoms/a-52233885?maca=en-VAM_volltext_ecowatch-28485-html-copypaste" target="_blank"> Deutsche Welle</a></em><em>.</em><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/r/entryeditor/2648216389#/" target="_self"></a></p>From Your Site Articles
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A Yemeni boy receives humanitarian aid from the World Food Program in Taez, Yemen, on October 10, 2020. Ahmad Al-Basha / AFP / Getty Images
The UN World Food Program (WFP) said on Tuesday that will need to raise $6.8 billion over the next six months to avert famine triggered by the coronavirus pandemic crisis.
<p>"We've got a lot more money to raise to make certain we avert famine," David Beasley, executive director of the WFP, said at a conference organized by the U.N's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).</p><p>Beasley said 7 million people had died from hunger this year, even as the COVID-19 pandemic claimed a further 1 million lives worldwide. But he warned that the pandemic would make things worse in the long term. </p><p>"If we don't sort out COVID, (the) hunger death rate could be 3, 4, 5 times that," said Beasley. </p><p>World hunger was on the decline for several decades, but is it now on the rise again since 2016, driven by both conflict and climate change.</p>
<p>"If you think about the wealth on Earth today we shouldn't see one single child (go) hungry or die from starvation," said Beasley.<br></p><p>The organization was awarded the <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/world-food-programme-wins-nobel-peace-prize/a-55213281" target="_blank">Nobel Peace Prize</a> last week for its efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.</p><p>German Chancellor <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/merkel-urges-renewed-fight-against-world-hunger/a-55228708" target="_blank">Angela Merkel praised the organization</a> and called on world nations to join in a renewed fight against hunger.</p><p>"The award ceremony is a recognition of the commitment to international responsibility and international solidarity," Merkel said of the WFP.</p>
Over 1 Billion Raised
<p>The UN food agency is the world's largest humanitarian organization and it is entirely funded by donations. In 2019, the money it raised funded school meals for 17.3 million children globally and delivered 4.2 million tonnes of food to regions or countries.</p><p>Beasley is now urging donors, including governments and institutions, but also the more than 2,000 billionaires in the world - who hold a combined net worth of $8 trillion - to donate to the WFP.</p><p>The organization has so far raised $1.6 billion, far below the target needed this year. </p><p>Beasley has warned that COVID-19 shutdowns are not only hindering the delivery of food but worsening other<br>problems, such as disrupting vaccinations and treatments for other illnesses. </p><p>"There is a grave danger that many more people will die from the broader economic and social consequences of COVID-19 than from the virus itself, especially in Africa," Beasley has said.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><em><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/un-world-food-programme-seeks-funds-to-avert-covid-19-famine/a-55258444?maca=en-VAM_volltext_ecowatch-28485-html-copypaste" target="_blank">Deutsche Welle</a>.</em><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/r/entryeditor/2648204256#/" target="_self"></a></p>From Your Site Articles
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Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson is pausing its COVID-19 vaccine trials after a study participant fell ill. Lubo Ivanko / Getty Images
Pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson (J&J) announced that it is pausing COVID-19 vaccine trials after a study participant fell ill. The announcement comes just weeks after the company said trials were in the final stages, NBC News reported.
<p>J&J told <a href="https://www.statnews.com/2020/10/12/johnson-johnson-covid-19-vaccine-study-paused-due-to-unexplained-illness-in-participant/" target="_blank">STAT</a> that the pause was due to "an unexplained illness in a study participant," but would not provide more details citing the patient's privacy. The company added that it needs to gather more information before sharing any details. J&J does not yet know if the participant received the vaccine-candidate or the placebo.</p><p>"Following our guidelines, the participant's illness is being reviewed and evaluated by the ENSEMBLE independent Data Safety Monitoring Board as well as our internal clinical and safety physicians," the company <a href="https://www.jnj.com/our-company/johnson-johnson-temporarily-pauses-all-dosing-in-our-janssen-covid-19-vaccine-candidate-clinical-trials" target="_blank">said in a statement</a>. "Adverse events — illnesses, accidents, etc. — even those that are serious, are an expected part of any clinical study, especially large studies."</p><p>Pauses are not uncommon, NBC News reported, but rather a testament to upholding regulatory standards. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/covid-vaccine-trial-stopped-2647532475.html" target="_self">AstraZeneca paused its vaccine trial</a> last month when a study participant in the UK also fell ill with an unexplained illness.</p>
<p>While the 60,000-patient trial is paused, it's different from a clinical hold, which is a longer regulatory procedure. In fact, it is rare for J&J to disclose study pauses to the public, STAT reported.</p><p>"A study pause, in which recruitment or dosing is paused by the study sponsor, is a standard component of a clinical trial protocol," J&J said in the statement. "A regulatory hold of a clinical trial is a requirement by a regulatory health authority, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As outlined in our transparency commitments, we proactively disclose any regulatory hold of a pivotal clinical trial."</p><p>J&J CFO Joseph Wolk told <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/13/jnjs-coronavirus-vaccine-trial-paused-after-adverse-event-reported-36-hours-ago.html" target="_blank">CNBC</a> that the company was acting responsibly. "We're letting safety protocol follow proper procedure here," he said. "What it should also do is reassure the public that every scientific, medical and ethical standard is being applied here."</p>
<p>Experts also pointed out the importance of study pauses.</p><p>"This is completely expected, and it's just a reminder how ridiculous it is to try and meet a political timeline of having a vaccine before Nov. 3," Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/12/health/johnson-coronavirus-vaccine-pause-bn/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a>.<br></p><p>J&J is the fourth pharmaceutical company receiving funding under Operation Warp Speed to enter late-stage testing of its vaccine candidate. Moderna, AstraZeneca and Pfizer are all in the process of evaluating safety and efficacy data of their clinical trials, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/23/coronavirus-vaccine-johnson-johnson-begins-late-stage-covid-19-trial-.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CNBC </a>reported.</p>
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Worsening floods and storms accounted for about four-fifths of the total from 2000-2019. Pxfuel
Climate change has spurred close to a doubling of natural disasters in the last 20 years, and world leaders are failing to prevent Earth from evolving into "an uninhabitable hell" for millions, the United Nations warned on Monday.
