Tag: Public Health

The National Vaccine Rollout

The process of getting the Covid vaccine out to the general public….and we all know that it will not go smoothly…..nothing else has in the US during the pandemic so why should the rollout of the vaccine be any different?

The first trucks carrying the COVID-19 vaccine just left a Michigan manufacturing facility Sunday, and yet the vaccine’s rollout is already, per CNN, “messy.” Vaccinations will likely start Monday, but it will be months before most people can get one; Operation Warp Speed’s chief adviser anticipated it will likely be June before vaccines are available to the full US population—if nothing goes wrong on the manufacturing end. As for who gets one when, CNN notes distribution may not seem fair, with state and local health authorities having to make tough decisions about which high-risk group should get access after the very first group, health care workers and long-term care residents. The news outlet runs down a whole list of other potential issues, like shipment mix-ups (one has already taken place), a lack of training for facilities administering the vaccines, and more.

Among those issues: people may forget to come back for the necessary second dose, or they may be so put off by side effects from the first dose that they forego it. Indeed, while most symptoms experienced after getting the vaccine are harmless, some health care facilities are planning to stagger vaccinations in case they are severe enough to cause people to miss work. As for the journey the vaccines are currently making: NPR reports 145 of the 636 sites receiving the first doses of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine will get their shipments by Monday morning. And in related news, President Trump on Sunday announced that he is reversing an administration directive to vaccinate top government officials in the first wave, the AP reports. The plan had riled some, especially considering the White House’s lax stance on COVID-19 precautions.

Bill Gates has a warning for president-elect Joe Biden…..

Developing, testing, and distributing a coronavirus vaccine is tough enough. But Bill Gates pointed out something else Sunday that’s compounding the difficulties. “The transition is complicating,” Gates said on CNN. The Microsoft co-founder is encouraged, however, because “the new administration is willing to rely on actual experts and not attack those experts.” President Trump’s administration has not worked with President-elect Joe Biden’s team on the distribution plan. That lack of communication could slow the process, which is just beginning, Gates said, per the Hill. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been working on the vaccine effort, and Gates said he’s talked with Biden about making sure “we don’t blow it.” He added: “I’m pleased with the people and priority that President-elect Biden and his team are bringing to bear on this problem.”

Gates said he “will visibly take the vaccine,” but he’ll await his turn. The decision on the order in which groups receive vaccinations “should be based on medical need, not wealth at all,” Gates said. “After all, this epidemic has been awful in the way that it’s exacerbated inequities.” The foundation announced Thursday that it will add another $250 million to the fight against COVID-19, pushing its total contribution to $1.75 billion, per CNN. Gates said Sunday that the US “would’ve been expected to be the best” in stopping the spread of the coronavirus. “We didn’t get on top of it like many countries did,” he said. Gates is encouraged by the work of Biden and his team. “They’re laying out clear plans,” he said, “so I think we’ll get through this in a positive way.”

Let us all hope that this country has learned a valuable lesson on what indecision  and inaction can do…….a few things that will not defeat this disease…..

I Read, I Write, You Know

“lego ergo scribo”

“It’s Time for Single Payer…..”

The election of 2016 has brought about the continuing saga of the ACA (Obamacare)….of course each candidate has their own opinion on the subject….if it is the GOP it is the never ending “Repel and Replace” mantra, like a stuck record……on the Dem side we have Clinton who is pretty much happy with it the way it is and then there is Sanders who promotes a single payer system…..one that is not very popular with the dolts that report the news……..

I personally like the idea of a single payer system…..basically Medicare for all…….it would be the best way to see that every American has equal access to health care….but that makes me a…..wait for it……socialist.

It appears that I am not alone in wanting to see the idea of single payer return to the conversation…..

Despite limited advances provided by the Affordable Care Act, the U.S. healthcare system remains “uniquely wasteful” and profit-driven, leaving tens of millions without any insurance and even more underinsured.

As a result, say leading physicians, “the right to medical care remains a dream deferred.”