<p>At least 7,348 major disasters had occurred between 2000 and 2019, claiming 1.23 million lives, affecting 4.2 billion people and costing the global economy some $2.97 trillion, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction said in a new report entitled: "The Human Cost of Disasters 2000-2019."</p><p>According to the Geneva-based agency, the last two decades saw the number of disasters caused by extreme weather nearly double to 6,681, up from 3,656 between 1980 and 1999.</p><p>"We are willfully destructive. That is the only conclusion one can come to, with action on climate change and other major threats waning," said Mami Mizutori, the UN secretary-general's special representative for disaster risk deduction.</p>
Climate Change Proves Deadly
<p>Worsening floods and storms accounted for about four-fifths of the total from 2000-2019, while major increases were also registered for droughts, wildfires and heat waves.The report noted that extreme heat is proving especially deadly. Other major recorded disasters included earthquakes and tsunamis.</p><p>The natural disasters also caused almost $3 trillion in global economic losses — almost twice the amount in the preceding two decades.</p><p>The UN body blamed leaders for not only <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/climate-scientists-should-cut-back-on-air-travel/a-42862862" target="_blank">insufficient action</a> in slowing down climate change but also for failing to combat the global coronavirus pandemic which has killed over 1 million people and infected over 37 million in the past nine months.</p><p>"COVID-19 is but the latest proof that political and business leaders are yet to tune into the world around them," Mizutori said in a statement. Despite warnings from experts and UN agencies, "almost all nations" have not done enough to prevent death and illness caused by the pandemic.</p>Asia at Highest Risk
<p>Though the report commended countries including India and Bangladesh for stepping up efforts in evacuating millions of people to safety from life-threatening floods and cyclones, it said the odds "continue to be stacked against them, in particular by industrial nations that are failing miserably on reducing greenhouse gas emissions" in line with an agreed aim of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.</p><p>The report, released ahead of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction on Tuesday, relied on statistics from the Emergency Events Database, which records all disasters that kill 10 or more people, affect 100 or more people or result in a state of emergency declaration.</p><p>According to the data, Asia has suffered the highest number of disasters in the past 20 years with 3,068 disasters, followed by the Americas with 1,756 and Africa with 1,192.</p><p>In terms of affected countries, China topped the list with 577 events followed by the US with 467.</p><p>"It really is all about governance if we want to deliver this planet from the scourge of poverty, further loss of species and biodiversity, the explosion of urban risk and the worst consequences of global warming," Mizutori said.<br></p>
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Being Outdoors Doesn’t Mean You’re Safe From COVID-19 – A White House Event Showed What Not to Do
09 October
Health + Wellness
Guests watch as U.S. President Donald Trump introduces 7th U.S. Circuit Court Judge Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee to the Supreme Court in the Rose Garden at the White House September 26, 2020 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
By Thomas A. Russo
If you think you're safe from the coronavirus just because you're outdoors, think again.
<p>While the wind and the large volume of air make the outdoors less risky than being indoors, circumstances matter.</p><p>Someone who is infectious can cough or sneeze, or just talk and, if you happen to inhale those respiratory droplets or they plop into your eye, you can get infected. If you shake hands with an infected person and then touch your eyes, nose or mouth, you also run a chance of getting infected. You don't have to be inhaling an infected person's air for very long. What matters is the dose.</p><p>As an <a href="http://medicine.buffalo.edu/faculty/profile.html?ubit=trusso" target="_blank">infectious disease doctor</a>, I get a lot of questions from patients about COVID-19 risks. Here are some answers about the risks outdoors.</p>
Doesn’t Wind Make Outside Safer Than Inside?