In an effort to finally realize that dream, thousands of medical professionals across the country have signed onto the “Physicians’ Proposal for Single-Payer Health Care Reform,” calling for a publicly financed, single-payer National Health Program (NHP) that would cover all Americans for all medically necessary care.

Source: 2000+ Doctors Declare: “It’s Time for Single Payer to be Back on the Table” | Common Dreams | Breaking News & Views for the Progressive Community

Ebola: Why Not Ask Real Questions?

Opinion from Chuq’s Desk:

 

Okay, enough is enough!  We have been bombarded with everything Ebola and most of it is worthless full and fodder.  America’s paranoia is running at a fever’s pitch.

I will bow to social convention and join the Ebola conversation….most will probably appreciate my direction of this post…..but hey….they can just get over it, right?

Now everyone can take a deep breath…..Nigeria is damn near Ebola free (for now…..Senegal is getting pretty damn close and now for the US…….we had some cases….nothing like West Africa but if you listened to your butt monkeys that you elected …we had an epidemic……

To what purpose is the MSM fixation on the Ebola outbreak?  I mean really?  We get lots of horror stories but little useful information.  We got every little political toad that ever wanted to be on TV got to say something of which little was accurate……but we Americans listened and we panicked….it is what we do……

Is what the media is doing a public service?  To me it is bordering on sensationalism.  At what point will it be considered fanning the flames of hysteria?  Is there a saturation point?  Just what is the point of this overreaction? Or would it be over-reporting?

Yes, Ebola is a horrific disease and yes there is a necessity for accurate information…usable information……but do we really need all this filler that is bordering on the psychotic?

So far I have seen little on the control and the cure and a whole bunch of typical bullsh*t that serves NO purpose other than to increase the panic.  Oh wait!  We have a new Ebola Czar……a position that may not be needed…..but what the Hell….it gives politicos something to use in their election ads.

Apparently the public carves a good dose of fear…….and this situation is feeding that hunger even though it appears the worst of this situation may be behind us………..

When will this end?

My guess it will lessen around November 5th…..or shortly after the votes are counted the situation will NO longer be needed..

Finally, just what is this Ebola overkill really accomplishing?

Questions………..  Answers needed.

If anyone was a good answer please share………

I am listening!

Oh My God………Could I Have Ebola?

The media and politicians have turned Americans into hypochondriacs….if they sneeze more than twice they may have the Ebola virus…..

I have tried to calm the fears of people……but alas….it has done NO good……..

Time for Americans to get a grip!  This Ebola situation is an prime example of why if ever there would be an ‘end of life event’ the American public will NOT be told about it.

STOP listening to bullshit and……..

Answer ONE question!  (Maybe this Vox graphic will help)………..

 

 

Ebola: Outbreak We Ignored

Yep, another post about Ebola!  I mean why not?  The whole damn country has gone bat shit crazy over the virus and I just did not want to be left out.

The public is borderline psychotic because there are a couple of people that have contracted the disease…….and then there is the media…..it is doing everything possible to keep the public crying for more….more….more…..to the point of offering up live pics of a patient walking in a hazmat suit….now that kept me on the edge of my seat for the 15 minutes it took to walk from ambulance to hospital door……

Back in August the first words of the virus came out of West Africa and from that point forward it has been front page news……and the lead story once an American got the disease and once they came back home it went into bat crap crazy mode from then until now……

There is a funny (in reality not so funny) thing that happened back in July of this year……….

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa shows no signs of slowing, having killed at least 4,447. Elsewhere in Africa, however, another outbreak of the virus is quietly winding down. It’s believed a different strain of Ebola first appeared in the Democratic Republic of Congo in late July: A pregnant woman who likely contracted it while butchering wild game died on Aug. 11 in the village of Ikanamongo, the Guardian reports. Though the virus spread, killing 49 of 69 known patients by the AP’s count, the last known case was reported some three weeks ago. The World Health Organization is now on the verge of declaring the outbreak fully contained—thanks in part to a speedy response.