<p>It's true that the <a href="http://doi.org/10.1126/science.abc6197" target="_blank">wind helps disperse respiratory droplets</a> that can carry viruses.</p><p>When you're indoors, one of the big concerns about how the coronavirus spreads is aerosols – tiny, light droplets people emit along with larger droplets when they breathe. These particles can <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-covid-19-superspreaders-are-talking-where-you-sit-in-the-room-matters-145966" target="_blank">linger in the air</a>, and the concentration can build up in enclosed, poorly ventilated spaces. There's less of a risk in open outdoor settings because of the sheer volume of air and available space to physically distance.</p><p>At least one study, not yet peer reviewed, found COVID-19 patients were <a href="https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.28.20029272" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">nearly 20 times more likely</a> to have been infected indoors than outdoors.</p><p>But that doesn't mean you're in a protective bubble when outdoors.</p>What Behaviors Could Put You at Risk Outside?
<p>To get a sense of how easy it is to put yourself at risk outdoors, look at crowd photos from the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/politics/the-interactions-of-rose-garden-ceremony-attendees-who-tested-positive-for-coronavirus/2020/10/03/b7564938-61a3-44f1-83c6-0c1551f0a518_video.html" target="_blank">White House Rose Garden event</a> on Sept. 26. About 200 people attended that ceremony, and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/10/02/us/politics/trump-contact-tracing-covid.html" target="_blank">at least 12</a> tested positive for the virus within days, including President Donald Trump and <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/04/15/833692377/how-the-coronavirus-has-affected-individual-members-of-congress" target="_blank">two senators</a>. When and where each person was infected isn't known, but several behaviors at the Rose Garden ceremony raised the risk of getting or sharing the virus.</p><p>The first problem with this scene: Very few people were <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html" target="_blank">wearing face masks</a>.</p><p>With no mask, infectious people can be shedding the virus when they talk and there is nothing to stop the respiratory droplets. For people not yet infected, no mask means the virus has several ways to enter their bodies – nose and mouth as well as eyes. The lack of <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02801-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">masks</a> also raises the risk of getting a larger dose, and a higher viral load may mean a higher <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30196-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">likelihood of severe disease</a>.</p><p>People were also seated <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/social-distancing.html" target="_blank">close together</a>. And before and after the ceremony, they mingled – indoors and outdoors – shaking hands, leaning in for close conversations and hugging each other.</p><p>Remember that just breathing expels respiratory droplets, and <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6919e6.htm" target="_blank">loud, animated speech</a> like laughing or shouting expels more. We don't yet know how much virus is needed to trigger symptoms, but those doses add up. So, you might get a small dose from a person sitting next to you, but if that person later gives you a big hug or shakes your hand, they could give you another dose. Or you might talk to someone else who is infectious for several minutes and inhale more virus particles.</p><p>All it takes is one person in the peak infectious period – the 24 to 48 hours before and after symptoms start – to spark a superspreader event.</p>When Do I Have to Wear a Mask Outdoors?
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-020-06067-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Face masks lower your risk</a> of getting infected, and they also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1098/rspa.2020.0376" target="_blank">reduce the amount of virus</a> you're spreading if you're infected.</p><p>If you're running or walking, carry a mask with you. When you're near other people, put it on.</p><p>If you're sitting at an outdoor café, try to mask up between bites and sips, especially if your age or health or weight make you vulnerable to severe COVID-19.</p><p>The likelihood of a passing interaction from someone walking by a table is small, but it's still possible. The safest spot when eating outdoors is a table away from high-traffic areas and upwind of everyone else.</p>Is Six Feet of Social Distancing Enough?
<p>Depending on where you are, maximize the distance between yourself and others. There's <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-lower-your-coronavirus-risk-while-eating-out-restaurant-advice-from-an-infectious-disease-expert-138925" target="_blank">nothing magic about staying six feet apart</a>. Particles <a href="http://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.4756" target="_blank">generated by sneezes</a> can travel a lot farther than that.</p><p>Twelve or 15 feet is safer.</p><p>It's all about minimizing risk. You can never drive that risk to zero when you're in public.</p>Can I Still Have People Over for an Outside Party?
<p>Think of the coronavirus like a sexually transmitted disease – everyone claims to behave safely, but do you really know where they've been? <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/the-virus-didnt-stop-a-washington-socialite-from-throwing-a-backyard-soiree-then-the-tests-came-back-positive/2020/07/01/841041ba-ba19-11ea-bdaf-a129f921026f_story.html" target="_blank">It just takes one</a> infected person. Rapid COVID-19 tests <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02661-2" target="_blank">aren't 100% accurate</a>, either, and are presently unavailable for most people.</p><p>To keep things safe for an outdoor gathering, set up tables for each social bubble – a family, for example. Keep the tables at least 15 to 20 feet apart. Set up food on individual plates in a central location and have people or each bubble go up separately. Don't share utensils or food or glasses. Wear masks as much as possible, and don't forget physical distancing.</p><p>There is a lot we still don't know about the coronavirus, including what the long-term damage is. Regardless of how old you are or how healthy, do what you can to avoid the virus until there's a vaccine. Even if you get over the illness quickly, we don't know what the long-term consequences will be.</p>From Your Site Articles
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Fossil fuel companies, a diesel engine parts manufacturer, and a nuclear waste management company were among the corporations which received up to $32 million in loans. Dirk Rabe / Pixabay
By Julia Conley
As the American public awaits a new coronavirus aid package and at least one in five small businesses expect to close by the end of 2020 due to economic hardship, government watchdog Accountable.US and the HuffPost revealed Sunday that at least five companies which were previously fined for pollution violations received millions of dollars in loans via the Paycheck Protection Program which was introduced in March.
<p>Fossil fuel companies, a diesel engine parts manufacturer, and a nuclear waste management company were among the corporations which received up to $32 million in loans, after they were forced to collectively pay more than $52 million in penalties, according to the analysis.</p>
<div id="28c35" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="39d60f1d30497c2d70e6bd472fc84cf8"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1312727026609074183" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Tens of millions of dollars went to companies with environmental mishaps. https://t.co/9gZs160fIt</div> — Chris D'Angelo 🌎 (@Chris D'Angelo 🌎)<a href="https://twitter.com/c_m_dangelo/statuses/1312727026609074183">1601813487.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>"These companies have a clear history of violating public trust and the law by contaminating the environment in pursuit of profits. Our federal government should not be essentially giving back portions of the penalties they've paid, but that's exactly what the Trump administration is doing through the PPP," Chris Saeger, director of strategic initiatives at Accountable.US, told the <em>HuffPost.</em></p><p>The companies include CountryMark Refining and Logistics, a subsidiary of an oil company based in Indiana, which took a PPP loan of $5 million to $10 million in April, seven years after it <a href="https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/countrymark-refining-and-logistics-llc#violations" target="_blank">paid</a> more than $18 million to correct its violations of the Clean Air Act, including emissions standards regarding the carcinogen benzene. </p><p>Utah-based diesel engine parts company Performance Diesel took a loan between $350,000 and $1 million, just a year after it agreed to pay $1.1 million to settle Clean Air Act violations.</p>
<p>"Polluters should receive penalties and regulatory scrutiny, not taxpayer subsidies," <a href="https://twitter.com/TrueJoeMurphy/status/1312759782395256838" target="_blank">tweeted </a>Joe Murphy, an environmental attorney in New York.</p><p>The report comes days after Friends of the Earth, Public Citizen, and BailoutWatch<a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/10/01/100-billion-lifeline-while-most-americans-are-being-left-behind-report-details" target="_blank"> revealed </a>"how the U.S. government provided a safety net for the flagging fossil fuel industry" through coronavirus relief packages by allowing oil and gas companies to issue nearly $100 billion in bonds through the Federal Reserve's bond purchasing program. </p><p>More than 7,000 fossil fuel companies have received a total of $3 billion to $7 billion in PPP loans, while an estimated 167,735 small businesses, including restaurants and independent retailers, have been<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/christiankreznar/2020/09/16/small-businesses-are-closing-at-a-rapid-pace-with-restaurants-and-retailers-on-the-west-coast-among-the-hardest-hit/#3f5d2a9b5033" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> forced to close</a> since March. Small business owners reported long delays in actually accessing funds after they were approved for PPP loans in the spring while they struggled to keep their businesses open and employees paid. </p>
<p>As of Friday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/03/coronavirus-stimulus-update-trump-urges-congress-to-pass-relief-bill.html" target="_blank">negotiating </a>more potential Covid-19 aid with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. House Democrats passed the HEROES Act in May and a second version of the legislation last week, calling for a reinstatement of the $600 weekly enhanced unemployment benefit included in the CARES Act, $400 billion for state and local governments, child care assistance funding, and funding for Covid-19 testing and contact tracing.</p><p>Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has so far refused to take up the legislation. </p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/10/04/tens-millions-ppp-loans-went-corporate-polluters-after-companies-were-fined-52" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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The Capucins market in Marseille, France on September 30, 2020. Marseille has ordered all bars and restaurants to close for two weeks as part of local measures to limit the spread of COVID-19. Jeremy Suyker / Getty Images
Britain and France both posted record high rises in the daily number of coronavirus cases on Saturday evening.