A team headed by Jean-Jacques Muyembe was first on the scene. Muyembe, who responded to the first known outbreak in the country in 1976, saw the importance of keeping the virus from spreading to urban areas—which it has now done in the West African outbreak. However, as the mostly isolated DRC has seen at least seven Ebola outbreaks since 1976 and genetic testing reveals the latest strain is 99.2% similar to one that appeared in 1995, the country was well-prepared, LiveScience reports. Before this year, an outbreak had never occurred in Guinea, Liberia, or Sierra Leone, where civil conflict, a distrust of government, and well-connected towns and cities have helped Ebola spread

Ebola was a story that stirred some interest but once the American contracted the disease then it became the wrath of God….before that it was just some ‘typical’ tropical disease that only natives would get.

Sadly the first outbreak went unnoticed basically because it did not effect Americans…but once one of our own is so afflicted then it is balls to the walls and be damned if anyone gets in our way.  In other words our typical overreaction.

Ebola: Where Should We Assign Blame?

Okay all you nervous Nellies…..Ebola is here and we have to deal with that……there are a couple of things that need to be touched upon…….

First, the panic over the Ebola death and the rising number of people affected in this country have doubled….we went from one and now we have two…..the horror!

I got a Tweet today and it made an excellent point…….

 

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There have been lots of finger pointing as to why and how this could happen……how could the ‘best’ country in the world be caught flat footed by the Ebola virus……and there is an answer…the same answer I have been pointing to since this whole thing began……you want to know the culprit?

 

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The Public Swimming Pool

My last day of mental clarity and keeping with the usual stuff I will sink into the lower levels of thought…..I find a companion piece to go with yesterday’s post……..as the old saying goes…..Sh*t Happens!

As a kid I was not lucky enough to have my own pool so I like so many others would go to the local swimming pool for some recreation and girl watching (my later teens)……..I always enjoyed my time there….a little exercise….a little socializing…..a lot of flirting…….we always here about the pee in the pool or the chemical that turns blue when someone pees…..but this story is enough to make me give up the recreation of swimming altogether……

(Newser) – The CDC sampled 161 public swimming pools and discovered a very good reason to keep your mouth closed in the water: 58% of them had fecal contamination, reports USA Today. The pools were in Atlanta, but a CDC official says the findings would almost certainly apply to any city. Researchers chalked it up to swimmers’ hygiene, either because they were unclean when they got in the water or they had an accident. The CDC found another type of bacteria, one that causes rashes and ear infections, in 59% of the pools, reports LiveScience.

Okay, first of all….EEEWWWWWWWWWW!

What Causes Autism?

I recall back in the early days of this lame election when the word autism was used and that of abortion and contraception in connection with autism……one candidate cited some source that was far from accurate that linked these with autism…..I bring this up because there has been another link that needs to be researched…..

A recent study published in the journal Clinical Epigenetics reveals that high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is a highly-processed chemical sweetener used in many processed foods and beverages, has been identified as a major factor in the rise of autism in the United States.

The rise of autism spectrum disorders in the United States has been staggering.

“The number of children ages 6 to 21 in the United States receiving special education services under the autism disability category increased 91% between 2005 to 2010 while the number of children receiving special education services overall declined by 5%.” – Dufault et al. Clinical Epigenetics, 2012

The ingestion of heavy metals, such as mercury (Hg), into the body is having a profound effect on the neurodevelopment of children. HFCS is not only exposing children’s bodies to mercury, but it is also responsible for inhibiting the elimination of toxins and heavy metals due to how it depletes the body of the natural mineral zinc.