<p>France reported 17,000 new cases, with 49 additional deaths on the same day. More than 32,000 people have now died of the virus in France, and more than 606,625 people have been infected. The rate of positive coronavirus tests rose to 7.9% from 7.7% in the country.</p><p>Bars and restaurants are closed in the southern port of Marseilles, and rising infection rates mean similar closures could soon apply in the capital, Paris. Mask-wearing is compulsory, even outdoors, in a number of French cities. </p><p>In Britain, the Health Ministry reported almost 13,000 new cases, almost double the cases reported on Friday. The British government said the sudden spike was due to a "technical issue" which caused a delay in reporting previous cases.</p><p>Britain's coronavirus death toll stands at 42,317 — higher than any other country in Europe. In a bid to curb the spread of the virus, the government has imposed restrictions on social gatherings and warned that tougher measures could follow if infection rates don't start to drop. </p>
<h2>Europe</h2><p>Europe is in the middle of another surge in cases, as new restrictions are being placed across the continent.</p><p>Germany: Data from the Robert Koch Institute showed that cases increased by 2,279 on Sunday. The death toll rose by 2, taking the total to 9,529.</p><p>Italy: The country reported 2,844 new cases on Saturday, its highest tally since April, when the country was still in lockdown. The death toll rose by 27. The Italian government announced measures to curb the rise in numbers to be introduced soon, which will make wearing masks in public compulsory. </p>
<p>Ukraine: Former President Petro Poroshenko has been hospitalized for double pneumonia, according to his wife. "Despite the fact that my husband has double pneumonia, he is strong-willed and is demonstrating this in the fight against the disease," Maryna Poroshenko said. The 55-year-old tested positive for the virus just a few days ago.</p><p>Ireland: The chief medical officer of Ireland said the country was seeing rising numbers after the country reported the highest rise in cases since April. Ireland has taken measures such as banning indoor restaurants and travel in and out of the capital, Dublin. </p><p>Poland: After reporting 1,934 new cases on Sunday, Poland's total caseload has cracked the 100,000 mark. The country has registered 100,074 cases and 2,630 since the pandemic began. Though it was one of the first countries to go into lockdown, Poland's conservative government has not committed to another despite recording three daily case records in the past week.</p>
<h2>Asia</h2><p>India: The South Asian nation has recorded 75,829 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of infections to 6.5 million, according to data from the Health Ministry.</p><p>India's death toll of almost 102,000 is the world's third-highest behind the United States and Brazil.</p><p>The world's second-most populous country is registering the highest number of daily cases globally, but it's also reporting that ill people are recovering at a rate of more than 83%. Still, experts warn India's lower rates of testing compared to many other countries could mean its real tally may be much higher. </p><p>As infections continue to surge, India's Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said the country hopes to have 500 million doses of coronavirus vaccine by July of next year.</p>
<h2>Americas</h2><p>USA: President Donald Trump, who tested positive for coronavirus, <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/coming-days-critical-with-trump-in-hospital-after-covid-19-infection-live-updates/a-55141841" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">put out a video of himself</a> saying the coming days will be "most crucial." He and First Lady Melania Trump are receiving treatment at the Walter Reed Hospital.</p><h2>Africa</h2><p>Tunisia: The North African nation is set to ban all public gatherings, and reduce working hours for public sector employees. The decision was taken due to the rise in coronavirus cases, over fears that the healthcare sector would be unable to cope with the high numbers. The country faces a shortage of intensive care beds. </p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><em><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-digest-france-and-uk-set-record-daily-figures/a-55149529?maca=en-VAM_volltext_ecowatch-28485-html-copypaste" target="_blank">Deutsche Welle</a>.</em><a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/r/entryeditor/2648098484#/" target="_self"></a></p>From Your Site Articles
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A puppy in Ukraine is cared for by SPCA International partner Clean Futures Fund. CFF received a COVID-19 relief grant from SPCA International. © CleanFutures Fund
By Meredith Ayan
While pet foster and adoption rates have soared in New York and many parts of the United States, globally, the situation is much direr.
In the face of COVID-19, these shelters are continually facing critical challenges, including food shortages, spikes in pet abandonment with a plummeting and near-zero rate of adoptions, overcrowding, and fears of culling. Thanks to our work with partners all over the world, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) International has a direct line of communication with these international shelters and a unique insight into their experiences during the pandemic. What we've been hearing is harrowing.
<p>Under lockdown in <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-51614957" target="_blank">China</a>, animal organizations reached out to our team early this year reporting animals abandoned in apartments, on the streets, and in shelters as their owners passed away or were unable or unwilling to continue caring for their pets. To contend with lockdown policies and lack of access to food, <a href="https://www.spcai.org/news/video/covid-19-lockdown-impacts-animal-shelters-in-china" target="_blank">one shelter began to make their own pet kibble</a> with our shelter grant. </p><p>In the Dominican Republic, with restaurants and local stores shuttered, shelters have implemented a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/spcai/posts/10163179327035577" target="_blank">feeding program for community stray animals</a> that normally rely on businesses or individuals for food. </p><p>In Montreal, <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/doing-good-wishbone-meals-to-spca-ouest-money-for-resto-workers/" target="_blank">donations of pet food</a> from New Zealand-based pet food manufacturer Wishbone Pet Food provided a crucial resource as local shelters continued to provide care for animals. </p><p>And in Italy, <a href="https://spcaitalia.jimdofree.com/" target="_blank">SPCA Italia</a> implemented a program to subsidize the cost of food and vet care for the pets of people who have experienced recent economic hardship so that they don't have to abandon or surrender them to already overburdened shelters.</p>
<p>Normally, shelter needs vary by region and size. Some simply need food or rescue support, others require veterinary materials and vaccines that are difficult to source internationally, and others seek to improve their community education outreach to help house more animals. However, during COVID-19, there has been a striking similarity in the needs and challenges of shelters across the world:</p><ol><li>They need food: Limited resources, lockdowns, and hoarding mean that sourcing kibble is becoming nearly impossible.</li><li>Animals are being abandoned: Unfounded fears of animal to human transmission of the virus has led to spikes in abandonments and overflowing shelters without the staff or resources to care for them.</li><li>When people struggle, so do animals: As communities face loss of income, due to the economic fallout of COVID-19, providing for pets or community animals is increasingly becoming difficult and sometimes, impossible.</li></ol>
<p>The U.S. has a robust shelter and adoption system, but internationally, this is far from the case, particularly in countries with high stray populations and where keeping companion animals is less customary. Even under normal circumstances, international shelters contend with cultural stigma about strays and disease, volunteer-only staff, and limited resources. Many shelters typically export adoptable animals to countries where adoptions are more popular—mostly the U.S.</p><p>As COVID-19 continues to strain communities and redefine normal life, these typical challenges are amplified beyond recognition. With the situation changing almost daily across the world, borders in many countries still remain closed for non-essential travel, and exporting animals to the U.S. for adoption has become almost impossible. And whereas U.S. pet stores are considered essential, in other countries, these businesses are shuttered, and resources are at a premium.</p>
<p>The recent explosion at the port of Beirut intensified the effects of a city that was already reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic and a struggling economy. So many people lost their homes and loved ones in the blink of an eye. Our partners at <a href="https://betalebanon.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BETA Lebanon</a> have stepped up in a big way to help the animals and people affected by this disaster. SPCA International committed $20,000 from our disaster relief fund to aid their efforts during this difficult time.</p><p>Uncertainty, store closures, delayed shipments, and misinformation has had tragic implications for animals, making the work of these shelters on the ground even more urgent. Now more than ever, they need our support through monetary donations and veterinary supplies, which are readily available here. And, if you can, it's a great time to adopt or foster an animal while you're working from home to lighten the load on domestic shelters.</p><p>With the West Coast of the U.S. facing devastating wildfires, people are losing their homes, preparing to evacuate or having to shelter indoors due to the air quality and thick smoke. Similarly, areas in the South have experienced terrible fallout from hurricanes, and face a long season ahead. Displaced families rely on shelters and foster organizations to take care of their animals until they can be reunited. If you can open your home to an animal that needs a temporary place to stay, this can make all the difference for a family in need.</p>
<p><em>Meredith Ayan is the executive director of <a href="https://www.spcai.org" target="_blank">SPCA International</a>.</em></p><p><span></span><em>This article was produced by </em><a href="https://independentmediainstitute.org/earth-food-life/" target="_blank"><em>Earth | Food | Life</em></a><em>, a project of the Independent Media Institute.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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People protest coronavirus working conditions outside of an Amazon warehouse fulfillment center on May 1, 2020 in Staten Island, New York City. Stephanie Keith / Getty Images
Online retail giant Amazon, which has seen its profits soar since COVID-19 lockdowns began, announced Thursday that nearly 20,000 of its employees either tested positive or have been presumed positive for the coronavirus, CNN reported.
<p>Amazon revealed 19,816 COVID-19 cases, or roughly 1.44 percent of its front-line workforce, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/10/01/amazon-workers-covid-positive/" target="_blank">The Washington Post</a> reported.</p><p>In a corporate blog post, Amazon said it examined data for about 1.37 million front-line employees who worked at Amazon and Whole Foods from March 1 to September 19. Amazon then compared the results to the official statistics reported by the <a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html" target="_blank">Johns Hopkins University</a> coronavirus tracker. If Amazon's infection rate were commensurate with the general population, it would total almost 34,000 cases, the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-amazoncom-inc-whole-foods-market-inc-a9e270b8991d13d21516728ae6b58477" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AP</a> reported.</p><p>However, Amazon claims that its numbers are 42 percent lower than expected based on that comparison, CNN reported.<br></p>
<p>When CNN asked Amazon for a breakdown between Whole Foods and Amazon employees, the company declined to provide that information.</p><p>Another caveat to the data is that it does not include the company's large pool of delivery drivers, who are usually independent contractors, Amazon spokesperson Kelly Cheeseman told The Washington Post.</p><p>Health officials have had a difficult time obtaining accurate data from Amazon about infection rates at its facilities. An <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/lack-oversight-transparency-leave-amazon-employees-dark-covid-19-n1241549" target="_blank">NBC News</a> investigation revealed earlier this week that managers at a Wisconsin warehouse pushed hundreds of employees into a windowless room during a tornado warning back in August — just a day after employees learned about more of their coworkers testing positive. Afterward, the company refused to provide data on how many new cases resulted from the incident. </p>
<p>The county health director in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Dr. Jen Freiheit, <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6961783-Amazon-Redacted.html#document/p20/a578637" target="_blank">described</a> Amazon as "less than easy to work with," NBC News reported.</p><p>Amazon has received pushback from its employees who have criticized working conditions. In March, more than 1,500 employees across the U.S. and Europe signed a petition asking the company to adopt and enforce stricter safety protocols. At the time, one employee called the working conditions "totally insufficient" to keep people healthy, The Washington Post reported.</p><p>Despite efforts to improve safety conditions, including increased cleanings, temperature checks and mandatory face masks, some employees believe the company still has a long way to go.</p>
<p>Amazon's disclosure "is the most damning evidence we have seen that corporate America has completely failed to protect our country's front line workers in this pandemic," Marc Perrone, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, said in a statement in The Washington Post.</p><p>Meanwhile, the company's profits have soared as demand for online shopping increased during the pandemic, The Washington Post reported. Amazon's stock price has almost doubled, adding tens of billions of dollars to founder Jeff Bezos' net worth in 2020, reported CNN.</p>
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Fall is with us and winter is around the corner, so the season for colds and flu has begun — joining COVID-19. monstArrr / Getty Images
By Gudrun Heise
Just as scientists are scoring successes in coronavirus research, new problems are on their way. Fall is with us and winter is around the corner, so the season for colds and flu has begun — joining COVID-19.