“…the HFCS characteristics most likely contributing to autism include the zinc depleting effect that comes from consuming HFCS and certain food colors found in processed foods, and the additional Hg exposure that may occur from the low Hg concentrations sometimes found in HFCS as a result of the manufacturing process [4,17].” – Dufault et al. Clinical Epigenetics, 2012
(Source: http://www.clinicalepigeneticsjournal.com/content/4/1/6/figure/F3)

The study concludes:

“Consumption of HFCS may lead to mineral imbalances, including Zn [Zinc], Ca [Calcium] and P [Phosphorus] loss and Cu [Copper] gain and is a potential source of inorganic mercury exposure. These mineral imbalances create multiple pathways for oxidative stress in the brain from exposure to OP [organophosphate] pesticides and heavy metals, such as Pb [Lead] or Hg [Mercury].” – Dufault et al. Clinical Epigenetics, 2012

As health authorities and the FDA continue to pay little attention to ingredients such as HFCS, it is up to us to educate ourselves, other parents and our children. The importance of eating organic, pesticide-free fruits and vegetables, as well as whole foods rich in vitamins, minerals and nutrients such as Omega-3 Fatty acids, while eliminating processed foods from our diets, has never been more clear as public health epidemics skyrocket.

The study also identified the presence of mercury in vaccines and the overuse of agricultural pesticides, as potential causal factors for the increase in the rise of Autism in the United States.

Sources: http://www.clinicalepigeneticsjournal.com/content/pdf/1868-7083-4-6.pdf

Okay is this a good study or is it the same as the egg study from the 80’s?  Is this accurate or will it be debunked in a year or so?  I know that we want to accuse high fructose for everything from stunted growth to zits and now autism….you thoughts?

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I Have A Health Care Plan

This is a re-post of one of my previous posts on Info Ink….this one is from April 2007…..

An Alternative Healthcare Proposal

For years, the most pressing problem that the US faces is that of adequate healthcare for all the American people. Leaders have toyed with the problem, the people have wanted more, presidents have given it tons of lip service, but yet no one has an idea that will work. It either would cost too much money or it would not be politically advantageous or……..and the beat goes on. To date there is still no adequate healthcare or a workable plan. My question is–how long will they debate and promise and ……?

I have had a thought on one possible path they could be taken to help the American people with adequate healthcare. And the really good part of it, it will not add much cost to the system that would needed to be funded by more taxes.

But I start I want to make it clear that this plan is for doctors and visists it will not encompass hospitalization of any kind. The easy part would be the doctor’s end of the equation, the hospital part will take a massive plan to fix it. This then is just a small part of the problem, but could be fixed with little increase to the American people.

This is a plan that I sent to my Congressman several years ago and his reply had nothing to do with what I had outlined. In other words, the pig did not read it and some low level gopher sent me a reply to my proposal. Needless to say, I have little use for my congressman, who by the way is still on my dime in Washington.

First let us start with seemingly unrelated problems; the healthcare of the American people and those who default on their student loans. Is there a connection? Well, yeah! One of the worst abusers of non-payment of student loans are those in the medical field; doctors to be more exact.

There have been many plans over the years to try an get the money out of these abusers, but most were a dismal failure. One such plan, the doctor would go where the US needed him/her and work until the loan was paid down. Not bad, but unfortunately, there were always loopholes that allowed the people to escape from this plan.

My proposal is simple, the doctor opens a clinic in Willacuchi, Ga and begins seeing patients. He would then choose a day a week that the poor would be treated. The amount of the visit, supplies and medication that he used that day would be deducted from his loan balance and this would be continued until the entire loan was paid off. NO ESCAPE CLAUSES!

The doctor, no matter what city or town, would not have to give up their private practice or their goals of riches accumulation. The Dept. of Health and Human Services would monitor the transactions, to keep them honest.

This proposal will not eliminate the need for more sweeping changes in the healthcare of Americans, but it would be a start at helping those who cannot afford to visit the doctor on regular basis. Those people who do not have insurance or money enough for doctors appointments. I realize that this is simplistic and if the government gets involved it might become a nightmare, but it is a start

It would not take DHHS long to come up with a satisfactory method of determining who is in need and who is scamming. This would not be that difficult and I say why not give it a try?  Plus it would not grow the size of the bureaucracy; it is already in place.  The only cost to the government would be to vote it in and then get the word out…there are agencies in every state that could handle that……

CHUQ

31/03/07