<p>The coronavirus is already new territory for science, and the effects of its combination with influenza are equally unknown. There is much speculation about what is to be expected and what will or could happen when these two dangerous infectious diseases come together. This is what is making it so difficult to prepare adequately for the cold time of year.</p><p>Coughing, sniffles and hoarseness in fall and winter are nothing new, and flu is also a regular feature of these seasons. But we can be vaccinated against it, and that is of advantage in diagnosing cases of coronavirus as well.</p><p>"If people who have been vaccinated against influenza still have flu symptoms, it is more likely that it is not influenza," says <a href="https://www.helmholtz-hzi.de/de/forschung/forschungsschwraund-virale-krankheitserreger/epidemiologie/gerard-krause/" target="_blank">Gerárd Krause from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in the northern German city of Braunschweig</a>. "This, in turn, makes it easier to decide matters regarding home quarantine and getting a clear diagnosis."</p>
Influenza Vaccination
<p>A flu vaccination may thus be able to narrow down the diagnostic options when flu-like symptoms occur, but whether such a vaccination also has an influence on the behavior of the dangerous new virus is — like so much else — not clear. "It is conceivable that there is an indirect effect. But it is, I believe, a matter of speculation whether it has an immunological effect in the narrower sense," says Krause.</p><p>Every winter, doctors' waiting rooms are full of people who are coughing and sniffing but who mostly turn out to have only a severe respiratory infection. According to current knowledge, the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, is also likely to be subject to seasonal fluctuations. </p><p>In winter, cold viruses, at least, flourish because cold and dry air offers ideal conditions for their spread. In addition, it becomes more difficult to air rooms regularly and intensively — an important further measure to counteract the coronavirus and contain to some extent the danger posed by aerosols.</p><p>According to the <a href="https://www.rki.de/DE/Home/homepage_node.html" target="_blank">Robert Koch Institute, Germany's public health agency</a>, between 5% and 20% of people in Germany become infected with flu viruses every year. These viruses are also dangerous and can be fatal. The flu vaccination must be adapted to the influenza viruses every year, because they mutate. But at least there is a vaccination.</p><p>Most experts agree that there is unlikely to be a vaccine against the coronavirus by the time the next wave of influenza comes around. And even if a vaccine were to be approved, many unknowns remain.</p>COVID-19 and Flu Simultaneously
<p>For example, there is a lack of practical experience in dealing simultaneously with SARS-CoV-2 and influenza. It is possible to speculate that having influenza could facilitate the entry of the coronavirus into the human body. "The general weakening of the immune system during an influenza infection could increase the susceptibility of a patient to a SARS-CoV-2 infection," Krause says.</p><p>However, it is uncertain how dangerous this double infection could ultimately be and what can be done about it. Krause is of the opinion that we must arm ourselves against all three diseases — colds, flu and COVID-19. If we have a cold, bed rest, hot tea and cough medicine usually help. We can get vaccinated against flu. But how do we deal with COVID-19?</p><p><span></span>Probably people can only hope that if they get the illness, they will have a mild form with as few after-effects as possible. Here, it will certainly help to stick to suggested rules on hygiene to reduce or prevent our exposure to the virus. In an interview with DW, Bonn-based virology professor Hendrik Streeck made it clear that COVID-19 usually takes a more severe course when there is a high viral load at infection.</p>Hygiene, Hygiene, Hygiene
<p>The same hygiene measures with which we are trying to get at least some kind of grip on COVID-19 also apply to influenza. The less we come into contact with viruses, the greater the chance that we will be spared an infection or that it will be mild.</p><p>These measures include general hygiene precautions such as frequent hand washing and the wearing of protective face masks. "The various hygienic measures against COVID-19 will also reduce the spread of influenza," says Krause. "Possibly, further connections of a more immunological nature will be discovered."</p><p>Let us hope that is the case, because the flu season hasn't even started.</p>From Your Site Articles
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A health care worker holds a test for patients suspected of being infected with coronavirus at the Center Health Vicoso Jardim on April 30, 2020 in Niteroi, Brazil. Luis Alvarenga / Getty Images
By Alexander Freund
The World Health Organization, along with its global partners in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, has announced that it will provide 120 million rapid-diagnostic antigen tests to people in lower- and middle-income countries over the next six months. The tests represent a "massive increase" in testing worldwide, according to the Global Fund, a partnership that works to end epidemics.
<p>"We have an agreement, we have seed funding and now we need the full amount of funds to buy these tests," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday, without providing further details. The program will initially require $600 million and is planned to start as early as October.</p><p>This mass testing campaign is part of a <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_710" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">global initiative launched in April</a> by the WHO, the European Commission, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the French government. Additional partner organizations include the Global Fund, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Clinton Health Access Initiative, the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) and Unitaid.</p><p>The test manufacturers, South Korea's SD BioSensor and U.S.-based Abbott Laboratories, have agreed to provide 20% of their test kits to lower- and middle-income countries. The remainder will be made available to wealthier nations, some of whom are helping to finance the test drive. Germany, for example, has already ordered some 20 million test kits.</p>
Quick Test Can Break Infection Chains
<p>"These tests provide reliable results in approximately 15 to 30 minutes, rather than hours or days, at a lower price with less sophisticated equipment," said WHO head Tedros, adding that the tests would cost as little as $5 each, and could become cheaper still. He said the rapid tests would help expand testing to hard-to-reach areas which aren't as well-equipped, or which are lacking trained health workers.</p><p>"High-quality rapid tests show us where the virus is hiding, which is key to quickly tracing and isolating contacts and breaking the chains of transmission," said Tedros. "The tests are a critical tool for governments as they look to reopen economies and ultimately save both lives and livelihoods."</p><p>Catharina Boehme, head of FIND, also welcomed the widespread rollout of cheap test kits. "This really shows what can be achieved when the world and leading global health partners come together with a common priority," she said.</p>How Do COVID-19 Antigen Tests Work?
<p>There are currently three different types of coronavirus diagnostic tests on the market: antigen tests, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests and serology tests (ELISA). </p><p>Rapid antigen tests target virus proteins, and somewhat resemble pregnancy tests. They aren't yet available at pharmacies and can only be administered by trained medical personnel. With a nasal or throat swab, testers can find out within approximately 15 minutes whether a patient has contracted the SARS-CoV-2 virus and is infectious and must be quarantined.</p><p>The advantage of rapid antigen tests is that they can be conducted quickly and on the spot. <br></p><p>It's hoped that this will help save the lives of thousands of people and slow the spread of the pandemic in the world's poorest countries. Rapid antigen tests can be used to carry out mass screenings among health care workers in low-income countries, who are at greater risk of death from COVID-19. These tests could also be used in schools, in the workplace and in nursing and retirement homes.</p><p>The major disadvantage of rapid antigen tests is that they're less reliable than PCR tests, which are conducted in labs and designed to detect the virus' genetic material. Rapid antigen tests may also be less effective in detecting infections in the early stages.</p><p>Still, a growing number of medical experts are backing the mass rollout of antigen tests, as they allow infected people to be identified even before they show symptoms, when individuals have a high viral load and are especially infectious.</p>Not All Rapid Test Kits Are Reliable
<p>Hundreds of rapid COVID-19 test kits have come on the market recently. Many of them are reliable, but not all. In March, for example, Spain sent back two batches of unlicensed Chinese test kits because they were flawed.</p><p>The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control has pointed out that even though many tests have been approved for sale on the European market, very few clinical studies show whether they are actually effective.</p><p>The 120 million test kits set to be rolled out by the WHO are the first to meet all of the organization's standards; test makers SD BioSensor and Abbott were granted emergency approval by the WHO last week.</p><p>The manufacturers claim their tests are up to 97% reliable in lab conditions; in the real world, the tests are said to be between 80% and 90% reliable. While this is good, it also means some 20% of patients will receive negative results despite being infected, which could lead to further spread of the virus.</p>What Are the Alternatives to Antigen Tests?
<p>Rapid antigen tests are ideal to test scores of patients quickly, simply and cheaply. Lab-based PCR tests, however, are superior in terms of reliability.</p><p>The PCR test detects genetic material, or RNA, from the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Patients are asked to provide a throat swab. One part of the person's genetic material is then synthesized, after which a biochemical process known as agarose gel electrophoresis is used to detect if the sample contains virus RNA. These tests are highly reliable but can only be conducted in specialized labs.</p><p>Serologic testing, on the other hand, detects antibodies in a person's blood that form when the immune system responds to a certain pathogen. This indicates that a person has already been exposed to the virus. While quick test kits are available for this method, these are mainly used for scientific studies.<br></p>
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